Comfrey

Hillbilly · Post: # 20219Post **Hillbilly** » Wed May 17, 2006 8:55 pm

Hi

I have a huuuuuuge favour to ask of my local Scottish SSF'rs - do any of you have a comfrey bed? I am after some to replant to form my own bed as I want to use it for fertilizer eventually (and herbal remedies) - will come and dig it up - swap you some for some homebaking?

Shirley · Post: # 20220Post **Shirley** » Wed May 17, 2006 9:13 pm

Haven't got any here Jo.... but is it difficult to grow from seed?? I would like some too - perhaps we could buy together.

Hillbilly · Post: # 20221Post **Hillbilly** » Wed May 17, 2006 9:23 pm

I've never seen it in seed..mum and dad used to grow it and people would come and get bits of the root and go from there.

Was reading this earlier http://houseofstrauss.co.uk/modules/wfs ... ticleid=67

Will go and look for seeds...[/url]

ray7 · Post: # 20230Post **ray7** » Wed May 17, 2006 10:44 pm

Hi,
These have comfrey seeds
http://www.greenchronicle.co.uk/acatalog/Comfrey.html
Hope that helps.

Andy Hamilton · Wed May 17, 2006 11:32 pm

Another job for freecycle, this is where I got my plants from about 4 roots altogether. Much easier to start off with planting a root than from seed.

hedgewitch · Thu May 18, 2006 5:58 am

I grew mine from Seed and it is very quick to germinate. It dies back in the winter and this is the second year I've had and it's spreading quickly - had a wonderful display of Flowers from it this year

Hillbilly · Post: # 20243Post **Hillbilly** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:13 am

ray7 wrote:Hi,
These have comfrey seeds
http://www.greenchronicle.co.uk/acatalog/Comfrey.html
Hope that helps.

Ray, Andy and Hedgewitch - thanks all. I'll go and put a 'want' on Freecycle just now and if nothing turns up then we'll buy a packet of seeds and give it a bash. My old house has a huge bank of the stuff which we used to give to the goats iirc - actually did we give it to the goats or have to keep them away from it...I can't remember! Oh well it was 20 odd years ago LOL!

Thanks

ina · Post: # 20266Post **ina** » Thu May 18, 2006 3:57 pm

You can have a couple of roots from me - I bought some from the Organic Gardening Catalogue last year and didn't plant them all, so they are potted. I suspect that growing them from seed might take a bit longer in our climate.

Hillbilly · Post: # 20287Post **Hillbilly** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:17 pm

Oh brill! thanks Ina! I got an offer from a lovely lady in Kemnay too so splitting that with Shirlz too but its only a tiny wee plant so the more the better IMHO!

Han&Matt · Post: # 23939Post **Han&Matt** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:55 pm

Hi guys,
I have just spent the last three hours digging out comfrey from my overgrown allotment! Have been told to put in a muslin sack and into the water butt for natural fertilizer but haven't got that far as yet (instead used as mulch for tomatoes). I know Birmingham is somewhat of a drive from Scotland, but if anyone is passing you are more than welcome to take as much of it as you want!!

Same goes for brambles, ground elder, wild garlic and cow parsley!

Hillbilly · Post: # 23955Post **Hillbilly** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 7:25 pm

Bless you! Actually I am coming thro birmingham in October on way to Cirencester but I suppose I should ahve updated the thread. we found comfrey locally eventually, 5 mins from doorstep

and Ina also kindly gave me two plants

soinundated on this side but I am sure there are some ish'ers nearer you who could do with some.

I see on another thread that Wild Garlic sells for Ã‚Â£4 + for 10g so go gather and make your fortune!

Incidentally, I did use it as a fertilizer in water - a handful of comfrey to a bucket full of nettles. Oh my god the smell.

Shirley · Post: # 23968Post **Shirley** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:29 pm

think i must have done something wrong as I can't smell the comfrey stuff from the house yet lol..... muslin sack sounds like a good idea.. I just bunged the leaves in.