Comfrey leaves

Discussion in 'Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling' started by firsttimer, Jul 2, 2011.

  1. firsttimer

    firsttimer Gardener

    Joined:
    May 11, 2010
    Messages:
    97
    Ratings:
    +4
    Does anybody out there use comfrey leaves as a liquid fertiliser. And if you do what sort of results does it give you.
    Terry
     
  2. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2010
    Messages:
    16,524
    Location:
    Central England on heavy clay soil
    Ratings:
    +28,997
    I've big beds of both comfrey and nettles and several ex-cold water storage tanks in which I steep the entire plants (stems and leaves) making the liquid feed as strong as possible, then diluting to the colour of tea. I also hang ex-onion sacks of well rotted horse poo in the tanks (sheep poo is also good stuff). The residue left after all the feed has gone is used as a mulch.

    I believe they all work as well as expensive shop bought products, and it's free (my favourite price), but it really does stink. So I don't use it on stuff like salad leaves shortly before eating, and it can get rather smelly if used on poly tunnel borders in hot weather, etc. I was using it earlier this afternoon and my wife has just confirmed she can smell it on me.

    You can also chuck pernicious weeds/roots into a bucket of water to rot and make feed, plus there's another source of free plant food, 'Liquid Gold' - Google ISBN 9781903998489.
     
  3. Stingo

    Stingo Gardener

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2006
    Messages:
    1,382
    Ratings:
    +21
    Yes i do it too but not on such a big scale as Scrungee. I just use the leaves in a bucket filled half full with cold water. I'm just about to plant some russion comfry in a small patch in my garden too. It sure smells! but good free stuff. Think I will start using the stems too.
     
  4. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2010
    Messages:
    16,524
    Location:
    Central England on heavy clay soil
    Ratings:
    +28,997
  5. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2010
    Messages:
    16,524
    Location:
    Central England on heavy clay soil
    Ratings:
    +28,997
    My comfrey water is so strong it's killed the rat-tailed maggots!

    [​IMG]

    But also means I now have to undergo a deep cleansing session after using it.
     
  6. Stingo

    Stingo Gardener

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2006
    Messages:
    1,382
    Ratings:
    +21
    OMG they are gross, hope theres none of them in mine!!
     
  7. joolz68

    joolz68 Total Gardener

    Joined:
    May 16, 2011
    Messages:
    4,428
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    alfreton uk
    Ratings:
    +5,386
    ive just been searching on ebay as i was thinking of getting more comfrey plants,i only have 1 which is over abused for my tomato plants :) ...but i find on there that there are 2 differant kinds ?bocking 14 and symphytum officinale ?? does anybody know if 1 is better than the other please?:) thanks x
     
  8. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    32,627
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Surrey
    Ratings:
    +50,490
    Hi Joolz,

    For composting/liquid fertilizer then Bocking 14 is the best, it is more vigourous and it doesn't produce seed, so it is well behaved and hardly spreads. The other one does produce lots of seed and is quite invasive, once you let it into your garden it is very difficult to get rid of.

    :thumbsup:
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Grumpy

      Grumpy Gardener

      Joined:
      Apr 10, 2011
      Messages:
      149
      Ratings:
      +59
      In the Weekend television guide, published with the Daily Mail on Saturday, Monty Don writes a gardening page, and this week is about using comfrey leaf ' tea '.



      My interest wained when I got to the bit where he said -

      :stirpot:

      :heehee:
       
    Loading...

    Share This Page

    1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
      By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
      Dismiss Notice