Comfrey

marrbett

I was given a root of comfrey by someone on the allotment nearby and it seems to be growing,with a few healthy leaves on it.
I mentioned to my lottie neighbour that I'd heard that comfrey is very good as a fertiliser and he visibly shuddered!! Muttered something about the roots taking over and it would be a nightmare.
I'm now re-thinking. Is it something that takes hold and takes over? Is it worth it for the benefits?
I might just pull it up now!!!
Thanks for any help.

Lotus-eater

Find out from the person you got it from, if it is a Boking 14 strain, if it is, you don't have to worry.
If it isn't, dig it up

greenfingeredsteve

keep it the only major difference between bocking 14 and normal comfrey is that the later self seeds which is no problem if you cut it down for a comfrey feed is it as it will not be able to self seed

foxgloves

I think your neighbour is being a bit drastic. I have a comfrey corner in my garden with about 4 plants which I crop for making plant feed. Mine are the normal variety - blue flowers, though I do also have another one with purpley coloured flowers probably of a different strain. Yes, the blue variety does self-seed but as the previous post says, if you are growing it for feed, this doesn't really get round to happening as you are frequently hacking off the top growth to use. The roots can be very tough & fibrous. My husband once broke a spade trying to move a particularly big comfrey plant from a border to my 'comfrey corner', but as long as you keep cutting & don't let it go mad, I think you'll be fine. The bees seem to like it, so another good reason to have it. For spreading, the worst offender is the dwarf comfrey - very pretty flowers in pink, blue & white - but it needs hacking back every Autumn or it'll be coming in your back door!

Kay_Peel

I planted mine in a group of black buckets. I sunk the buckets into the soil with just two inches of the bucket showing. I cut the comfrey down when it reaches my waist and before it flowers. it quickly grows back again. I take about three 'harvests' from each bucket every summer. I also grow nettles in sunken buckets. I've arranged them around one of my compost bins and they look impressive, even though I say so myself!! :cool:

I find this solution works well for me. The comfrey is contained and doesn't spread but it gives me a good crop at the same time.

mambury

ooohh any suggestions on where to get some comfrey?? I have lots of nettles but I would love a bit of comfrey to add to the mix!

Lotus-eater

Kay_Peel wrote: »

I also grow nettles in sunken buckets. I've arranged them around one of my compost bins and they look impressive, even though I say so myself!! :cool:

I grow nettles all around my plot as well. I've never had to resort to bringing in bucket loads of them though, they're one thing I don't have to baby

Zazen999

My comfrey is in year 3 now, and I've already had two cuttings for the spuds, a few roots for taking cuttings for other people, and two separate harvests to bring home for tomato feed later in the season - plus two more harvests for putting into milk cartons for other people's greenhouses.

I only had I think 3 roots to start off with; and last year gave a load to my lottie neighbour.

I grow it in front of the compost bin area, it brings the bees in when it flowers and as it's bocking 14 doesn't self seed.

Put it in a confined space and it will be fine. Once established, you could cut it every couple of weeks for constant feed.

marrbett

Thanks everyone, I think I'll leave it growing, but might consider planting it into a sunken bucket, if only to reassure my neighbour who is so lovely, I'd hate to upset him.
This is such a lovely forum.

skelly01

What does comfrey look like? I have heard it grows in abudance in the countryside?

TraceyB_2

I was wondering what it looked like too Skelly and have found this, hope it helps (and hope the link works!:rotfl:)

http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/comfrey.PDF