Comfrey

valk_scot

mrbadexample wrote: »

How tall does the bocking 14 get then? I've no problem cutting it back - it'll just go on the compost heap if I have no immediate use for it.

A couple of feet for just the leaves then the flower stems can add another foot if you let them go that far before cutting. It's the leaves that are best for compost and feed so best to cut it before flowers start developing. On the other hand bees and hoverflies adore comfrey flowers so if you can leave one out of every three plants to flower between cuts, say, it gives you the best of both worlds. It's not like it it seeds everywhere after all and you can still put the flower stalks in the compost to break down.

Lotus-eater

Mrs_Domino wrote: »

Would love to but no space. I haven't got room for a compost bin which is why i thought of comfrey. I'm setting up a small wormery at the moment made from some tesco tubs but that won't supply a lot of liquid feed yet

My garden is approx 25 x 15 ft and the space for veggies etc is round the edges as DS has the grass for his toys and playhouses etc and the dog has a toilet area at the back which the wormery is going into.

If you haven't got space for a compost bin, then you haven't got space for comfrey. A compost bin is much more important.

mrbadexample wrote: »

The wind whistles round there something rotten - I wouldn't want to put anything remotely tender in there. Once the comfrey's grown some, it should slow up the wind a bit.

How tall does the bocking 14 get then? I've no problem cutting it back - it'll just go on the compost heap if I have no immediate use for it.

I would expect the comfrey to get to about 4 or 5 feet tall in that gap, depends if the wind brings it down a bit. I think it's the perfect place for it as long as it doesn't shade the greenhouse too much, but I don't think it will.

mrbadexample

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I would expect the comfrey to get to about 4 or 5 feet tall in that gap, depends if the wind brings it down a bit. I think it's the perfect place for it as long as it doesn't shade the greenhouse too much, but I don't think it will.

:think: There is a possibility it might get tall enough to block the greenhouse window, so I'll keep an eye on that.

Of course, it may also depend on what the plant can find under the topsoil. It was full of rubbish earlier this year - I got out as much as I could and then chucked turf down (upside down). I put a couple of barrowloads of topsoil in the middle to give it a start.

[Deleted User]

my comfrey has been growing like the clappers so I have made another cut today. I watered my tiny little struggling rhubarb plants with comfrey water the other week and they now look amazing, tall and straight with far more leaves. I noticed yesterday that all my squashes look a bit `flat` and no wonder with the up and down weather we have been having, also my marketmore cucs are lethargic so I have been whizzing around watering beans, potatoes, squashes etc with comfrey water. I took the net bag out of the waterbutt and the bag is now 5/6 empty so I have pushed more leaves into it and it is back soaking

It is amazing stuff and I am getting far better results than my neighbours who are using manure. I put some cut leaves in amongst the beans, cucs and under some small fruit bushes and I wait to see what happens

Mrs_Domino

kittie wrote: »

I put some cut leaves in amongst the beans, cucs and under some small fruit bushes and I wait to see what happens

Whilst I was doing some reading on Comfrey I came across a website, can't remember what it was now, but the guy said he used cut comfrey leaves around his plants as the slugs and snails flock (well slime ) to it. He then dispatches them and lays more leaves down.

Each night he gets less and less snails and slugs as the surrounding area empties.

Not sure how true it is but maybe worth bearing in mind if you are putting leaves right next to the plant, you may attract them to your plants as well :eek: or the comfrey may distract them from your plants.

I'm sure there are wise people on here who can confirm or deny this idea as I have no personal insight. Just a thought.

gardenroute

I''ve got three different comfrey plants in a patch - I don't think any of them are Bocking 14. They spread through root growth - I usually have a surplus of leaves that I just chuck onto the compost heap. But I've never seen any comfrey seedlings come up anywhere, and that's after nearly 10 years of being left to flower and set seed. Maybe I'm doing something wrong/right but I've never seen comfrey set seed in my garden.
You could even let it flower for the bees and then chop it down before it has a chance to set seed.

emiff6

Isn't comfrey amazing stuff? I was out for a walk and spotted a large clump of comfrey growing on the verge. Managed to break off a stalk, pulled the top off as it was in bud, pulled off the leaves, and put the resulting 8" stalk in my pocket to bring home.

Shoved it in some John Innes in a pint yoghurt pot, and 3 weeks later, presto! shoots and roots! :j



I've repotted it today, and when it's roots get to the bottom of this pot, (shhh...) I'm going to do a bit of guerilla gardening and plant it among the horseradish on the verges outside the village

Mrs_Domino

emiff6 wrote: »

I'm going to do a bit of guerilla gardening and plant it among the horseradish on the verges outside the village

Thats a brilliant idea! Why didn't I think of that, I've already planted a crab apple tree and a wild cherry tree from seed round by the garages, not sure why I didn't follow through with the comfrey! :wall:

I will have to research what it looks like though as I do not have a clue!

lizzyb1812

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned this, but this stuff stinks! It is a great green manure but even when it's still a living plant it reeks :eek:. I've been thinking of using it but it will have to go at the bottom of the allotment, 150ft from the house.

Mind you, it could be just me - can't stand the smell of lilies either although I love the way they look.

Lizzy

[Deleted User]

I actually like the smell, it is like seaweed and the garden is loving it. My sweetcorn are much bigger and brighter than my neighbours, who is an excellent gardener and uses manure. I just use compost and comfrey and green manure for soil structure. My squashes did pick up and laying the comfrey leaves down was good as they are breaking down very slowly, without slugs. I wouldn`t grow wild comfrey, as my comfrey is very quick at throwing up flowers and it is infertile so I don`t worry. I wouldn`t like comfrey to be growing all over the place uninvited. You`ll have seeds before you can blink

I just bought another watering can so I can stuff leaves into it for comfrey liquid to dilute at home