Comfrey

I’m excited about planting comfrey cuttings, or comfrey for that matter, for the first time ever!!!
Fingers crossed

Do you have a plan?   Comfrey is a perennial root not something to be planted casually or with the intention of  moving it later. Every little rootlet left in the ground will regrow. It does not belong in the cover crop forum for that reason. It is highly valuable as a chop and drop companion plant if that is your intention. It can act as a ground cover and root barrier if that is your intention.  

Hans Quistorff wrote:Do you have a plan?   Comfrey is a perennial root not something to be planted casually or with the intention of  moving it later. Every little rootlet left in the ground will regrow. It does not belong in the cover crop forum for that reason. It is highly valuable as a chop and drop companion plant if that is your intention. It can act as a ground cover and root barrier if that is your intention.  

Yes, I realize that. I wasn’t sure what forum to post in.
I have several areas where I need to replenish the soil and the comfrey will have a permanent home lose to these areas to chop and drop to mulch.
Do understory and overstory plants work well with comfrey being a companion? I know they don’t mind a little shade.

Hans Quistorff wrote:Do you have a plan?   Comfrey is a perennial root not something to be planted casually or with the intention of  moving it later. Every little rootlet left in the ground will regrow. It does not belong in the cover crop forum for that reason. It is highly valuable as a chop and drop companion plant if that is your intention. It can act as a ground cover and root barrier if that is your intention.  

Thanks for the vid and reply!

Megan Abdsllah wrote:

Hans Quistorff wrote:Do you have a plan?   Comfrey is a perennial root not something to be planted casually or with the intention of  moving it later. Every little rootlet left in the ground will regrow. It does not belong in the cover crop forum for that reason. It is highly valuable as a chop and drop companion plant if that is your intention. It can act as a ground cover and root barrier if that is your intention.  

Thanks for the vid and reply!

Congratulations on your comfrey planting!


I recommend planting lots and lots of it. I've begun planting at least two per tree or shrub. I hate moving mulch and I love chop and drop.


Yes, it should work great for both. Again, I plant it all over. I even plant it in my annual garden so I have a supply of mulch right there


Hans is, of course, right to recommend some caution on where you plant it

James Landreth wrote:
Congratulations on your comfrey planting!
I recommend planting lots and lots of it. I've begun planting at least two per tree or shrub. I hate moving mulch and I love chop and drop.
Yes, it should work great for both. Again, I plant it all over. I even plant it in my annual garden so I have a supply of mulch right there
Hans is, of course, right to recommend some caution on where you plant it

James, how close to the trees/bushes do you plant comfrey?  I was concerned by my planting to close and having a lot of the nitrogen being grabbed up by the comfrey.

I like to make a compost ring next to each fruit tree.
The contents are mostly brush and weeds, plus lots of urine during the off seasons.
I've started to plant comfrey around the compost rings to catch excess nutrients and keeps other roots away.
They work well along the base of raised beds as well.
I have only planted comfrey right next to my yellowhorn tree.
To protect the yellowhorn from other plants, I have mulched  around it with flat stones.
When I "chop" the comfrey,  I stuff the leaves under the stones.
The tree is growing slowly, but that might be due to other factors.

I love my comfrey,  but I am excited to try burdock  and horseradish in a similar way.