I am not sure if this is the correct forum for this topic. We refer to this plant as a herb, but in english-speaking countries...I am not sure. Gardeners that want to provide an excellent natural fertilizer for their fruit, veg and flowering plants can use Russian Comfrey; known by the Latin name, Symphytum × uplandicum. Most gardeners already know about the use of nettle and/or comfrey solution (aka "tea"). One applies the solution topically, directly poured onto the soil or as mulch at the base of their plants. Well, many gardeners may know that it can be used, but not everyone realises the real benefit... or perhaps are simply put off by the ghastly smell created by the process of making the solution. It takes a strong will and stomach, I admit...but boy, oh boy does it ever deliver. The "regular Comfrey, Symphytum officinale, is fairly common but has the pernicious quality of sowing itself out all too easily. Removing the plant completely, once established, is a hellish chore. The central taproot is tough and goes quite deep to leech minerals and take-up water. This action is referred to as "mining". If you have ever tried getting rid of the common Comfrey, you know that you can not leave small bits of root lying about or in the ground, as a new plant will emerge from them...hence the unkind usage of the term, "hellish" above. I mentioned that the common Comfrey seeds itself out quite easily; so to make the case for the Bocking 14, two important points: It is sterile, and it grows robustly tall, with long and broad leaves. It yields quite a bit of foliage for the gardener to harvest and use. Apparently, the Bocking 14 will grow in most all sorts of soil; however, adding some compost and well-rotted manure to the site before planting will be helpful. When thinking about where you want to plant this plant, I would suggest choosing an out-of-the way spot in your yard or garden. Consider that it must be a place where the plant can stay for years and years and not be in the way. Depending upon your "zone" you will be able to harvest leaves several times per season. You can take leaves only, or chop the stalk off to 2-3 inches above the soil level. I can hear you gasp! Not to worry, it will bounce right back, and quickly too. ***Very important tip: DO NOT harvest anything from your plant the first year of planting. It needs all the leaves it makes to establish itself. The second year, you can harvest as much as your plant will give you. In the late fall, the leaves will have less "feed" for you, so you can leave the last set of leaves to on until the plant dies-back naturally for the winter. This will allow the plant to build-up reserves for the winter. Can you think of some uses of this plant? Here are some: 1) A mulch to place on the ground around the base of your plant. 2) A titrated solution that you can pour onto the ground or spray onto the leaves of your plants, e.g. tomatos, potatos, flowering plants. The solution should be diluted before use-- 15:1 (water to "tea"). 3) To activate the composting process in your compost bin/heap. 4) To make a leaf mould with--either exclusively Comfrey leaves or mix them with tree leaves. 5) Some folks use this plant medicinally. I am not going to get into that here. I will only say that I would limit its personal use to a topical dermal application and not take it internally. Just my considered opinion. I have about covered all that I wanted to here except for one thing--how one gets more plants -- propagation. I have said that it is sterile, thus seed germination is out. This leaves taking stem cuttings and taking root cuttings. I use the root cutting method. It is a personal preference. With stem cuttings, damping-off disease by one of the various agents is always a threat. With root cuttings, I feel that this is less likely to happen. I have already mentioned how energetically the root and root bits "bounce-back"... and just keeps on keepin' on. It sits in their genes, so why not use this inherent quality to serve ME/any gardener then? This year my partner and I went to one of those gardening expositions that occur in Nederland each year. We met a chap at one of the lectures who had a lottie in another city and whilst we were discussing the merits of the lecture that we had just attended on soil, the topic of Bocking 14 came up. This man had some, and had been growing and using it for a number of years. He was aware of the difficulty in getting hold of it in Holland. He offered to send us a few root bits, as he was preparing some for his own use for the coming year. A few days later, a small packet arrived in the post with five root segments. While I was at the lottie the next day, my bride planted them, and I shall tell you how she did it. What you need: 1) Root bits 2) A loose and easy-to-drain soil mixture 3) Vermiculite or perlite 4) A plastic pot w/ a diameter of 9cm (larger or smaller is Oké too) 5) A deep plant pot saucer Step 1--Fill the pot with your potting soil mix. Step 2--Select your root bit (making sure to keep the thicker [proximal] end pointing upwards and the distal, tapering end downwards. This is the natural way the root would have been growing whilst still in the earth). Step 3--Plant the root bits at the edge of the pot Step 4--Cover the remaining space on top of the soil with vermiculite and give water. Just enough to make the potting soil moist. Do not "drown the soil", as it were. **A note here: It might be advisable to give water from the bottom. Pour some water into the deep plant-pot saucer on/in which the rooting pot is standing. Step 5--Just wait. The only thing that you have to do is to be sure that the soil does not dry out. How to check?--simply lift it. You can also sink your ring-fingertip into the soil in the centre of the pot (there are no roots here, as you have planted them around the periphery, remember? How it went with our rooting procedure: 26 november--Roots planted 17 december--The first green shoot is above ground 20 december--All shoots are above ground 29 december--Transplanted plantlets into a clematis pot (because they are deeper) mid-may-------Plants will be planted outside. 17 december--the plants came up all of a sudden. This foto was taken the day after, I believe. Taking the plantlets out of their potje this afternoon in order to transplant them. All potted-up and ready to go. I placed them back on the cool windowsill where they will hopefully come through the winter all right. Should you try growing this plant, you will have free fertilizer for a lifetime and with the rooting propagation method, you will be able to make even more plants to use, give-away or sell. Good luck!
Great information. I have a single comfrey plant that has grown along the fence row. It has never spread or reseeded so am thinking it is the Bocking. Maybe it is time to multiple it for additional natural fertilizer.
Sjoerd, by definition an herb is any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume...and any seed-bearing plant that does not have a woody stem and dies down to the ground after flowering. So Comfrey falls under the Herb classification. I have got to start using my Comfrey leaves to make a tea. Mine are about 4 years old so this next Spring I plan on clipping the leaves to try some. This last Spring I cut off some leaves, tore them into bits and put a few in planting holes as I put in new plants....but with the health problems I wasn't able to watch the plants to see if that helped them, so I will try again next Spring. Drought will also kill it off. I had one out in the backyard that I watered every other day because of the excessive heat and long period of no rain two summers ago, but I couldn't keep it alive. It had already been in the ground for 2 growing seasons but I guess it hadn't adapted enough to survive. And I guess it doesn't like our climate because I have not had any re-seeding problems with the other two. You are certainly correct about NOT taking Comfrey orally and a Comfrey salve should not be used on broken skin, the salve should be used sparingly and for only a few days at at time (no more than 4-6 weeks total in a year) as the dangerous substances in comfrey will be absorbed through the skin building up in your system causing liver damage and possible death.
JEWELL--I hope that it is a Bocking. That would be great if you could get a patch or row going. Fingers crossed for you. TONI--Good comments on here. If it gets draughty there, I would not only water them liberally, but also mulch them quite thickly after a really thorough soaking to conserve the moisture. I hope that you have good luck with them. EILEEN--A super post?! Thanks a lot, miss. I am so glad that you liked this one. I hope that your daughter will as well. It honours me that you will pass it along to her. Next time you are over this way, perhaps I can give you some root cuttings to take back.
Very interesting and I am wandering if I could get it here ... I'll go to the nursery to check it out. Thanks Sjoerd for this very informative post.
I have a single Comfrey plant beside the house that I planted about 8 years ago. So far, no volunteers (darn it!) but the plant is big and bushy and the Hummingbirds love it! I throw some leaves into my compost bin a few times a season to help speed up the process and it seems to work great. I have been meaning to make Comfrey tea for the past 2 summers, but it's very smelly reputation has kept me from trying. Maybe this is the year I will set up a barrel in the far corner of the yard and give it a try.
KK--You are most welcome. I hope that you can get them there. It is worth looking around for. You are welcome, DONNA-- I hope that you can find the Bocking 14 there. I know that they sell it over there. NETTY--Well, how lucky you are to have one growing there. I'll bet that you could take some root cuttings and increase your plant number. As for the smell--yes, it is shocking. If you decide to tey making some "tea", you could place the bucket at the far end of your property and down-wind from the prevailing summer winds. When mixing the solution, I have to hold my breath and just get on with it. The sooner I have applied the solution and have the lid back on the bucket, the happier I am. The plants demonstrate a delight as well, albeit less quickly. I hope that you will be able to overcome the negative aspect of the tea process, for your plants will enjoy being spoiled in this unsavoury way. chuckle. Good luck, meid.
I bought some Bocking 14 three years ago. I read that rabbits like to eat it. I have two pet rabbits for the "m&m's" they drop for my garden. My rabbits won't eat it. The bee's love it. I want to move the plants this spring. I may have some roots to share.
Hey Don--Great that you have some Bocking there. when you move the plant would be a good time to try propagation. I mean, the plant will be out of the ground anyway. What an opportunity, mate! Good luck.
