Common Comfrey

[craiglockley]

Hi all,

Was just wondering if using Common Comfrey can be used in the same way as Bocking 14 variety.

[Hazel at the Hill]

As I understand it, Craig, common comfrey can be used in exactly the same way as bocking 14, however because it will soon be making a bid for universal domination, the sterile bocking 14 is considered more desirable.

[Two_Sheds]

Just as Hazel says: Bocking 14 is normally the comfrey of choice, because it stays where you put it, (don't listen to Snadger on this point ... he was chopping his up with a spade and spreading it around) and doesn't seed itself everywhere like the common one does.

[selfraising]

I use common comfrey leaves but keep mine in a container. I guess the answer is to just not let it flower. Perhaps thats what Snadger did, in which case I don't see a problem.

[Two_Sheds]

Bocking 14 is sterile. It will flower, but not produce seeds. If you want to propagate it, you need to take root cuttings (which is what Snadger did)

[Snadger]

Bocking 14 is sterile. It will flower, but not produce seeds. If you want to propagate it, you need to take root cuttings (which is what Snadger did)

Unwittingly!

No matter what TS say's I believe Bocking 14 is clump forming, similar to rhubarb, dock and horseradish and will spread if left to it's own devices......just not quickly and not by seed!

[Snadger]

Interesting reading!

Controversial comfrey: a fascinating plant of many uses. - Free Online Library

[Two_Sheds]

Bob Flowerdew's just said that borage is even more nutritious for the garden than comfrey. But that DOES seed itself everywhere.

[Matt.]

I just harvest wild comfrey that grows on footpaths and riverbanks near where I live. Once you recognise the plant you'll soon see it everywhere.

[maytreefrannie]

Bob Flowerdew's just said that borage is even more nutritious for the garden than comfrey. But that DOES seed itself everywhere.

I can confirm that - I sowed borage about twenty years ago and it seeded itself and still comes up each year. I use it with nettles for plant feeding.

[womble]

Unwittingly!

No matter what TS say's I believe Bocking 14 is clump forming, similar to rhubarb, dock and horseradish and will spread if left to it's own devices......just not quickly and not by seed!

It is clump forming and does get slowly bigger, but it certainly doesn't grow anywhere near as fast as Rhubarb, I suppose I would just say, that it is growing into a mature plant.
I've had mine for 5 years and tbh I wish it would spread a little more by itself, I have to keep chopping off roots to start new clumps and it takes 2 years to fully establish a cuttable big plant.

[Comfreyfan]

Mine's the old fashioned sort it's been in the garden for about 20 years now, the original clump is large but it hasn't spread out too much, but there are many, many more plants which I take the leaves off every now and then - no way to get the roots out! It's not really a problem - I could always use more!

[Beanie]

I have a large common Comfrey plus three new, small, Bocking 14 plants and yes, you can use both plants in exactly the same way. The large common one flowered beautifully last year & the bees loved it - as bees are having so many problems at the moment I didn't have the heart to chop all the flowers off. So far so good, on not finding little seedlings everywhere. It's definately a more vigorous grower than the Bocking 14 plants though - I think I chopped the leaves off it 3 or 4 times last year. Haven't taken anything off the Bocking 14 ones yet as they're still too young, but perhaps someone else with a more mature plant would be able to advise on that!

[craiglockley]

Thanks for all the help guys! I got a couple of small Bocking 14's on ebay but I have some seeds for Common as well, so might well use both.

[Two_Sheds]

It's definately a more vigorous grower than the Bocking 14 plants though - I think I chopped the leaves off it 3 or 4 times last year.

My Bockings get chopped down 6+ times a year ... they are extremely fast growing. In fact, my 1 year old plants have gone from 2" tall to 12" tall in a fortnight.