COMFREY GROWING INFORMATION

© Frances Michaels

Common Name: Comfrey

Botanical Name: Symphytum officinale

Family: Boraginaceae

Plant Description: Comfrey is a herbaceous perennial herb originating in Europe. It has large, hairy leaves and grows in a rosette to 1 m (3’4”) in height. The mauve flowers are bell-like and borne in clusters. Comfrey rarely flowers in subtropical and tropical areas as there isn’t sufficient winter chill to induce flowering. In cold areas it is dormant in winter. It is a hardy plant, with a wide climatic range, from cool temperate to tropical. It provides high yields on fertile, well-watered soil.

Uses:

Comfrey probably has the widest range of uses in a permaculture system of any plant.

• The leaves are a useful addition to compost or used as mulch,  as they contain silica, nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron. It is lush & fast growing plants so provides abundant supplies of mulch, planted in the orchard, it can be slashed to provide mulch under fruit trees. Comfrey leaves are about 17% nitrogen (horse manure is about 14%) and the leaves readily decompose when soaked in water to make a liquid manure.

• The whole plant is an excellent soil conditioner, the roots penetrate deep into the subsoil and are able to access nutrients beyond the reach of more shallow-rooted plants. This allows the gardener to cycle nutrients leached from the topsoil back to the surface by cutting comfrey leaves and using them as mulch. This deep nutrient mining is particularly useful for the health of soils in heavy rainfall areas. The large, deep roots of comfrey act to break up compacted soils. Plant comfrey downhill from poultry runs or animal pens to trap the nutrients that would otherwise be washed away in heavy rain.

• Weed barrier; one of its more unusual attributes is its ability to stop running grasses in their tracks. When comfrey is planted as a ‘weed barrier’, it should be in a strip several plants wide.

• Animal forage; the flowers are an excellent bee forage, the leaves are high in protein, vitamins and minerals and are readily eaten by poultry. Comfrey has been used as an animal forage for centuries and can be fed to cattle, rabbits, sheep, pigs and horses.

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS

Recommended Planting Time: Plant in cool areas in spring, in warmer or more tropical areas plant in the wet season. Comfrey can be propagated by root cuttings or crown division. Root cuttings are the most economical, cut pieces of root 3 cm (1”) long and lay horizontally in a prepared garden site or a styrofoam box filled with potting mix. The cuttings should be buried 3 cm deep. Keep moist until the first leaves appear.

Spacing: If a row of comfrey is required, space the plants at .5 m (1.5’) apart.

Details: Try to plant comfrey in the right position the first time as any root disturbance will create new plants. If it has to be removed, simply cover the clump with several layers of wet newspaper and then top with mulch. The comfrey will rot out, leaving a rich, black compost.

DISCLAIMER:

We guarantee our seeds to the value of the purchase price. We are happy to replace the seeds, give you a credit or refund, whichever you prefer. Other than our guarantee to the extent of the purchase price Green Harvest gives no other warranty expressed or implied. No liability will be accepted by Green Harvest, its owners or employees as to the accuracy of any information. No responsibility will be taken for damage to property or persons due to information given about a product or technique. No responsibility will be taken for the loss of a crop or income due to information given about a product or technique.