Crop Rotation Group
Miscellaneous ●
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil with a slightly alkaline pH.
Position
Full sun.
Frost tolerant
Yes, verbascums are hardy biennials or perennials. Plants are hardy to about -26°C (-15°F).
Feeding
Mulch over the plants’ root zones with rich compost just as new growth emerges in spring. Drench plants with a liquid fertiliser when they begin to grow tall.
Spacing
Single Plants: 30cm (11") each way (minimum)
Rows: 30cm (11") with 30cm (11") row gap (minimum)
Sow and Plant
Verbascum can be started from seeds .Sow seeds directly or in seed trays in early autumn. When large enough to handle, transplant out. Young plants need water when they are actively growing, but become very drought resistant after they develop deep taproots.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Notes
Limited varietes are available in South Africa, usually from specialist seed companies. A hairy biennial it grows to 2 m tall or more and has a deep tap root.
Harvesting
Gather stems for use in cut arrangements as you need them, when at least half of the flowers on a stem are open. Cutting old blossoms will stimulate modest reblooming. Allow a few spikes to stay on the plants until they shed mature seeds. When happy with their site, verbascum are often successful reseeders.
Troubleshooting
Slugs and snails may damage plants in early spring, but thereafter verbascums are protected from pests by their slightly furry leaves.
Planting and Harvesting Calendar
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Pests which Affect Verbascum