Cut back herbaceous peonies to ground level in late fall after foliage turns yellow or brown
Remove all stems and leaves and discard them; do not compost if disease is present
Use clean, sharp pruners or shears
Cut stems to about 1 to 2 inches above the soil
Remove any dead, damaged, or diseased stems during the growing season
Deadhead spent flowers after blooming by cutting just below the flower head
Leave healthy foliage in place until it naturally dies back
For tree peonies, prune only dead, damaged, or crossing branches after flowering
Remove suckers or unwanted shoots from the base as needed
Clean and disinfect tools after pruning
Dispose of pruned material properly to reduce disease spread