Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Uncle Joshua on April 26, 2008, 21:11:24

Title: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: Uncle Joshua on April 26, 2008, 21:11:24: Has anyone ever grown potatoes in comfrey? I planted a row today, half in manure and half in comfrey.
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: simon404 on April 26, 2008, 21:56:27: ??? Can't say I have, you'll have to let us know how they compare
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: Uncle Joshua on April 26, 2008, 21:59:52: Quote from: simon404 on April 26, 2008, 21:56:27
??? Can't say I have, you'll have to let us know how they compare

I take pictures of my allotment to post on the forum I run so I'll post those ones here too.
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: redimp on April 26, 2008, 22:07:08: My comfrey is only about six inches tall so far so not ready to put in with my spuds. I have used cow manure and copious amounts of grass from the school field.
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: cambourne7 on April 26, 2008, 22:29:30: intresting. I have been keeping my comfry for my tomato bed and i have dug some into my pumpkin bed.
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: djbrenton on April 26, 2008, 23:14:38: I use manure below the potato then wrap each potato in a comfrey leaf. For extra oomph I put spent hops onto the ridges too. No idea if my potatoes are better as a result as I've never tried rows with/without.
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: Amazin on April 27, 2008, 02:12:34: My first year on the allotment I put comfrey leaves under the potatoes at planting time. They shot up and I got a really good yield.

I also think it makes the plants tougher and better able to resist - or at least cope with - pests and diseases, though I have no idea why I think so - and certainly no scientific evidence.

Perhaps when I was younger I was hit on the head with a rainbow.

;D
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: saddad on April 27, 2008, 08:51:20: Comfrey is very deep rooting and brings a lot of minerals and nutrients back up that have been washed into the sub soil... should give you better plants MickW... ;D
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: OllieC on April 27, 2008, 09:26:42: Quote from: Amazin on April 27, 2008, 02:12:34

Perhaps when I was younger I was hit on the head with a rainbow.

;D

I like that!
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: calendula on April 27, 2008, 10:37:42: I virtually never earth up my spuds but I always throw copious amounts of comfrey leaves over the crop as the haulms grow - very useful is comfrey even though nothing much to look at
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: Uncle Joshua on April 27, 2008, 20:23:13: Quote from: calendula on April 27, 2008, 10:37:42
I virtually never earth up my spuds but I always throw copious amounts of comfrey leaves over the crop as the haulms grow - very useful is comfrey even though nothing much to look at

I never get earthing them up later, I always do mine when I plant them just as my dad and his dad did.
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: Dadnlad on April 27, 2008, 20:53:35: Little'un got bored wrapping each spud, and opted for tipping in from his plastic wheelbarrow - the comfrey plants will be bare for a while, but the spuds shouldn't be short of potash ;D
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: sawfish on April 27, 2008, 21:12:15: I did it 2 summers ago and it worked great, lots of wilted comfrey at the bottom of the trench and I got loads of lovely tatties.
Title: Re: Spuds In Comfrey?
Post by: Deb P on April 28, 2008, 09:20:46: I did mean to try this method this year, but my comfrey has only been producing decent leaves for the past week or two! ::)