Growing and propagating comfrey for fertilizer

[stevelau1911]

I noticed that some of my comfrey plants were getting a little bit too crowded in their pots so I ended up planting 16 of them under my apple tree. It seems like these plants can be slow to start off their growth, but once they get to a certain size, they will accelerate in growth until they dominate the pot that they are planted in. I guess their leaves must be super efficient in photosynthesis.





The root cuttings are finally starting to pick up their speed.


The Russian bocking 14 type should be less appetizing to animals so I'm hoping that the deer will leave them alone. Deer can be very strange in how they eat because they seem to strip the bartlett pears of all the reachable leaves while the moon glows get bit once in a while, but never damaged severely.


I also ordered the Russian Bocking 4 variety which is supposed to have a longer tap root, making it more drought tolerant with bigger stems however this one needs is supposively grazed on by more animals so I will probably have to have it in a closed in spot.

[stevelau1911]

I have most of the comfrey plants in the ground now. They all came from 3 original plants, and most of these should get to the size of the ones I purchased originally in this season. I cut off the flowers each time they bolt just so they can focus solely on growing larger. I have harvested them for a compost tea which I should be using in another week.






I intend to plant even more so I have a few in pots that I will keep on dividing.

[stevelau1911]

One source I would suggest never buying from is Coe's Comfrey for bocking 4 because I ordered over a month, and they still cannot get it shipped out. They promised to get it out in a week 2 weeks ago, and broke the promise. On the call today, they promised to get it out next week, but I'm pretty sure they are full of SXXX.

Just trying to get my refund now from them, but if a vendor doesn't stand by their word, and not admit that they made the promise, they shouldn't be in business. I would give them 0 stars out of 5 while the eBay vendor would definitely be a 5/5.

[stevelau1911]

I finally got my refund from Coe's comfrey, and purchased bocking 4 from Nantahala farm which shipped right away instead of having a wait list that last forever, perhaps hoping for customers to forget that they made the purchase so he will never have to ship anything. I should be getting in bocking 4 within this week.

The bocking 14 comfrey has really perked up. I've read that this type is not supposed to be preferred by that many animals so the deer and rabbits have generally left them alone so far. There have been a few bites, but they don't seem to like this. The bocking 4 may need to be in a fenced in area because wildlife are supposed to like it.






Some of them will bolt and produce flowers, but I can easily cut those off to let them reset and get bigger.

[stevelau1911]

I just got the Russian bocking 4 roots in. I purchased 4 roots for a total of $27.00. It looks like I can get at least a dozen plants out of these that should be ready to plant in about a month. I'll need to get them planted up tomorrow.

Nantahala farm's comfrey is nowhere as big as what the ebayer sold, but at least they do send plants in a timely fashion after you pay for it.

[canadianplant]

Steve you just wait till next year.... My plants went from your size to 5 feet across and 4 feet tall. The wind we had the other day somewhat flattened it. But guess what? Its only forced it to branch more from the center making the clump bigger. I dont think ive seen a plant bees love more either