Moving a Verbascum, Great Mullein?

Good morning

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. Lynne

 

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

 

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.

 

Thank you Perky, I will find a good spot for it.

 

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

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.

 

Thanks Pete 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.

 

That's the one Shiney and the flowers in your second image are beautiful

 

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

 

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

Thanks again