Moving a Verbascum, Great Mullein?

Discussion in 'NEW Gardeners !' started by Barders, Nov 24, 2019.

  1. Barders

    Barders Gardener

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    Good morning :spinning:

    We have inherited a Verbascum, Great Mullein, in our garden (house bought last year). There is only one but it is huge! Although the flowers and leaves are dead, the main stem is still solid.

    It's in a really awkward place and I would like to move it now, so I can put some bulbs in for the spring.

    I have Googled moving them, but can't find anything. Do I just cut the stem, dig up the bulb and move it? Or should I do something else before moving it please?

    Although it isn't really to our taste, it is unusual, so it would be a shame if I manage to kill it, but I do need to move it.

    Any advice would be most welcome, many thanks in advance. :love30: Lynne
     
  2. Perki

    Perki Total Gardener

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    Some verbascums are biennial or short lived perennial so it could be dead. But yes cut the stem down and dig it up and replant in a nice sunny area with free draining soil
     
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      Just a note: it doesn't have a bulb but has roots. So you will need to dig deep enough to get the roots out.

      The plant attracts the Mullein moth which lays its eggs on the plant. These turn into an attractive black and yellow caterpillar that feast on the leaves. It can take some years for the moth to develop from the caterpillar. Some moths lay their eggs on Buddleia if there's no Verbascum around so if you have found them on a buddleia in your garden they will prefer the Verbascum.

      We keep a few of the Geat Mullein plants in our garden and the moth much prefers those to all the other Mulleins in our garden. That keeps the others clear of being chewed up. :blue thumb:
       
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      • pete

        pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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        I tend to think it might be dead if it's the common one with felt like leaves and yellow flowers.

        I've only successfully moved these when pretty small, they have a taproot and hate disturbance.
         
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        • Barders

          Barders Gardener

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          Thank you Perky, I will find a good spot for it. :SUNsmile:
           
        • Barders

          Barders Gardener

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          Thank you Shiney. I have been out weeding and accidentally dug up some of the roots, I tried to bury them again, but will probably move it this week, as I have already done some damage :sad:

          Thank you for the information about the moths, that's really interesting. I got a couple of Buddleia last year, as I love them and the butterflies that come, but didn't know about the moths. I will have a look at the leaves before I cut it back and move it and will look out for them next year as well. :dbgrtmb:
           
        • Barders

          Barders Gardener

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          Thanks Pete :blue thumb: It sounds like the one, the leaves are really strange, but the flowers were lovely and the hoover flies loved them!

          It is huge, over six foot I would day, and from the root I accidentally uncovered today, I can imagine the others are going to be very long as well, so I will be as careful as I can when I am moving it.
           
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          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            Ours usually grow to 10ft - 12ft

            P1390801.JPG

            The caterpillars then leave these others alone for the butterflies and buzzies to enjoy
            P1340300.JPG
             
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            • Barders

              Barders Gardener

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              That's the one Shiney and the flowers in your second image are beautiful :)
               
            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              We have about half a dozen of the Great Mullein and hundreds of the white Verbascum chaixii (you can see they don't grow anywhere near the height of the Great). They are all in the veg plot and together with other pollinator attractors make a colourful area.

              We have ones that flower at different times of the year. This was mid July
              P1290251.JPG
               
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              • Barders

                Barders Gardener

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                WOW they are stunning Shiney!

                I am going to build (well buy and put together!) some raised beds next year for Mum and would like to have a little veggie area, so will try to find these and put some in and some in the rest of the beds (garden isn't very big, so the pollinators should still find my veggies).

                Thank you for your help and the lovely photos brighten up and an otherwise grey, Kent day :spinning:
                 
              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                You're welcome. Apart from photos brightening things up it's easier to explain things. :blue thumb:

                If the garden is small then you don't need the flowers to be by the veggies and you can use all the veggie area for veggies.

                The Verbascum chaixii plants (takes too long from seed) can be bought in white (album) or orange, pink or yellow - there may be others. I prefer album.

                The red flowers (some in white as well) are Lychnis coranaria and are easy to grow from seed. They also self seed very easily. They tend to flower through June, July and into August. We also have wild poppies growing amongst them.

                P1430024.JPG

                Another plant we have growing near the veggies is Stachys lanata (also called byzantia) with the common name of Lamb's Ears (and other names). The bees go mad over these when the flower stems come up but the common name is because the leaves are very thick and soft and furry. :)

                P1420825.JPG

                We open our garden for charity at the end of May bank holiday (some of the members here come along on the Saturday and get together, as well). It only takes me about 90 minutes to Margate as we're just up the M11. You could make it a day out. :dbgrtmb: There's loads of plants for sale and tea and cakes - and I provide sandwiches for members. We usually get about 20 members turn up amongst the 400 visitors.

                A bit of info:-
                Special Invite To Forum Members - 2019
                 
              • Barders

                Barders Gardener

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                Thank you so much Shiney, loads more on my list for the Spring now!

                Also thank you for the invite, that is kind of you to think of me and I am sure you're garden is wonderful. Mum and I used to go open gardens regularly, both here and in France, where we lived for a couple of years. Sadly, she can't travel at all now and as her full-time caregiver, I am more or less confined here, that is why I am trying to make the garden as lovely for her to enjoy as possible.

                But slowly getting there :) All the hard landscaping done and borders dug or tided up this year. So next Spring we will be ready for the raised beds and lots of beautiful plants, then we can enjoy it together (and Manny the French cat) and make lots of lovely memories working together :cat-kittyandsmiley:

                Thanks again:dbgrtmb:
                 
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