Question
Sirs:I have 6 or 7 peony bushes around my home. I don't what kind they are, as my grandmother had them and some where probably here before her. I used to mow them off when they turned brown in the fall. Now someone told me to cut them instead of mow and do it it late august (kansas). This year they have lots of pods on them. I think these are seeds and how can I get them to grow.  Thank you

Answer
Hi Emil,
Thanx for your question. I am in Kansas too and I too have peonies.  Mine have pods on them but they never seem to develop seeds.  If yours do end up getting ripe, they should be black or dark brown colored bean-like seeds.

Here's a link to what the seeds can look like.
http://plants.chebucto.biz/fleurs/S0569.JPG

You can use the search function above and often find many of these questions already answered if you want to save yourself a little time.  At any rate, here is your answer.

1.  Harvest seed as soon as it is ripe.
2.  Plant in situ (in a spot out in the garden that you can protect from weeds and varmints) or plant in a pot of good potting soil and plant the black or dark brown seeds down about 1.5 inches deep.  Cover and keep moist.  They will not germinate until they have gone through a cold winter and sometimes it will take a year or more to germinate.  The thing is, they need a long period of cold temperatures.  The tree peony does not grow in zones warmer than zone 8.  You can also put the seed in a damp paper towel and place it inside of a plastic baggie and leave it in the refrigerator for 4-6 months.  Remove the seed and plant as described above.  
3.  When the seed germinates, it will only grow roots the first year and then go through the winter in a dormant state.  The next spring, new leaves will emerge from the soil.  Allow the seedling to grow where it is until it is a manageable size and then you can gently prick it out of the soil and plant in a separate pot.  
4.  It will take 4 or 5 years to produce a bloom after the seed has germinated so it could take a total of 6 or 7 years.  It's not something for someone who wants something quick but I can see the interest in growing these from seed.

I hope this helps.
Tom