10 replies to this topic

[PsyBearknot]

Do you use these plants in your garden ?
How do you personally use them ?
How would one judge on how much space I should dedicate to this.

[PsyBearknot]

https://www.google.c...mfrey-power?amp



Comfery info

[jkdeth]

I've grown Comfrey, at the time it was for green dye in soapmaking. Its great if you have a wettish area to let it go in. May require a good bit of watering otherwise.

[pharmer]

Careful with the comfrey. It's invasive in the extreme. You can't dig enough to get rid of it.

 

I looked into growing some to use as a mulch crop and using the cut leaf of it as a mulch around  the base of crop plants. The down side to it, and IMO a big downside, is that the only way to get rid of it is to use Roundup. Don't want Roundup in my garden, thank you very much.

 

If I had extra space away from my gardening area to grow a crop there I might. It would be useful as mulch, green stuff for compost, some people find ways to eat it, and it flowers nicely for the insects.

Edited by pharmer, 09 February 2018 - 10:46 PM.

[jkdeth]

I did not know that. In my case we had spot in the corner of the lawn almost marsh like. Often too wet to mow. That's where I put the Comfrey.

[scott_1971_h]

I've done comfrey (still do) and while it can be (very) vigorous it is so useful that I never have too much. After 2 years the roots are SO deep, like 2-3 meters. they just soak up everything and pump it into the leaves. I just cut the leaves (every change of season) and dig them straight back in...

Peas, beans and stuff are also good, only problem would be that they can come as a surprise to your intestinal fauna...

 

ED: I thought comfrey was propagated by root cuttings. The seeds can be variable.

 

Nettles are also pretty invasive, but seeds are true, and its fabulous for a) Keeping people away from those plants down the back that look like poppies, and b) Fantastic in compost. The sting can be intense, but not long lived unless you scratch too vigorously... Use cold water instead of fingernails.

 

I prefer dutch hoes (esp. for nettles) and hands, in 2 minds about glyphosphate, it might not be as bad as some people say, but hoeing is not hard and only has compost as a residue...

Edited by scott_1971_h, 10 February 2018 - 06:38 AM.

[PsyBearknot]

I was thinking of some barrels maybe like 30 gallon type for the comfrey and nettles

Comfrey just seems too useful and benificial NOT to plant it. Especially for a smaller intensive planting lot like I am doing. Also such a benificial for pollinators and my main compost material is leaves and grass clippings so an excelerster like that would be good to have.

[GLP]

I have Comfrey and Nettle, the Borage is annual which I have not been able to coax into reseeding each year. The standard comfrey is best for medicinal use, but there are hybrids which you might want to know about. Comfrey Blocking 4 is a hybrid which is used primarily for fodder but also has the medicinal properties, Blocking 14 is not invasive like the standard. the 14 variety is used to enhance composting and compost tea without worrying if it will run away with your garden.

 

Choose wisely your padawan.   

Edited by GLP, 05 August 2019 - 01:03 PM.

[pharmer]

I did not know that. In my case we had spot in the corner of the lawn almost marsh like. Often too wet to mow. That's where I put the Comfrey.

So how has it worked out for you?

[wildedibles]

I have 1 comfrey plant..... I planted it from seed from a 100 year or more house ...so part of a old garden.. I just dug the seed in a bit.... gathered mature and dry...anyway I don't dig it up or that area....my seeds are not viable.....not another plant close enough??..... anyway it doesn't spread in my yard.... I live in Canada so it's colder too....but I would use more if I had it.... I water it a wee bit.....like more of saying thanks for feeding my plants (it's a feed I use on my cacti and weed and veggies and flowers and other weeds I use in the feed as a thanks)

[wildedibles]

I chop and drop when a plant needs xtra nitrogen and good growth (it will heal animal and plant tissue)

And add it to a fermented brew for flowering and fruiting plants Warning smelly :-) lol but I have added pineapple last time and it improved the smell....

Use it for healing us and other animal's too

This was started long ago have to go over it and add.... anyway...

https://mycotopia.ne.../79833-comfrey/

And I get you another ongoing one....my fermented brew....

https://mycotopia.ne...ted +fertilizer

These are older and need updating but even though they have changed the idea grows good with experimenting mistakes help us to use or make it better next time :-)

Edited by wildedibles, 14 August 2019 - 10:28 AM.