Comfrey

[sully]

Well thanks to all the advice from the Grapes, everything i planted is growing, i dont post a lot although im on here twice a day reading and learning, have grown so much that i am running outa space in the GH, lesson learned for next year not to plant as much. I now have two Comfrey plants and am going to make my own tea, i have looked it up on here and i like the way two sheds explains it as its not too complicated. Can i mix the comfrey with nettles ? and please could someone tell me how many comfrey leaves do i need to put in a two litre bottle ? Thankyou for your help

[chris]

When I made nettle tea I stuffed as many leaves as I could in the 2L bottle, then just forced water in Left it in the greenhouse and diluted then used whenever I was feeding anything.

I think nettles contain something that the comfrey doesn't (or more of the NPK ratio in whatever way). I don't see why not, or could you make two batches?

[Two_Sheds]

I stuffed as many leaves as I could in the 2L bottle, then just forced water in

That's the way !

[sully]

Thankyou, i have potted my 2 pants in a large pot, will i be able to start picking it when its all settled ?

[Shadylane]

What kind of pants are you growing, Y fronts or briefs? I dug up a shoe the other day..Sorry.......Seriously though, can you not plant it in the ground? It will be happier there. Also are they young plants? If so, you're technically supposed to leave them the first year to establish before harvesting. I doubt it would hurt though as long as you don't over pick. It does grow pretty quick once it's settled, so you should be able to cut it soon. Just be aware you may upset it if you cut too much.

[sully]

ha ha ha ha ha oh my word !!!!!!! never noticed that mistake !!!! trust me to do that lmao x was tired, hard day at work, anyway i dont really want to plant it in garden as i have read it spreads and i thought if i put it in a biggish pot i could just tuck it out of the way. I asked my neighbours if they came across any whilst out walking if they would fetch me some and the stars that they are .... did . It appears healthy. I will just be gentle with it this year

[Shadylane]

If it's the wild stuff, yes it will self seed and spread a lot . But if you're vigilant and don't let it flower it should be fine. Our site veteran has just decided to go organic (i nearly fell over) and scrounged some comfrey off a lady who was trying to get rid of it cos it was everywhere. He's put it in the ground and I warned him not to let it flower. I have the sterile kind. I yanked a few bits of root off for the lady who had got rid of the wild kind so she could grow some for next year. The bees love the flowers, you don't have to worry about it taking over and it didn't seem to mind me hacking off a bit of root. If you want some for next year pm me and I'll get you a root or three.

[Tam]

Comfrey roots go down a tremendous depth and this is one of the reasons they make such a nutritious plantfood. They reach minerals that other plants never do and is certainly much better grown in the open ground, rather than containers.

[Two_Sheds]

i have potted my 2 pants in a large pot

As Tam says, they need to be in the ground. They have a tap root at least 18" long which brings nutrients from deep down, up to the leaves - which you then cut to make fertiliser. If the plants are in a pot, they aren't getting those nutrients

[sully]

Ah ah right thankyou all so much ,of course it all makes sense will plant it in the garden when i finish work tomorrow, Shady Lane thankyou for your kind offer but i think i will be fine with what i've got as i only have a garden and greenhouse . Have been informed there is some growing in the hedgerow near the golf club that i pass each day to work so if i need any more i'll pick some from there but thankyou xx

[sully]

Ohhhh just made myself laugh out loud re reading last post about picking Comfrey fron the hedgerow, years ago i asked my friend for a cutting from her plant ( it smelled of lemons if you rubbed the leaves ). So she gave me one and it died and then started growing again and i really looked after it watered and fed it , anyway she called by a couple of weeks later and i proudly showed her my cutting and how it had grown, and she set of laughing and laughing, mmmmm turns out it was a nettle that had grown , just gratefull i hadd'nt rubbed its leaves lol

[Shadylane]

No worries chuck - good luck with the pants