Comfrey plants

Last autumn I bought a Russian comfrey plant hoping that it would help improve the quality of my homemade compost. My plan was to harvest the leaves regularly and simply add them into the black compost bin. Over the winter the plant died away as you'd expect and I was pleased to see it re-emerge in the spring.

However, no sooner do new green leaves arrive than they start looking tatty and possibly chewed. They turn brown soon after. Is it possible that comfrey has a pest that likes to eat it?! Or could there be something wrong with my soil? I tried putting some eco-slug pellets round the base of the plant but to no avail.

I have pictures if anyone wants to see a very sad looking comfrey plant! I thought these things were supposed to be indestructible! Please help!

 

Just let it grow and don't worry. This year it will develop flowers and seeds which will fall and increase your stock for next year. We have a 1m x 1m bed of comfrey and there are always a few holes in leaves.

Just started harvesting ours today and will continue to do so all summer.

 

That's very reassuring Dave thanks! I was beginning to get worried that I couldn't even successfully grow something that many people consider a 'weed'!:hehe:

 

I think you can make fly sprays from comfry, I also believe if you mash it in water and leave it for a few days it makes a good garden detergent for various pests/disease. Does anyone know?

 

I think the leaves are steeped in water for quite a long time, it is very smelly, then the liquid is diluted and watered over your plants, so a very good cheap feed for your garden.