Need NC peony tips

Even though I have followed planting directions to the "T" I can't seem to get peonies to take off, much less to thrive. Any special suggestions?

What varieties do you have? How long have they been in the ground? The only advice I have heard for us southern growers is to plant varieties that do well in the warmer ranges and/or give them morning sun and afternoon shade.

I've also heard that you can't plant them too deeply, or they for sure won't bloom, and might not come up. Not sure why...

I believe I have two Sarah Bernhardts and I don't know the names of the other two (one red, one white). They all came from a local nursery and I don't think I planted them too deeply. The last ones I grew were in Reidsville, NC. They did fine and had surpassed expectations by the time I moved. I'm beginning to think this might be the soil or else I bought some unhealthy plants. Thanks for responding.

I just moved to the Western part of the state from Alaska. I was wondering about how Peonies would do here, as it is one of the few things that do very well up there (I was zone 2-3, depending on the whether it was a good snow cover or not). I am suspecting that the reason Peonies struggle here is the humidity, as it certainly gets cold enough in the mountains here to give them the cold that they need, and zone 6 here is far different than zone 6 on the west coast, due to the humidity. This is a speculation and I would love to know if my thinking is correct.
Sarah Bernhardts do excellent in Alaska, so I wonder if they do better with cooler temperatures. I don't know about here, but in Alaska they often carried plants that would not winter over. I lost a lot of plants before I figured that one out.
I look forward to hearing what does do well. I am very glad to see that Peonies are growing here as I have heard they would not.
Nancy

It can take a while for them to get established. They don't like to be moved and in my experience this includes recent planting. I have had some in for years before they bloomed. Peony is one of favoriate plants - even with the short bloom cycle, I still love the foliage. Remember too then like some sun. Where do you have them planted? The reason they should not be planted too deep is because they need a cold set to produce. So make sure your mulch isn't covering the 'eyes'. Good luck and don't give up, they are worth it!

With the mild winters we've had since I planted the peonies, I wonder if I planted too deeply for the temperature. Thought I had them right. I didn't mulch them this year. Maybe, come spring, I'll see that they're going to thrive. But I am planting more in another place this season just to be sure. I was told by a nursery man that the early bloomers do better in the South because of humidity and temperature. My goal was/is is plant enough varieties to have an extended bloom time. I won't give up.

I live in Greensboro and bought so-so peonies from WalMart which in mainly full sun took about 3 years to put out 1 flower. I had threatened it that last season, do something or meet the compost pile:LOL: They really do seem to take awhile to take off. Last year I had a nice sized little bush with about 10 soft pink blossoms off Sarah Bernhart.

dmac, I got two peonies from Terra Ceia Farms when I lived in Reidsville and they took off the first season. Terra Ceia is close to you in Greensboro & will send a catalogue if you request one. (You can do it online.) They cost a little more but I needed instant gratification. The peonies I bought at WalMart were slow like yours when I moved into Greensboro - were still small when I moved up here. Do you have any white ones?

I'll look into Terra Ceia Farms, thank you for the info:) WM used to do it for me garden stuff wise, but now after 12 years I find I want more colors and more unique hard to find stuff (kinda snooty of me considering I work for WM:LOL:). No white ones just the wimpy pale pink. I am very close to buying one of the Japanese ones in golden yellow. I'm trying to have a ridiculously colorful garden this year and have been trying to steer clear of pastels...although white isn't pastel is it?LOL: My peony might be facing eviction this fall, along with the iris (pastels).