how to grow peony seeds among the showiest perennials herbaceous peonies paeonia SPP can reach four feet in height with single semi double or double flowers up to ten inches across the plants hardiness range extends from US Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness sounds three through eight most garden peonies are hybrids therefore their seeds don't produce plans that look like them but you can create your own peony varieties by planting their seeds peony seedlings are usually at least three years old before they bloom watch for the seats because peonies typically bloom and spring or early summer their seats mature by late summer most often in August though the seed harvest period can run from July through September the seats are ready for harvest after their pods have turned dark brown and begun to crack open not all seed pods contain seeds so don t be deceived into planting the dark bits of chat sometimes found in empty pods those chaffed bits may resemble seeds peony seeds are spherical like marbles about 1/4 inch in diameter and usually tan or black winged mature just before you plant the seeds you may wish to wash them in a solution that is one part bleach and nine parts water to kill any funky on their surfaces plant the seeds outdoors peony seeds that will be planted outdoors should be sown soon after they were harvested plant them 2 inches deep and 2 inches apart in a partially shaded garden bed with rich well tilled pH neutral soil after watering the bed well cover it with a 2 to 3 inch thick layer of mulch such as dead leaves or straw ensure the ground remains moist and add another 2 to 3 inch thick layer of mulch in late autumn the seat should begin to sprout in early spring of the following year pull back the seedlings mulch at that time and feed their soil every other month from April to September using 2 tablespoons of an organic fish and seaweed fertilizer such as 2 3 1 mix with one gallon of water to saturate the ground transplant the seedlings in early autumn so that they stand six inches apart and mulch their soil surface with a two to three inch deep layer of dead leaves or straw insuring the mulch doesn't touch the plants two years later you can move the peonies to their permanent positions in a site that receives full sun exposure placing them at least three feet apart with their tubers or roots buds called eyes no more than two inches deep plant the seeds indoors if you prefer you can start your peony seeds indoors instead in late summer or early autumn of the year they were harvested and transplant the seedlings into the garden the following autumn begin by placing the seeds in a zipper tight plastic bag with two handfuls of damp peat moss sand or vermiculite set the bag in a warm out-of-the-way place such as on the high shelf or the top of the refrigerator after one month begin checking the bag for signs of roots which can take up to three months to appear each seed will make only one root at this point when the roots are two to four inches in length prepare a separate bag that also contains two handfuls of damp peat moss sand or vermiculite transfer the rooted seeds to that bag and place the bag inside a refrigerator for three months after the three months elapsed move the bag to the warm out-of-the-way position again each rooted seeds should begin making a leaf either near the end of the three cool months or after the bag was taken out of the refrigerator when that happens pop each seed in its own seedling pot filled with potting soil with the seed at the surface of that soil the leaf above the soil and the root beneath the soil care for the indoor seedlings once the seedlings are in pots probably in late winter or early spring depending on when their leaves appear keep them healthy and growing until autumn place them under a grow light or on a windowsill that receives partial sunlight watering them as needed to keep their soil moist you can feed them once every two weeks from spring through summer with one tablespoon of eight to three one fish and seaweed fertilizer diluted in one gallon of water after warmer weather arrives in summer the potted seedlings should be moved to a partially shaded position doors in early autumn remove the seedlings from their pots and plant them in a partially shaded garden bed locating them at the same soil depth at which they grew in their pots and spacing them six inches apart from each other a two to three inch thick layer mulch of dead leaves or straw on their soil surface but not touching them will protect the plants you