Topic: Tree Peony Seedlings

[winecap]

I collected seed from my tree peony in 2011 and early last year I planted a handful in a large pot. They have just come up! I have about 12 so far, and now I'm wondering how best to look after them. Anybody care to offer some advice? How large do you think they should be before I pot them up individually? Also, does anybody know whether they come true to parental colour?

[goodlife]

Well done with the seeds 
I can't provide answer for the 'parental colour'..but I suspect that unless you have different variety nearby..seedlings from one  type should come close to true, though there can be difference to the uniformness/quality of the flowers from those seeedlings.
As for the pricking out and potting on..let the first true leaf/leave to come up before moving any...the stronger their rootsystem before separating, the better they will take the move and I remember reading..or hearing from somewhere that you do need to keep the seedlings more and less in same dept when potting them up. I'll have a look into my bookshelves if I have it in book somewhere..(I must have info somewhere about tree peonies....I was one time interested growing them)

[goodlife]

Hah!..(laughing at myself and my 'advise')..definately something to learn about tree peonies..
I came across this site..http://www.paeonia.com/html/peonies/propagation.htm
..so sounds like you LIKELY to end up something different to the parent...good/bad?
..you should have potted the just germinating seeds before they have fully germinated

So according that...you might as well proceed as you feel comfortable with. If they have already geminated and up..you've missed the instructions 'dead line'.

[goodlife]

came across this...again..slightly different info 
http://crickethillgarden.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/starting-peonies-from-seed/
But this is more 'hands on' info and to I would feel more comfortable to follow it.

[winecap]

Thanks goodlife. Loads of information there, and rightly or wrongly, I now feel like I know what I'm' doing. I didn't realise they were supposed to take so long to come up. Only four years to wait to see if the flowers are any good, but I'm already excited to see what turns out. Thanks again for digging up the information.

[artichoke]

I have a yellow tree peony and have noted, after several years, a few seedlings popping up nearby and growing on. Neglect seems to suit them, and I will eventually move them to a more convenient spot (but I know that peonies of all types hate moving...)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Pot them up separately once they reach a reasonable size, and grow them on till they're big anough to plant out. It's quite easy.