When I first started growing itohs, I did a lot of reading trying to figure out how far to prune them in the fall Zone 7b). The concensus was the buds at the base don't really serve any purpose so don't be afraid to prune them. They are not next year's growth. New growth will come from the ground up and I have found that to be true. It is still painful to trim those buds off. Of course, it is harmless to leave them also. Just leaves big stems sticking up from the base of the new plant in the spring and can become a nuisance. Tree peonies are different and the buds are important but they don't grow them at the base like itoh's. Just my experience.
