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Garden, Plants

Getting comfrey with growing my own fertilizer

April 17, 2014

Since I wrote this post, I estimate that I’ve watched more than 50 hours of British gardening shows. And I think I’ve learned more from them than I ever learned over all the years of watching American gardening shows. Some of that information—how to take cuttings, for instance—may not be completely practical as I have nowhere to overwinter delicate new plants, but it is fascinating information to know.
 
But until I watched a 2011 episode of “Gardener’s World” (one Youtube poster lists it as the “Best show in the world” and I wouldn’t argue with him), I had no idea that I’ve been missing out on growing my own fertilizer all this time. 
 
Apparently a small patch of comfrey will nourish your plants and kick your compost pile into high gear.
 
Until recently, my knowledge of comfrey was limited. I knew it was part of the borage family. I know that borage is a beautiful plant in an old-fashioned kind of way but also one that you never get rid of once you have it. I’ll be honest, plants like that scare me. I’ve had too many plants try to stage a bloodless coup in my garden (like these) and eradicating them is a chore that has taken years (and continues annually, in some cases). 
 
I also knew that I liked the name of the plant: comfrey. It sounds … well … comfy. It does have fuzzy leaves, so maybe it is sort of comfy (although it can be irritating to some people’s skin so maybe don’t curl up in a patch of it). 
 
 

But it turns out that comfrey is a little powerhouse of a plant. It can be used for medicinal purposes because it contains allantoin, which stimulates cell growth and repair, and as a high-protein animal feed, but that’s not why I’ve got my eye on it.

Nope, I’m interested in it because it’s a great fertilizer. Comfrey is high in potash, aka potassium (the “K” in NPK fertilizer ratios), which means it’s an excellent feed for overall plant health and particularly good for tomatoes and flowers later in the season. One source says that comfrey has more than twice as much potassium as farm manure and 30% more than compost. The NPK (nitrogen-phosporous-potassium) breakdown of comfrey leaves is 1.80-0.50-5.30 for true comfrey and that last number bumps up to 7.09 for Russian comfrey. On “Gardener’s World,” good ol’ Monty Don made comfrey tea and then watered his plants with it. He also used it as a foliar feed. And he used a big bunch of leaves as mulch for his tomatoes. Just slapped them right on there. They will feed the soil as they decompose. And anything that was left, including the stems, was thrown in the compost pile where it kick starts a pile that’s a little heavy on browns (i.e. carbon-based material). And another source claims that earthworm farms have found that adding comfrey to their worm beds increases worm numbers by 400%. Even if that’s an exaggeration, imagine what it could do for the worms in my compost bin.

You can also put a few leaves near plants prone to slug damage. Apparently it is so tasty to slugs that they will forego eating anything else in favor of attacking the comfrey.

How have I been missing out on all this goodness? It all sounds too good to be true.
 
Making comfrey tea is no more complicated that putting a lot of comfrey leaves in a bucket and covering them with water (some recipes say not to add water and just let them turn into sludge on their own). And then covering the whole thing with a lid or a board and stashing it away from human interaction for several weeks (a minimum of three seems to be the general consensus) while it creates a black, disgusting stew that apparently is extremely foul-smelling (hence why you don’t want to store it on your patio while it’s brewing). 
 
When it’s finished you strain it, dilute it with water  and pass the goodness onto your plants. The dilution rate varies, of course, depending on how strong your original batch is, but about 10 to 15 parts water to one part comfrey tea concentrate is probably a good goal.
 
It seems to be difficult to find plants, other than from other gardeners. I was surprised that our master gardener group doesn’t sell it at our annual heirloom plant and herb sale given that it’s such a useful plant, although I now realize that’s like because it can be fully thuggish if you grow a reseeding variety. So I ordered a few root cuttings, which it is said to grow from easily. That alone is a little scary. Any plant that grows well from root cuttings means that you better put it in a place that you like from the beginning because digging it out will be difficult. Unless you dig up all the roots, you’ll have more plants in that spot.
 
 

I ordered Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum), a variety called Bocking 14, which is said to be sterile, so at least I don’t have to worry about it reseeding all over the place,  although cutting off the flowers before they set seed would also work (this is so much easier said than done). Apparently it is best to use it before it flowers, or right as it starts flowering. This strain is not great for animal feed—apparently it is more bitter than other strains—so I’m hoping that it won’t be tasty to deer.

I’m going to find a little patch that’s out of the way. I’m still worried about it getting aggressive, but I think if I can provide it a nice little spot away from the main garden areas, I can let it be true to its nature.

Growing my own fertilizer: what could be better? I’m becoming a more self-reliant gardener, recycling in my own yard and saving money in the process.

Comfrey, here I come.

comfrey fertilizer gardeners world
by Erin @ The Impatient Gardener 
23 Comments

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previous post: WHY GARDENING ISN’T TRIAL AND ERROR
next post: GOODBYE TO A GOOD FRIEND

Comments

  1. Cortney says: April 17, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    You got me started on Gardener's World and my life has changed. I actually take notes when I watch it! So much more informative than anything on American TV, and great supplemental information that wasn't covered in my Master Gardener training. So, THANKS!

    Here's a thought about the comfrey spreading, what if you treated it a bit like bamboo and circled the plant/area with some buried metal flashing about 6-8" down, that might prevent/slow any crazy root growth and would give you a clear area to shovel out if you ever want to get rid of it? Either way, comfrey is coming into my garden too!

    Reply
    • Erin Schanen says: April 17, 2014 at 5:22 pm

      I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one entranced by "Gardener's World." That's a good idea about containing it and maybe I'll try that. Or maybe I'll just go for it in an out of the way area. I better decide soon because I'm hoping my root cuttings arrive next week.

      Reply
    • liberal army wife says: May 30, 2014 at 4:24 pm

      Cortney turned me on to Gardeners World and to you, Erin. We are in the process of buying a home in PA with a pretty blech garden, and will be referring to you over and over and over.

      Reply
  2. Anonymous says: April 17, 2014 at 6:33 pm

    Count me as another you have gotten addicted to the British gardening shows. I love that they have dirt under their non perfect nails and actually work in the rain. I learn something from every show I watch. *Theresa from Ohio*

    Reply
  3. Elizabeth says: April 17, 2014 at 7:10 pm

    I'll have to look that episode up! My mom has been growing comfrey for years and I knew it was a beneficial plant, but I never knew you could make fertilizer from it! I'll have to see if she has a root or two to share. As you suspect it does have a prolific nature so I'm glad to hear you are taking precautions…it is such a pretty plant though and bees absolutely love it so it is worth it!

    Reply
  4. Heather - New House New Home says: April 18, 2014 at 11:38 am

    It truly is the best gardening show in the world! I, too. Learn something new every time I watch it. But I missed this episode! Think I'll try and find some comfrey and plant it right in my vegetable garden! Thanks for the tip.

    Reply
  5. Loi Thai, Tone on Tone says: April 19, 2014 at 1:53 am

    I need to start watching these shows! (Like I need another addiction.) BTW, have you ever planted Japanese Anemone? Talk about invasive and hard as heck to pull up. Never heard of comfrey – thanks for the intro, Erin. It's always fabulous to visit the blogs of garden friends.
    Cheers and have a wonderful Easter weekend!
    Loi

    Reply
    • Libby says: April 19, 2014 at 9:27 pm

      Loi, and Erin: I've grown Japanese Anemone for years and in various gardens. Yes, it spreads…nicely, I think!…but I don't really see it as invasive! I also happen to love it, both in pink and white, so don't really mind if it spreads!

      Reply
  6. Loi Thai, Tone on Tone says: April 19, 2014 at 1:53 am

    PS – I like your new profile photo!!!

    Reply
  7. Debra Phillips says: April 21, 2014 at 3:46 pm

    i have not grown it but all my gardening friends in england do and use it like mentioned. foul? there are no words to describe the scent, but what results!
    think i need to rethink this, thanks for the reminder!
    debra

    Reply
  8. chloris says: April 21, 2014 at 6:20 pm

    I always have a tub of comfrey mixed with nettles brewing away near my vegetable patch. It is wonderful stuff but oh dear! The smell is absolutely disgusting.

    Reply
  9. Devon says: April 22, 2014 at 9:37 pm

    I know next to nothing about gardening, but it seem to me that if comfrey has lots of potassium, growing it would pull potassium out of the soil, right? So I guess if you're growing it in an out of the way area where you don't need the potassium in the soil to nourish other plants, that works okay, but otherwise, it seems like it would be a zero-sum proposition?

    Reply
    • Kim ogden says: June 30, 2019 at 7:55 am

      I don’t think it pulls potassium out of the soil , it makes it while it grows and can be used to add potassium to the rest of the garden

      Reply
  10. Josee Noel says: July 5, 2019 at 9:29 pm

    I grow ‘comfrey’ here on the island of Montreal. I got a plant while foraging in Hudson, that’s a pretty English town off the island just west of here. I simply brought it home because I found it to be an interesting plant. The bees can’t get enough of it. Thank you for enlightening me! It sure is a hardy plant. My flowers do go to seed. Beautiful teeny tiny dark metallic balls. I really don’t know if those grow or not. After it flowers and is no longer any use to the bees I slash it down as the leaves are quite coarse, rough on raw skin. I’m a Forest Technician and so glad I discovered it! Happy re-forestation!

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: July 8, 2019 at 4:07 pm

      Lovely! And yes, happy re-forestation! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Pixie Kate says: February 20, 2021 at 1:47 pm

    Comfrey is amazing ! Plant at bottom of fruit trees and it mines the minerals from deep in the soil and draws them up to the surface feeding the shallow roots of the trees. Then with frosts it breaks down to a natural mulch which feeds the tree over winter as it breaks down . I make comfrey oil also which I use in all my healing balms as it’s incredible for rejuvenation of cells in our bodies also. It’s old nickname is ‘knitbone’ It’s great for thinning hair ( I make a hydrosol from it mixed with rosemary for that …
    Enjoy your comfrey

    Reply
  12. Julie Davidson says: September 7, 2021 at 11:05 am

    My montana clematis has died. I have comfrey growing around the bottom of it, will that have effected it.

    Reply
  13. Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: September 10, 2021 at 11:05 pm

    I don’t think that would affect it negatively unless it was just too crowded in there (as with any plant).

    Reply
  14. Jackie Creswell says: September 22, 2021 at 2:08 pm

    Comfrey makes a fantastic plant food, after all anything that’s smells so disgusting whilst fermenting must be really good. It is a thug, but the bees love it so I forgive it anything. I ferment it, chop it up and add to my beds and my compost heap. Living in England I (and everyone else) follow Gardeners World and the brilliant Monty Don. He’s a proper gardener. Keep gardening folks and good luck.

    Reply
  15. Andy Humphrey says: June 4, 2022 at 6:03 am

    My bocking 14 wasn’t aggressive and didnt spread much, chopped it down 2 to 3 times a year, the bees love it.
    I put the leaves in a drain pipe with mesh at the bottom and a 2 litre coke bottle taped to the drain pipe and a weighted jam jar on top of the leaves and a lid on top, the juice collected in the bottom to use as a feed and it didnt smell!

    Reply
  16. Isa Azi Sani says: January 28, 2023 at 2:50 pm

    This is very informative and very helpful for anyone that is worried about the rising cost of fertilizer on his/her garden and farm generally, especially, for those in the developing world. I’ve just placed my bocking 14 comfrey roots for planting this farming season.

    Thanks Erin for your contributions.

    Reply

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The Impatient Gardener

Do you love gardening? Me too! I'm Erin and I garden in Southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5. The Impatient Gardener is all about real-life gardening: the good parts, the bad bits and even the funny stuff. It's part information, part inspiration and a little bit commiseration. Thanks for visiting.

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Erin Schanen 🌿 The Impatient Gardener
I fell in love with gardening through container de I fell in love with gardening through container design and it’s probably still my favorite type of gardening. My trip to Philadelphia area gardens was full of so many excellent ideas. For several years I’ve been enamored with clustered pots, but in my opinion they work best when they are able to stand alone in a space. And you probably know me well enough by now to know that as far as I’m concerned, the bigger the pot, the better. Feast your eyes on these beauties and use your zooming fingers to really get into those nooks and crannies. 

Don’t forget to save your favorites because you know you’re going to be looking for them come next spring. 😀

Photos 1 & 2: Amazing container cluster at @longwoodgardens  that works particularly well because of the restraint used in the design. Also how many different ways is the universe going to tell me I need to grow agave before I actually listen?

Photo 3: This was probably favorite display I saw the whole time and of course it’s from the masters at @chanticleergarden This is a master class in texture. It’s also probably not attainable for the average home gardener because it relies heavily on tropicals that need proper overwintering in order to reach a good size. But there’s no reason why I (or you) couldn’t use this as inspiration to create a similar feel with other plants. 

Photo 4: Strappy foliage, bright orange and colorful pots create such a good doorway collection at @chanticleergarden 

Photo 5, 6 & 7: Similar colors were used at a patio doorway at Steve and Ann Hutton’s Owl Creek Farm home garden. A pot is perfectly framed by an arbor off a side patio. The front entrance has a pink theme (and an amazing feature pot that I couldn’t show here because all my shots are vertical). 

Photo 8: Back to @chanticleergarden where I could have studied this container planting for an hour just to soak up all the detail. 

Photo 9: And while I love a pot with a lot going on, never underestimate the power of a simply planted, gorgeous pot, like this one at @abunting64 garden Belvidere. 

#gbfling2023
I think every garden probably needs a little bit o I think every garden probably needs a little bit of water, even if it’s just a bird bath. All of the fabulous gardens I saw recently in the Philadelphia area incorporated water into them. Here are just a few examples of how lovely these water features were. 

@paxsonhillfarm @northviewgarden @brandywinecottage @longwoodgardens #gbfling2023
Gardens must have places to relax and enjoy the vi Gardens must have places to relax and enjoy the view even though we all know that most of us rarely take the opportunity to use them. The seating I saw in gardens in the Philadelphia area reflected their gardens and all were special. 

Make sure to share your favorite!

Photo 1:  I adored these perfectly lichen-covered chairs at @brandywinecottage

Photo 2: Great lichen game on this bench at Wayne Guymon’s mind-blowing garden WynEden. 

Photo 3: Perhaps my favorite seating moment of the whole trip was this chair in @jennyrosecarey @northviewgarden . Not only was it perfectly lichen covered (are you sensing a theme here?) but a volunteer cleome was growing right up through the middle of it. Unfortunately this photo of it isn’t grata because by this point in the trip my phone (I didn’t want to use my DSLR in the middle of the tropical storm so I switched to my phone) was getting very grumpy about the rain. 

Photo 4: I’d be happy to hang out on these chairs in @abunting64 ‘s gorgeous garden Belvidere. I loved this space. 

Photo 5: Color was the name of the game on this patio at Steve and Ann Hutton’s Owl Creek Farm. 

Photo 6: The most original table and benches I saw were at @abunting64 garden. This was a portion of the garden that was actually on the neighbors’ property adjacent to Andrew’s. It had been a vegetable garden but is getting a bit too shady so it will soon have a new life. 

Photo 7: We visited Barbara Tiffany’s Mill Fleurs in a deluge, which is a shame, and dotted throughout the property are examples of her husband Tiff’s amazing furniture. This was, called the Centipede was upholstered and quite different from the others. All were amazing works of art. 

Photos 8 and 9: The @scott_arboretum at @swarthmorecollege had some excellent seating, from brand new @deebenarc chairs to more lichen-covered charmers.

#gbfling2023
*** I can already see that some people do not unde *** I can already see that some people do not understand humor so let me just say this: 1. I was fully aware of the escaped convict situation (I’m an avid follower of the news, which is common for us journalists). 2. It’s ok to laugh about the fact that I’ve missed the Longwood meadow twice through weird circumstances while being a rational adult and realizing that I’m not making light of the situation that led to the meadow being mown. ***

I missed seeing @longwoodgardens beautiful meadow the first time I visited so I was excited to see it the second time. Not so fast! Turns out it had to be mown down during the search for an escaped convict who was hiding out there (at least that’s what I was told was the reason for the mowing). He’ll never see goldenrod the same way again! 😀

That whole situation was really unfortunate for @longwoodgardens (not to mention everyone who lives in the area), which had to be closed for about a week while the hunt was on!
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