Hi all, I hope some can advise what I can do with my The Machinac Grand if it is not too late. I dug it out of its pot on March 30, cut off rotten parts, there were quite a few white feeding roots so I had good hope for it. I left 3 good eyes so the plant has enough energy to develop them. Since then the leaf buds swell and almost opened (I see some green) but I have noticed no development for long time by now. Shall I cut 2 leaf buds? I water it very lightly, the soil is good, I keep it outside during a day and put it back inside for night. Is it dying with no return? I already lost Postillion even after it developed a leaf, The Machinac Grand seems to be unhappy. I would appreciate all suggestions.

Can you use rooting hormone to help? I away use it when I transplant any plants.

The Mackinac Grand has been a hard one for me as well, Anya--it's been stunted by late freezes every year since I got it. Are you sure you have enough of the feeder root left to support the eyes? If so, what have the temps been like? A lot of the time here they'll emerge then we'll have a cold snap and they'll just stay the same for a week or more, then start growing again when it warms a bit.

Is the soil too wet possibly. Peony roots hate wet feet. It could stunt development.

Last year a have rotten stems on 1st year Morning Lilac. You can see the stems are hollow when I cut them ( after flowering ) - all of them, in fact. Used some fungicide ( Potassium permanganate ) on the crown top and to my surprise some new leaves appeared a month later. Normal development up to date this year, but keep my fingers crossed. I also moved some of the top soil and added some chicken grit around crown.

Thanks all!

Yan, if I have to transplant it I can try rooting hormone but I am not if it's good to transplant it now.

Liz, I am not sure it has enough feeder root (you mean a think one with all saved nutrients?), I probably cut half of what I received from Adelman's but also cut a few eyes leaving only 3, thought that was a good balance but I don't know. In March I kept the pot in a warm and sunny spot indoors, when it became too warm (I guess peonies don't like very warm environment in general and when they don't have a developed root system in particular) I placed the pot in a cooler though still warm place. When outside day temperatures became nice (up to 50F) I started to put it outside for a day. I return it back inside when evening temperatures drop to ~40F. One leaf bud shows some green and still hope for the best. But remembering Postillion with a small leaf which rotted anyway I am afraid it can happen to The Machinac Grand too. Would leaving just one bud help the plant to give all energy to that future leaf?

Tracey, I try to stay on a drier side and water lightly when my finger feels dry soil on 2" depth. Should it be more dry? The pot is not very deep (6") so I am afraid to dry out the peony.

Alex, that's good to know, thank you. Did you take away soil from the top of the peony and just pour the fungicide on the crown and then replace another soil?

Anya, I bought TMG from Adelman's in Fall 2015. Last year it sent up one stem that died back in the early Summer. This year it has one strong stem with a bud on it. It may just be that TMG is hard to get established.

LG, thanks, it's very possible. I am totally OK if it takes time to get established, just don't want it to die.

Anya, I know that feeling. When will you be able to put it in the ground?
Can you buy this in your area? I think it will help your TMG get going. Use as directed.

LG, I have never seen this, I will look more carefully. Today looked for Azomite in all three possible stores in town and did not find it, ordered on-line (fortunately free shipping) I have a lot of planting for the whole summer, hopefully it will be not as rainy as last year. I can plant TMG as early as late May-beginning of June. Thanks for the advise.

Please forgive my ignorance of Alaska, but if you have a Lowes or Home Depot you may be able to find it there. Or a garden store that specializes in organic products. Espoma is a major organic brand.

I would plant as soon as you can!

Some critter has dug a hole right under The Fawn which was planted last fall. I could see two good buds on it before I filled the hole back.
I shall use some of your advice in this thread and apply rooting hormone. The critter did not destroy all the roots. Just some.

I ordered 5 new peonies from Adelman's last summer, received roots fall, 2016, and planted immediately.
'The Mackinac Grand' was one of them, it came up this spring with 2 good-sized stems, both leafed out, and the slightly smaller stem has a bud! All 5 look strong and vigorous... 'Pastelegance' also has a bud and I can hardly
wait to see it bloom. 'Linda's Dream' was my very last peony (old or new) to emerge but it looks just fine so far.
I have no experience with potted peonies, except I did buy 2 spec. in pots at the Peony convention in Green Bay last summer, but I planted them immediately when I got home. They have both come up normally this spring and P. obovata has buds showing color already.
Anya, in Alaska, can you not plant roots in the fall, like we do here in Minnesota? I know that Anchorage is no colder than here, but of course Fairbanks is a lot further north than Anchorage!

Anya, I moved some part of the soil from the top and replaced it with chicken grit and poured some fungicide a couple of times. I would probably suggest if it does not work and the plant is not healthy pulling the root in the fall, cut rotten parts, soak in water with fungicide for a few hours and plant it somewhere else with good drainage. Personally I would do it, but only if I treasure this particular peony and do not have a lot of other things to worry about.

Thanks everyone for inputs!

LG, I checked Lowes, Home Depot and Wallmart, our stores have much poorer selection than Anchorage. I have not checked all local greenhouses though, it would take a lot of time. I was happy to find free shipping option online. I will plant TMC the first of all my peonies this season!

Linda, no way I question the quality of Adelman's roots, they are superb! I had 35 potted peonies last winter and lost 12 due rotting and 2 more are probably also died. I had 6 potted peonies the previous fall with no problem and this time decided to follow somebody's advise to keep them outside for cold treatment. It was a bad idea in my case. We took them indoors to a cool place only on October 22, probably too late. People say freezing/unfreezing is the worst for potted peonies, I trust this although in my case there were not so many of these events in the fall, our temperatures go low pretty steady, not so many ups and downs. Recommendations for our climate to plant peony roots in the ground in the fall is only until mid-September and some roots arrived later last year. And it was my fault also not to prepare all places for new roots (due to weather and lack of time). I hope all planted in the ground last fall will emerge, it will be clear in ~3 weeks.

Alex, I will see if I will need to do this treatment. I am trying to save as many plants as possible, I don't like watch they dying, also I spent quite some money and already re-ordered the same varieties, I am grateful to people helping me to replace a few lost peonies.

I am sorry that this is happening to your MG, Anya. I am not knowledgeable on dealing with rotting peony roots so I will just wish you alot of luck in saving what you can.

Thank you, Karen! It's still looking the same

Good luck Anya. You have suffered heavy losses this spring so I really hurt for you. To say nothing of the financial investment in that many peonies. You really jump in with both feet.

Thank you Mary! Trying by best