CarolineScott said: Yes I think they sell peonies too soon and too small.
Obtaining good solid roots from specialty growers is more expensive initially ,but in the long run it pays off.
LizinElizabeth said: Janyss471 I think you're looking at the wrong places online. Check out places like Adelman's Peony Paradise, Solaris Farms and Brooks Gardens. I also like Homestead Farms—they don't have the same huge inventory the others have but the roots are great. I don't think any of those offer anything smaller than 3-5 eyes with appropriately sized storage roots. There are other sources but it's getting fairly late in the season to order, I'm fairly sure all of those are still open for orders for fall shopping. No one who grows and sells peonies is going to guarantee they'll bloom first year—there's too much depending on planting them correctly in an appropriate location, but given the right spot and treatment most ordered from those places should.
janyss471 said: Thank you for the suggestions, however, I'm in Canada and, even across the entire country, what I mentioned in my first post, is what is being offered right now in the local nurseries and online in Canada.
CarolineScott said: I am in Canada too and there are good peony growers here.
Parkland Peonies, Dutch Girl Peonies, Elysium Fields, Fraser's Thimble farm, others too.
But they are all sold out over the winter.
A good peony root should have a strong storage root attached.
That storage root should be the size of a medium carrot.
Small storage roots such as the box stores offer will not flower next year. I do buy the box store ones ,but I don't plan on flowers for several years from them. One that I received this spring is actually just a slice of the crown from an old peony plant. Even though I baby it …..I do not have hopes of flowers for several years from it.
I am now weighing any roots that I get. If the root is 250 grams or about half a pound……then maybe it will give flowers the next year.
The box store ones weighed 50 to 125 grams or less than a quarter of a pound. Those will take years to flower.
CarolineScott said: A further thought on buying the potted peony plants that are in flower when you get them…..
Those often have been forced to flower in a warm greenhouse and may not have fully developed roots yet.
I bought one last year….yes there were flowers when I got it.
The roots were sparse when I planted it last summer.
It did not flower this year, but I expect that it will next year.
CarolineScott said: The Holland growers rate theirs by weight.
Heavier ones cost more.
I expect to get good heavy ones from Parkland or from the specialty growers. I only just got the idea to weigh them.
You can see pictures of good roots under the threads for Peony Orders.
Jasmin said: Janyss, it's a trend in regular nurseries and those summer nurseries that popped up near grocery stores. 15 years ago, when I started my garden, you could buy some fascinating plants in the stores around my house (e.g. Loblaws and Metro nurseries, Canadian Tire). They had some exciting trees, tree peonies, terrestrial orchids and many other plants. These days, they have nothing. It is so sad.![]()
These days, if you want peonies, as suggested in the forum, you will have to buy them from the growers directly.![]()
RpR said:
Any way:
The other half bought 8 peonies from Breck's (I have zero love for Breck's) 2021 and amazingly all but two bloomed nicely this year.