Comfrey growing in pot

[Anita Plot]

As I grow my comfrey in a large pot I was wondering if it should be fed. It is in the same soil all the time so I thought maybe it would use up all the goodness from the soil pretty soon. I wondered if maybe an annual top dressing of garden compost would do the job.

[roitelet]

It wouldn't do any harm.

[Martin H]

It's an unusual thing to keep in a pot. Are you growing it for the bees?

As roitelet says, it wouldn't do it any harm to feed it and might make up for the fact that it can't get its roots down deep.

[Anita Plot]

It is in a big pot because I was told that it is invasive. Growing it to make comfrey tea to feed my plants with

[Martin H]

Hmm. I see it like this...

Comfrey tea is a really good feed because the comfrey roots go right down deep into the subsoil and pull up nutrients that most plants can't access. Those nutrients get stored in the comfrey leaves and leach out into the tea.

If you grow it in a pot, and have to give it plant food so that it can make the food, this kind of defeats the object. You might just as well give the plant food to the plants you wanted to feed with the comfrey tea.

Of course I might have got this all wrong...

[Anita Plot]

Suppose I need to put it in the soil then eh

thank you

[Potstubsdustbins]

You can get a type of comfrey that is not invasive but as I don't use it can't give you the name. Some one will be along and advise soon.

[rary]

Anita P I have never grown comfry, but as Martin H has said it has deep roots so could you put it into a pot with the bottom removed, and as long as you dont let it seed that should contain it

[Martin H]

You can get a type of comfrey that is not invasive but as I don't use it can't give you the name. Some one will be along and advise soon.

Comfrey is invasive mainly because it drops its seed everywhere. The type that doesn't set viable seed is Bocking 14.

Keeping ordinary comfrey in a pot won't stop it spreading seed.

Either type will regrow from its very deep roots, so once you've planted it in the ground you'll probably never get rid of it from that spot. It will only spread slowly from the roots, so it's not invasive in the way (e.g.) mint can be.

[Anita Plot]

Will do that. Thank you Rary

[Potstubsdustbins]

Thanks Martin

[richie_f82]

Comfrey in pot

Hi Anita,

I have grown comfrey (Bocking 14) from seed and it worked well for me. However as someone pointed out it does need to get it's roots down deep (8ft) to work it's magic so a pot wouldn't allow the best of the nutrients to be mined.

The end of last year my wife and I moved house and I didn't bother replanting comfrey, however in the spring I did find a large cache of it growing freely along side a main road. So now I just stop off on the way from work and take a sample Might be worth having a nose around and seeing if Nature can help you out! Certainly easier than risking it spread over your garden!

[mothhawk]

It will only seed everywhere if you let it flower As you want to make comfrey tea from it, simply chop it down before the flowers open and use the flower stems to make the tea. Simples.

[Snadger]

It will only seed everywhere if you let it flower As you want to make comfrey tea from it, simply chop it down before the flowers open and use the flower stems to make the tea. Simples.

Make sure you mask it by placing it in a preheated teapot, water must be boiling to infuse the flavour.Add sugar and milk to taste!