How to Grow Peonies Inside

Soak the peony seeds in water to germinate them. Place the seeds in a cup or bowl of water at room temperature and allow them to sit for four days. Change the water once a day. Discard any mushy or discolored peony seeds after soaking.

Add water to the vermiculite or peat moss and allow it to dry until the soil is just barely moist. Place the moistened soil in a plastic kitchen storage bag and add the seeds. Close the bag tightly and place the bag in a very warm area with temperatures of about 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Inspect the seeds every two weeks, adding moisture to the soil to keep it barely damp. Germination takes up to three months, so during this phase the seeds show little change.

Move the bag to a cooler location after three months of germination. The temperature must be between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit; this begins the phase known as "rooting." Roots begin to appear within a few weeks and grow up to 6 inches long during the rooting phase. Discard plants that have not formed roots within a few weeks. When roots have sprouted and grown to approximately 1 inch long on most of the plants, move to the next stage.

Move the bag containing the plants to a cool location, about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, to overcome leaf dormancy. Continue to keep the soil in the bag moist and wait for at least one leaf to appear on each plant.

Transplant rooted peony plants from the bag of soil to wide pots at least 1 foot wide and 18 inches deep filled with lightly damp potting soil. Place a single plant in each pot, planting the entire sprout 2 inches below the surface. Place the peonies in an area that receives six to 10 hours of sunlight each day, taking care to keep the soil lightly moistened.