Comfery and Potatoes

[Shadylane]

Ok, so I know you're supposed to put comfrey leaves in the trench with your spuds - my dad's uncle recommended this and I'm sure i've read it on here too, but one slight problem: the comfrey doesn't look like it will be any where near ready by the end of March, it's only just poking through. Is this normal or is is just cause it's been so cold? How's everyone elses looking?

[Snadger]

I've also heard about using comfrey leaves but I'm in the same boat as you..............no comfrey leaves yet and loads of tatties to plant!

[Shadylane]

Oh well, at least it's not just me. I wonder if you could freeze the leaves when they come in the spring and save them for the following year hmmmmm. probably go all slimey and rank.

[sarraceniac]

My comfrey is nowhere near usable. I think they mean for later planting of spuds. Oh and slimy and rank is great. Just how they should be.

[binley100]

My comfrey's not showing either. It'll be going in under my tomatoes and in a bucket of water for feed. The tatties'll have to go without .

[Shadylane]

Thanks for the replies - guess it must be the long cold winter. Hopefully it will end soon, though i'm not holding my breath, hrumph.

[Jeanied]

How about using nettles instead? Does it work?
You can use comfrey chopped up and laid on top as a mulch, as well. Maybe that would work for you after they have been planted. And for some reason I plant my potatoes with chopped grass in the trench.

[Snadger]

How about using nettles instead?.....................

Nettles make a Nitro feed............great if you want tatties with 8 foot tops!

[pipscariad]

I'm going to try putting seaweed in mine (well, some of them, as a trial), as recommended by someone on here - never can remember the info when it's needed . I appreciate that's easier said than done though for those who don't live near the sea! I won't offer to post some though, sorry peeps.

I reckon a mulch with comfrey when it finally appears could be quite good? I mulched with the afore mentioned weed of the sea last year, and it was a great success, with the added bonus that the soil is lovely this year .

[rogesse]

The comfrey on the lottie is non existant but the stuff in the garden (well sheltered) aint looking too bad. Unfortunately I've only just started chitting the earlies so it's not the comfrey that slacking - just me!

[Snadger]

I'm going to try putting seaweed in mine (well, some of them, as a trial), as recommended by someone on here - never can remember the info when it's needed . I appreciate that's easier said than done though for those who don't live near the sea! I won't offer to post some though, sorry peeps.

I reckon a mulch with comfrey when it finally appears could be quite good? I mulched with the afore mentioned weed of the sea last year, and it was a great success, with the added bonus that the soil is lovely this year .

Did it give your tatties the 'Jersey Royal' taste though?

[pipscariad]

Did it give your tatties the 'Jersey Royal' taste though?

Well, they were delicious, will that do? (To be honest, it's so many years since I've eaten a 'Jersey Royal' I couldn't tell you!).

[Beetroot Bob]

Our lottie hasn't had the our delivery of tatties yet

They were late last year but didn't really cause us any probs. I got my 1st and 2nds in and out before the blight. AND we had a bumper crop to boot In fact our 1st (Maris Bard & Rocket) were a bit too big

[Shadylane]

How about using nettles instead? Does it work?
You can use comfrey chopped up and laid on top as a mulch, as well. Maybe that would work for you after they have been planted. And for some reason I plant my potatoes with chopped grass in the trench.

Yeah I might use em as a mulch if they ever grow I think I read on here that using grass helps prevent scab (?) Ours were very scabby last year so might try that too.

[Paulottie]

Well, they were delicious, will that do? (To be honest, it's so many years since I've eaten a 'Jersey Royal' I couldn't tell you!).

I don't know if its me being spoiled by eating new salad spuds straight from tee ground for ten years+ but on the last couple of occasions I have been sold 'Jersey Royals' by supermarkets they were truly horrid and lacking all the flavour and texture I nostalgically remembered them for.

...too mean to give spuds my hard won seaweed anyway...normally gets given to the asparagus or composted and mixed with leaf mould and woodash for Toms.

I expect it is good at keeping the slugs at bay though..tried a high straw packing for one row last year. 'lovely clean spuds' the promise . the reality...3x the slug damage of any other row