I've forgotten which thread here discussed Comfrey, so here's a new thread. I DID look up the NC guy that sells it, and he was sold out.
Here is a Permies thread discussing Bocking 4 and 14. The man who was selling the cuttings is now sold out but the thread is interesting. http://www.permies.com/t/12772/resources-seeds-plants-honey-consulting/Comfrey-Root-Cuttings-Sale
One poster recommended this site for Bocking 4, which is more drought-tolerant:
http://www.coescomfrey.com/Coes_Comfrey___General_Information.html
Comfrey, Bocking 4
Is it me - or am I really this far behind the curve ?
You mean knowing the uses for comfrey in the garden?
I chopped and dropped my big clump today. Thought about dividing it, but it's way too hot to dig. I need about 6-8 more clumps around my garden!
Too hot to dig is right!
When you said you chopped & dropped, does that mean you whack the foliage down to use and let it regrow?
I have only used the outer leaves and left the center of the plants. I've often wondered if it would be detrimental to the plant to cut it all back. Kristi
Kristi, I cut the whole plant about 4-5" above the soil level. I layer (thickly) what I've cut around plants that need a little fertilizer. I can do this at least 3X a season, sometimes 4X, depending when I start cutting. It always grows back... enough to chop and drop again.
Good to know, thanks. I know there are some plants that need some leaves left for photosynthesis (?) and didn't know if the comfrey was one of them.
And now I too am curious about Dysons' comment above... lol
Coincidence that I came across this thread.
I gather bunches of leaves and of flower buds when they're just done. I line up the midribs and lay them on top of each other till I have a handful. Then I grab it all and start twisting off hunks. That makes it easy the coarsely shred. Do what you like with the shreds; I may soak them overnight in a bucket of water, and water with that. I need a lot more too if I'm to use them all over!
Fun to see this bump too. After I read Darius' post, I cut mine all back. Yesterday I noticed a brand new set of leaves popping out, even in this hot, dry weather.
Nice to see you pop in, Sally! I don't make comfrey tea but maybe I should...
The best source of quickly available potassium for organic gardeners is comfrey, and everyone should have a comfrey bed to supply a very useful high potash liquid manure, for tomatoes setting their first fruit and other potash hungry plants. This powerful, long-lived perennial needs a position in full sun away from trees or privet hedges, so its roots can go down deeply to gather minerals far out of reach of most garden plants. Fresh leaves can be used as a mulch or dug directly into the soil, where they will break down without leaching nitrogen from the soil.
I look back now and wonder how I managed to go all those years with a garden and NO comfrey. I could easily use 15-20 more plants in and around my spread-out gardens.
Hi Darius! Thanks for that quick info blurb. I should give mine a better place, AND 'divide to multiply', this fall maybe.
Last year, at one point, we had placed our (buried dog waste) bucket very close to the comfrey. I hoped to get some quick cycling of the nitrogen from the poo to the plant to the leaves to the garden. But the plant seemed very sickly for much of last summer, so maybe it was too close . This year it is growing very well.
Please how can get Comfey bocking 4 sources that can supply roots or crown of bocking 4 variety. I need to grow them for my pigs and catfish. I live in nigeria. Thanks