Definitely final root for me this year - Unique from Brooks. I could not figure out how to bury completely the stem with 2 eyes, one eye turned out to be above the ground.

Anya, that looks perfect. I have had problems figuring out how some Peonies were growing. On some it appears that the roots are coming out horizontally from the crown. I always turn them so some roots go downward in the planting hole. I figure the bud will grow upwards.

Here are the two roots sent by Adelman's: Ballarena de Saval and Sonoma Amethyst. Absolutely gorgeous. They are in large pots, about 3-4 gallon I think with nice soil. some of what they were sent in and some store bought. Right now they are by the garage door where it is very cool. I would hate to lose them. Rethinking my 'bury them in a snow bank' idea. My crawl space is around 50-55F, really too warm although I could put them outside on the deck around early March. Still cold, covered with a quilt.

Anya, when you potted yours did you just set the pots outside in the snow? You said you had a lot of trouble with rot.

Mary, great roots! I also received mine today and put to +4C until planting, probably on Friday with my friend, we will do it together. No way I am putting potted peonies in the freezing temperatures any more! I put all my potted peonies (small ones, extra, in small pots) to a cold workshop in the beginning of October before freezing, also put recently potted Unique to the same place and will do the same with Sonoma Apricot. The temperature in the workshop is just above freezing, and we watch it so it does not drip below freezing. It's enough cold for peonies and I know they won't freeze. Dealing with pots is a little much but I could not resist those prices!

You and I both. What confuses me is that the peony roots obviously freeze in the ground each winter. So why would it hurt them to be in adequately large pots of earth buried in the snow. In the ground they should be maintained at about a little below 32F, yes? Just as the bottom of my pond, which can have up to 2' of ice on top, maintains 32+ on the bottom few feet.

I don't know and can only guess... Maybe roots slowly cool down in the soil, especially when we plant them at 2" below the surface. Here we get snow pretty early, usually when the ground is still warm so the temperature below the surface is sill above 32F for quite long. If you can mimic this process, the potted roots probably will be fine. I just cannot imagine doing this in my environment. Mary, in your climate you might make up something, but I had enough last winter and don't want to experiment more I will do what worked for me before. I wish I could plant the roots in the ground but we are so ahead with winter than the rest of the US!

Beautiful roots Mary Stella! I don't know if there are a lot of mice as far North as you are, but check your pots periodically for them. I have lost quite a few plants that I overwintered in pots from mice getting in and eating the roots.

Oh LG. I cry when I think of the two peonies (among other damage to my garden in general) that mice did in 2013. I had two tree peonies that bloomed in 2012 and should have been gorgeous in 2013. But the mice set up housekeeping in the winter cover and striped the bark to nothing killing both. I have two tree peonies out back now but didn't make the winter covering so inviting to mice. I check them periodically. I am tempted to set mouse poison by each tree but I am afraid I would forget and my dog would get into it in the spring. he got into one I had in the garage when I first got him so eliminated those types of bait traps from our property.

Here is a picture of the plant label stakes I had made for my well established peonies. Will order more this fall for those that show they will thrive in my garden.

I am so sorry that the mice have struck you before. I agree about the poison. Some natural predator could eat a poisoned mouse and then suffer. I have rabbits that gnaw on my Tree Peony stems. I put wire around them now, but no wire would keep mice out. They can get over the top easily.

Your plant labels are wonderful!!

Oberon46 said:
Here is a picture of the plant label stakes I had made for my well established peonies. Will order more this fall for those that show they will thrive in my garden.

Wow, Mary! Those are the nicest homemade plant labels that I have ever seen! They look even better than some professionally made! Do you have a special machine that engraves the names? Your peony roots are just awesome. Mine look as nice too. Overall I am very happy with my plants. Hope that all of our plants will bloom one or two flowers next year!

I only wish they were home made. lol. Nope they are 'store bought' and somewhat expensive. I don't have nearly as many peonies as many of you all here, so I decided that I wanted to post the names, years of introduction and hybridizer for my own education. For the most part no one sees my peonies as people in the neighborhood aren't much into gardening. That being said, I always get lots of nice compliments for the front yard display. I added about 15 or so new peonies this fall. The signs will help me develop a broader base of era and hybridizer. My database helps me keep track of when they bloom so I can spread that out also. The signs also remind me of the history of peonies. They are not simply another pretty flower - at least not to me.

Eventhough you did not make them,Mary, those plant labels are truly ones of the nicest that I have seen! You have great taste!

I finally got my FINAL roots planted. Did not get around to post pics before so here they are:




From left to right, Sonoma Apricot, Vanilla Schnapps, Ballerena de Saval. The eyes on all of them are huge. Hope for blooms next year! Thanks Anya for posting the info about the sale.

It will be fun to compare blooms (which I think we both should have based on size and number of eyes we received) next spring I also got Ballerena de Saval. Am wondering what the difference in soil, sun, atmosphere will have on the plants and blooms.

I just need to quit looking at posts. After I swore I was done, I read the posts, look at the pics, and I went back to Adelman's and ordered one more time: Sonoma Apricot. Can't beat the price. I ordered last Saturday and received the root on Friday during our snow storm. Here it is sitting next to a 5 gallon box of peanut oil. It is huge.



Perfectly shaped for me to saw right down the middle and get two roots with multiple eyes. Just when I think the Adelman roots can't get any bigger, they surprise me again.

I am with you, Gary! Have to quit looking at posts and new catalogs! Already planning the next purchase for the next fall For some reason the ordering at peonyshop did not work, will contact the seller. Maybe it is the sign for me to stop!