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10 responses total.

Try refrigerating them in peat moss or sand, in a not very tightly sealed bag?

Well, they're supposed to be planted in the fall, and it is still fall.

The reason for fall planting is so they can develop a bit before frost.

I know that with bulbs, anyway, you can plant them anytime until the 
ground freezes, but they may bloom later than normal in spring if not 
given enough autumn development time (the theory being that .  Perhaps 
the peonies would work the same way?.  

I think at this point, however, it's probably a little too late for even 
that; had they been planted a couple of weeks ago, the crazy warm 
weather we've had might have given them a good start.  Maybe she could 
plant them in a pot for a few weeks, then try to get them outside before 
the ground freezes completely?  

A refrigerator is a good approximation of ground temperature below the frost
line (which is a few feet down).

Wouldn't that then simply have teh same effect as planting them in 
the ground?

Frost line is about 42 inches, meaning plants above this freeze in the winter.
It might not be good for them to freeze as soon as they are planted, they
might need to adjust gradually to this.  (I know I need a couple of months
to adjust to cold temperatures.  40 now is balmy, in September it was frigid).

Ah, I see.  I'm new at this farming game.  

I doubt it got much below 2 inches last winter.  Three years ago, when we
did our soil test, it was about 24 inches deep.  42" is below the frost line
for the building code in this area.

Anyway, plants need some time to adjust gradually to dropping temperatures.
I know that nurseries use cold storage and ship things in the spring.
The reason for basements in the north is that you have to put the footings
(the concrete supports on which walls rest) below frost line, otherwise the
freezing of underground water will push them around.

Don't store bulbs or roots some place warm after they have been refrigerated
or they might sprout.  They usually need some exposure to cold and then to
warm to sprout.  Same with flower buds.  My forsythia was fooled recently,
thought the winter was over and gone, and bloomed on one branch.  I think the
temperature changes affect levels of the various plant hormones, or some other
chemicals which interfere with plant growth until there has been enough cold.

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