6 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.