Question
Hello Tom,
  I have a large overgrown bed (60抶9? next to a farmhouse that I would like to renovate, but my initial problem has to do with clearing the old bed.  There are some peonies I would like to leave in place, mostly because I know it is not a good time to move them.  Grasses, wild berries and assorted other weeds have overgrown the bed.
  What I am looking for are suggestions about how to get rid of all of the unwanted plant matter without harming the peonies, which are centrally placed.  There is one section of the bed, which does not have any peonies, but is also overgrown.  Would I use a different approach in this area?  
  I would be willing to move the peonies somewhere else, but I doubt that I could move them successfully at this time of year.  The bed is so large that I can抰 imagine turning it over by hand.  Also, the bed slopes away from the house.
  Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might be able to offer.
                 Sincerely,
                 John


Answer
Hi John,

Thanx fopr your question.  Yes, you can move the peonies now if you must.  Why can't you just till around them peonies if you don't want to move them?  If you do move the peonies, bear in mind it could take 2-3 years for them to bloom again because the move will not be fatal but peonies resent having their rhizomes disturbed.  If you must move, move them now or wait until late summer, early fall.  Otherwise, you'll just have to till around the peonies.  I hope this helps.
Tom