Using comfrey as a mulch.

[Looby Loo]

We've just taken over the plot next door to ours and have inherited masses of comfrey. We've dug up a massive patch of the stuff to make room for other things, is it possible to use it as a mulch to place around our courgette and squashes?

[Looby Loo]

[katynewbie]

 ;D

Lucky you! Think you can use it as a mulch under most things, have heard that beans love it too, but I would worry a bit about slugs cos they are especially partial to wilted comfrey (gourmet slugs) but if they eat a bit of it and it still rots down into the soil, everyone wins!!

;)

[Looby Loo]

Ooh, that sounds encouraging. Should I just lay it down as it came out of the ground, or chop it up with some shears?


Thanks for the reply. :)

[moonbells]

I cheated yesterday when planting out my tomatoes - they all have their own comfrey leaves in the planting hole for instant food... heaven knows I've got a big enough clump of the stuff! But on top of the soil? Probably best recycled through the compost bin and that used as mulch.

moonbells

[Sarah-b]

I use it to mulch my runner beans. I conserves moisture and keeps the weeds down, as well as providing some potash and  minerals - then in the winter, it all gets dug into the soil - lovely!
I also use the comfrey as a layer in the compost heaps. I compulsively add stuff to the heaps - layers of straw, grass clippings an comfrey do the world of good.
You can also shove a load in a hessian bag (or similar and dangle in your water butt, to make a nice liquid fertiliser...

sb

[saddad]

You can't have too much comfrey, use it as a surface mulch but cut not tear it up as you might get some crown and have it root! If you cut the leaves at every opportunity it gives up eventually!
;D

[supersprout]

put it into runner bean trenches, and wrap it around spuds when you plant them too :)

[moonbells]

I use it to mulch my runner beans. I conserves moisture and keeps the weeds down, as well as providing some potash and  minerals - then in the winter, it all gets dug into the soil - lovely!
I also use the comfrey as a layer in the compost heaps. I compulsively add stuff to the heaps - layers of straw, grass clippings an comfrey do the world of good.
You can also shove a load in a hessian bag (or similar and dangle in your water butt, to make a nice liquid fertiliser...

sb

Hey sarah - long time no hear!

moonbells

[djbrenton]

Amongst other things I mulch my indoor toms with it. It's best to let the leaves wilt first, then they don't act as the same slug haven as when fresh. I don't use tomato food, just water through the layer of dry comfrey.

[MrsKP]

i really need my new comfrey patch to hurry up and settle so i can start nicking bits.