Used as a mulch, fertilizer, compost accelerator, pollinator attractor, and clay soil breaker, the comfrey plant is a useful addition to a yard. So long as you don’t reside all through the plant’s invasive fluctuate, you will buy fairly a number of income from planting it.
The primary comfrey shoots seem in spring. By June it has grown waist excessive with a mess of fairly bell-shaped, pink to purple flowers, each with a tiny bee’s backside protruding from the best as they feast on the wealthy comfrey nectar.
I let the bees feast for a number of weeks before taking my first harvest, slicing the stalks at flooring stage after which roughly chopping so as in order so as to add a much-needed nitrogen enhance to my chilly, carbon-rich sleepy compost.
Inside a number of weeks, new leaves have sprouted 12-15 inches extended and are prepared for harvesting to feed the now-hungry vegetable and fruit crops. Comfrey foliage is wealthy in potassium and hint minerals, magnesium, and calcium, great for tomatoes, peppers, and pumpkins.
And so, the cycle begins for no less than one completely different two harvests. That’s a minimal of three to 4 harvests per season. What’s to not love about comfrey?
Overview
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What’s Comfrey?
Comfrey is a hardy herbaceous perennial and a member of the borage household, Boraginaceae, which incorporates borage, forget-me-nots, echium, brunnera, and cerinthe.
There are two elementary species of comfrey, Symphytum officinale, moreover often called widespread comfrey native to Europe and Asia, and Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum), a naturally occurring hybrid first current in Upland, Sweden all through the 1800s. It has naturalized in parts of Canada. S. x uplandicum is a cross between widespread comfrey and Symphytum asperum, the blue-flowered sturdy or prickly comfrey originating in Russia.
Widespread comfrey has been cultivated since historic Greek and Roman occasions when it had medicinal use primarily as a poultice to heal damaged bones, bruises, and fully completely different accidents, subsequently the widespread names knitbone, knitback, and bruisewort.
Traits
Though related in look and cultivation, there are some key variations between widespread and Russian comfrey. Widespread comfrey can reproduce by means of seed dispersal, making it invasive in sure parts of the world. Russian comfrey flowers are sterile, as a consequence of this actuality propagation is thru cuttings and division. Russian comfrey leaves are bigger, producing larger yields.
The primary inexperienced shoots of comfrey emerge out of your yard mattress as basal enchancment from its crown in mid-spring. It shortly types an enormous clump with leaves 12 to fifteen inches extended, lance-shaped, inexperienced, and roughly textured with numerous tiny prickly hairs which can be a pores and pores and pores and skin irritant.
As late spring ebbs away and the temperatures rise throughout the course of summer season season, thick branching flowering stalks push up from the crown with smaller leaves. Clusters of drooping tubular bell-shaped flowers seem, ranging in shade from yellow, pink, purple, and blue, relying on the species. At full prime, comfrey can attain three to 4 toes.
Comfrey dies as soon as extra naturally after flowering. The heavy stalks generally collapse and are shortly modified by new shoots. Slicing as soon as extra the plant before it goes to flower will tempo up the technique of regrowth. Chilly autumn temperatures provoke winter dormancy.
Cultivars
Species of comfrey to look out for embody:
- Bocking 14: A superb option to make the most of as a mulch or liquid fertilizer for fruiting crops ensuing from its excessive potassium content material materials supplies. This comfrey incorporates 7.09% potassium in contrast with 3.09% with fully several types of widespread comfrey.
- Hidcote Blue: A fantastic border perennial rising to roughly 20 inches tall and two toes in depth.
- Axminster Gold: A variegated cultivar with extended inexperienced leaves with yellow margins standing 18 inches.
Makes use of
Comfrey is the star of any permaculture yard, considerably the variability ‘Bocking 14’. The one draw again with rising comfrey is sustaining with harvesting your yard. Listed below are a number of methods to make the most of comfrey in your yard areas as a multipurpose plant:
Mulch
Mulches assist retain moisture and add bulk and dietary nutritional vitamins to the soil. Comfrey mulch does all of this with a mega enhance of nitrogen and potassium. Merely chop and drop!
Comfrey Tea
Make this fertilizer by steeping leaves in water for as so much as six weeks. You’ll discover it’s prepared when the combination turns into slimy and smells like rotten eggs. Pressure the liquid and dilute to a ratio of 1:10. The longer the leaves steep, the stronger and darker the tea.
Comfrey Focus
This takes significantly longer than comfrey tea nonetheless will retailer for as so much as a yr. To make concentrated fertilizer, compress the leaves with weights over numerous months to provide a thick, darkish concentrated liquid.
You will compress the leaves in a bucket or pipe and drain the concentrated liquid correct proper right into a bottle for storage. Dilute focus to a ratio of 1 half focus to forty parts water.
Compost
Newest leaves assist to steadiness the nitrogen/carbon ratio in compost and assist to rush up decomposition.
Powder
Dried comfrey leaves are straightforward to crumble to provide comfrey powder. Rake the powder correct proper right into a ready mattress a lot of weeks before planting.
Inexperienced Manure
Develop comfrey as a inexperienced manure by tilling the foliage into the soil when the plant continues to be youthful, along with useful biomass and dietary nutritional vitamins as soon as extra into your soil. This technique is solely not with out its factors, which we’ll give consideration to later.
Biodiversity
Comfrey flowers attraction to pollinators and fully completely different useful bugs. The massive leaves furthermore present shade and moisture to beetles and fully completely different bugs essential to a healthful ecosystem. Consider, although, that it could be detrimental to ecosystems the place it’s classed as an invasive species.
Planting
Comfrey crops are tolerant of most rising situations nonetheless thrive in full photograph voltaic to partial shade and moisture-retentive soils.
Area is a vital downside to ponder before planting comfrey. Comfrey grows vigorously, generally doubling in measurement yearly. Select a spot the place there is also sufficient room to permit comfrey to develop and the place it gained’t overshadow fully completely different crops.
Container rising is an environment friendly threat in case you are in need of area. Develop comfrey in giant, deep containers which will accommodate the plant’s deep taproot. Raised beds are one completely different improbable threat which will comprise the roots.
One of the best ways to Develop
Listed below are some tips about rising comfrey at residence, though this unimaginable plant roughly takes care of itself.
Delicate
Comfrey grows greatest in full photograph voltaic to partial shade, requiring a minimal of three to 4 hours of direct daylight per day. In scorching climates, plant comfrey the place it might need shade in the course of the preferred time of the day.
Water
Comfrey enjoys moist soil situations nonetheless shall be surprisingly drought-tolerant. The faucet roots can entry water deep inside soils that fully completely different crops can’t attain. Watering as rapidly as every week with soaker hoses is appropriate. When the plant begins to die as soon as extra in winter, cease watering.
Soil
Loamy, well-draining nonetheless moisture-retentive soil is greatest for rising comfrey, nonetheless it would tolerate most soil varieties together with heavy clay or sandy soil. The deep faucet roots assist break up clay soils in preparation for rising fully completely different crops. The truly useful soil pH is between 6.0 and seven.0.
Temperature
This plant is appropriate to develop in USDA zone 4-8 with temperatures starting from -40 to 80°F (-40 to 27°C). Your plant can wilt in excessive temperatures and can endure frost damage if uncovered too early all through the season.
As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will emerge early all through the yr when situations are appropriate. Nonetheless, it would income from fleece or frost coverings if late frosts are forecast.
Fertilizing
Comfrey can tolerate poor soil situations. It must in the long run amend the soil by means of the decomposition of its non-public foliage. In case your plant is struggling to get established, feed the comfrey with a liquid seaweed fertilizer or a low-potency balanced pure granular fertilizer.
Most of its needs will probably be lined by a nitrogen-based for good foliage enchancment, nonetheless the fully completely different dietary nutritional vitamins are essential for flowering.
Repairs
Comfrey grows shortly all by way of the spring and summer season season months. Throughout the low cost of the leaves to flooring stage three to 4 occasions in a season and use as fertilizer, mulch, and additional. Inside 4 to 6 weeks, the leaves are prepared for harvest as quickly as further.
If comfrey crops are left unpruned, the flowering stems flip into weak and collapse on the underside. Regrowth occurs naturally and shortly after this. What you’re left with is a huge untidy, unattractive comfrey mess. Pruning recurrently will shield your comfrey patch neat and tidy and simpler to work with.
When rising Symphytum officinale, pruning before flowers set seed will prohibit the quantity of self-seeded comfrey crops popping up spherical your yard.
Propagation
Comfrey propagates greatest from cuttings or division. Propagation from seed tends to be sluggish and erratic. Symphytum officinale could also be propagated by seed, root cuttings, and division. The seeds of Symphytum x uplandicum flowers are sterile as a consequence of this actuality root cuttings and division are the principle selections for varieties from this species.
Sowing Seed
Sow seed in spring in seed or module trays. Germination could also be sluggish and erratic, so don’t fear if some crops battle. Protect seedlings moist and plant out into their ultimate rising positions in spite of everything threat of frost has handed.
Root Cuttings
Take root cuttings in spring and autumn. Merely dig up a portion of the plant and cut back away the quantity of root wanted. Lower roots into one-inch lengths and plant one inch deep in a pot full of compost. Cowl with one inch of compost and shield moist.
When shoots seem and roots start to poke out the underside of the pot, they’re able to plant out.
Propagation from root cuttings is simple on account of virtually all parts of the roots will produce new crops. It can set off factors for individuals wishing to develop comfrey as inexperienced manure, leading to a mess of newest crops which shall be sturdy to eradicate.
When shifting a mature plant to a mannequin new location, you’ll want to dig up your full root ball on account of even significantly little little little bit of root left behind will develop as soon as extra and multiply.
Division
Divide crops in autumn and plant of their new areas instantly. Merely dig up your full plant and, utilizing a spade, slice by means of the comfrey crown to make the divisions.
Widespread Factors
Comfrey could also be affected by a number of widespread factors. Correct listed below are some points to look out for.
Vigorous Enchancment
Mature comfrey crops can flip into unruly all through the yard and look untidy if not saved in sort. Prune crops as soon as extra to flooring stage three to 4 occasions a season and chances are high you will be rewarded with an beautiful nutrient-rich mulch and pure fertilizer. Dividing your comfrey each few years helps to deal with on prime of its sluggish nonetheless persistent unfold.
Pests
Slugs and snails assault youthful comfrey shoots as they emerge devouring them totally and leaving holes in stems. Look out for the trademark glistening slime path as proof. Scale back populations by eradicating their daytime hideaways and breeding grounds like damp moist picket and weed matting.
Take away by hand on sight (greatest outcomes at night time) or go away beer or oatmeal traps which can be collected and discarded all through the morning. As a final resort use pure slug/snail pellets. Research the label rigorously to confirm they won’t harm fully completely different wildlife or pets.
Diseases
Powdery mildew thrives in excessive humidity, leaving a thick white fungal enchancment on leaves that inhibits photosynthesis and hinders enchancment. Keep good yard hygiene, eradicating contaminated foliage to forestall the illness from spreading and reinfection in subsequent years. Present ample daylight and good air circulation. Copper fungicide shall be utilized as a preventative, nonetheless it would have an effect on pollinators.
Comfrey rust is a fungal illness that weakens crops and stunts enchancment. It seems as orange spots on the leaves containing spores that may infect neighboring crops. Take away contaminated leaves at first sight and throw them away. Don’t compost them on account of the spores can overwinter in soil and compost heaps and reinfect crops the following yr. An utility of copper fungicide could decelerate reappearance. Russian comfrey tends to be additional resistant than fully completely different species.
Incessantly Requested Questions
It’s not unlawful to develop comfrey all through the US. It’s, nonetheless, unlawful to promote comfrey as a medicinal herb for inside use on account of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids contained all through the leaves might set off extreme liver damage when taken internally and can even be absorbed by means of the pores and pores and pores and skin when used as a medicinal poultice. This could possibly be a very good one to deal with in gardens for all of its permaculture advantages, nonetheless utilizing comfrey as a therapeutic herb is solely most likely not useful.
Comfrey is wealthy in dietary nutritional vitamins making it an beautiful fertilizer for fruiting and flowering crops.
Comfrey is solely not secure for pets to devour for a similar operate it’s banned for human consumption. The pyrrolizidine alkaloids are equally damaging to animals. Pets should be prevented comfrey crops within the occasion that they are weak to nibbling on plant leaves.