Bonnie / Marge - tree peony

Bonnie, I've been trying to use the URL you gave re TP suckers, but no luck, so I went to the home page and found what I've pasted below. Is this what you found? Portions of it don't make sense, as if they were pasted in and something is missing, Like- what's with the scratching and rooting hormone? Also, I was hoping I wouldn't have to dig up the whole shrub. I'd hoped to just dig down carefully and remove the suckers. Planting 3 to 4 inches deeper seems drastic. Would this be safe? I will remove the suckers now, but am unsure when the best time to dig the shrub up would be.

Here's the text:

This is very common and potentially dangerous for your tree peony. Most tree peonies are sold as a graft on the root of an herbaceous peony. This is called a nurse root and should just keep the tree peony going until the TP has its own roots You can also make a slight scratch in the tp and dust with a rooting hormone.
d: wait a year or two and follow #3 below

3.) If the TP has good roots - at least 2 or 3 roots 6 to 8 inches long, you should locate the graft union and remove ALL of the nurse roots. Usually the nurse roots are fairly fleshy, while the base of the TP will be woody. Keep cutting the nurse root back until you feel the resistance of the TP. BE VERY CAREFUL that you do not remove the TP roots.

Replant so that the TP roots are about 3-4 inches lower than before. Fertilize with 10-10-10 and keep well watered.

This will remove all the nurse root suckers and allow the TP to grow faster and stronger on its own roots.

DO NOT try this in the spring as it will surely kill the plant, but cut off all herbaceous peony suckers and keep well fertilized and watered.

Kitty
neIN, Zone 5
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