Its roots drive deep into the soil and pull up (otherwise inaccessible) minerals to the surface - I'm hoping this might obviate the need to use so many chemical-laden feeds. It's also referred to as a "natural fertiliser factory" which can be used in a number of ways. It's excellent used as a mulch, or for preparing and fertilising the ground you're putting your potatoes into, and even for breaking down compost more effectively. In fact, the only drawback I've uncovered is its ability to spread and grow rapidly, but if you choose your variety carefully, you can limit any potential problems with regard to its spreading. The Bocking 14 (Russian variety) is available from Thompson Morgan, whose write-up (as follows) is very informative:
"Grow your own soil conditioner! Comfrey ‘Bocking 14’ contains high levels of basic NPK nutrients and because it is a sterile hybrid, it won’t self seed all over your garden.
The nutrient rich foliage of comfrey can be used as a compost activator, mulch, or soaked in barrels of water for 3 to 5 weeks to make a useful liquid feed for tomatoes and beans. Scatter the wilted leaves throughout potato trenches just before planting, to fertilise the crop and improve their flavour! Once established, this quick growing plant can be cut 3 or 4 times throughout the growing season, for a constant supply of nutrient rich, organic, comfrey fertiliser. Height: 100cm (40”). Spread: 75cm (30”).
- Special Features: sun or semi shade"
- Tomatoes, courgettes, and beans in particular, benefit from regular feeds of comfrey tea - comfrey leaves left to infuse in a bucket of water for a few days - and according to various reports on the internet, you'll have a "heftier harvest". Fruiting plants are lifted when their leaves are sprayed with it, and roots are healthier when fed with its nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus that their growth depends on.
- It's also used medicinally, and it's actually quite pretty:
- All this AND it attracts bees into the garden too.
- Here's a link to a very interesting website that can tell you pretty much everything there is to know about comfrey:
- http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/index.php
Quick update on comfrey:
ReplyDeleteI am reliably informed by my mother-in-law, that nettles are equally as satisfactory as comfrey for making a good mineral based feed for your plants. Whilst it's been interesting to learn about the uses and properties of comfrey, I think I'll go with nettles!