Topic: Comfrey bed

[davee52uk]

I'm thinking of growing comfrey in a bed by itself. This would be in a rather shady part between fruit trees.

Does anybody have any advice on this ?

[grawrc]

I think comfrey will grow anywhere: usually the problem is getting rid of it rather than getting it to grow!!

It's good stuff - you can use it in compost bins to get them going, in potato or runner bean trenches and rotted down in a bucket of water to produce foul-smelling but excellent concentrated fertiliser. I seem to be constantly cutting mine back but it comes spurting back as if nothing hd happened.

Having it in a bed by itself is a good plan! I'm not sure about growing it under fruit trees though.

Comfrey bocking 14 is supposedly the variety of choice (less invasive).

[telboy]

Go for it Davee. It multiplies somewhat but it's worth growing for the benefits you get from it!

[small]

I have wild comfrey growing between two high walls, on brick rubble, I cut it down at least three times a year when it is 4 -5 foot high. I don't think you'll have any trouble....it's brilliant on the compost heap, Certainly keep it isolated though, or it'll be everywhere.

[pumkinlover]

I've done the same -underplanted my fruit trees. Doesn't  grow as well- but plenty well enough.

[irridium]

mine's in prime location in full sun as i wanted it to be as productive as possible for all it's amazing uses it can do for me and the environment. it's bocking 14 and used just bits of root in feb. last yr and after a year's worth of growth, there are but clumpy tap roots already growing, so it's very vigorous but it hasn't spread further out at all (10ft x 4ft)

[terrier]

I've got three clumps of Bocking14 growing. One is at one end of my herb bed, open aspect, by a south facing wall, one is in semi shade under an apple tree, both grow like there's no tomorrow. The third clump is under (close to) mature horse chestnut trees and it struggles to make any growth at all. All the original roots were supplied by Tonybloke so I don't think there can be anything amiss there, they should all grow at the same rate. Anyone else got places where Comfry won't grow?