Peonies in pots?

[Tolis]

I have a really beatiful off-white with a hint of yellow hercaceous peony in my garden which have been flowering reliably for what seems a decade now. It flowers early May and during that period my region gets lots of rain/hail storms. I have to cover it for protection and as a result I don't get to enjoy it as much.

Can I move it to a pot and place it under my gazebo when the storms kick in? What should I pay attention to?

Thanks in advance as always!

[WaterWitchin]

I would be worried about freeze damage growing it in a pot. Depends on how cold it gets there in winter. And herbaceous peonies do require quite a bit of sun to grow well. How cold does it get where you live? Could you put in a pot in ground for winter months, then lift out during the hail season while blooming under the gazebo, then move it backi?

[Tolis]

Oh it gets really cold. I've been outside with -20C but that's somewhat rare and doesn't last long. The pot will be kept indoors during the winter if I end up commiting to it, next to the window. Indoor temperature will be 5C and above.

[WaterWitchin]

It better be a really big pot. Peonies have deep roots. Also, they require dormancy so in the house won't work. A REALLY big pot, like 24" wide and at least as deep would be required. Then leave outside in a sheltered place heavily mulched all around outside of pot, or an unheated garage. Also they usually don't bloom well or at all first year after planting. Peonies really don't like to be divided or moved, and will sulk for awhile after doing so.

[dbarron]

Frankly, with the diversity of plant life we have available these days, I'd say dispose of it and plant something that's less fretful (and probably a longer bloom time than a peony anyway). And yes, it seems they ARE made to be rained on, I agree.

[WaterWitchin]

Or just leave it where it is, and pick the peonies before a hailstorm. Or google how to pick when in bud and store in the fridge. I worked at a peony farm in high school picking peonies in the spring. They stored many hundreds of them in a walk-in refrigerator system, to sell for Memorial Day.

[Tolis]

Sorry everyone, i've been really busy the past few days.

I've decided to leave it as is. I'll see what i'll do when it flowers again

Thanks for all the options you gave me