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Review of comfrey cuttings from Marsh Creek Farmstead

Artie Scott

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posted 3 years ago

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Thought it might be useful to do a review of some Bocking 14 Russian comfrey cuttings I recently purchased from Marsh Creek Farmstead.

I have not been asked to do a review, have no relationship with Marsh Creek, and won’t receive anything for doing it - except ya’lls undying love for posting it.

So, first off, the cuttings were generous! I ordered 12, and there were 30 in the bag! They arrived in a small plastic bag in damp woodchips. Pocket knife shown for scale.

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Artie Scott

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posted 3 years ago

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My first problem was not having enough potting containers - bought 18, thinking I would have a few extra, and ended up with 30 cuttings.

So, I doubled some up to get them all started. Can separate later, or just have a bigger plant when time to set out in the ground this Spring.

Stay tuned - will be interesting to see how many come up!

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Artie Scott

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posted 3 years ago

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Nine days in, nothing yet.

My mobile “nursery” lets me wheel them into the barn at night to avoid the frost, and into the sun during the day.

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Gerry Parent

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posted 3 years ago

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I'm right behind you Artie....about 5 days in for me. Divided my one and only plant up into about 5 paper bag pots and eagerly await their heads to pop up too.
Keeping mine inside 24/7 for now.

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Nancy Reading

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posted 3 years ago

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I don't know what variety my comfrey is. I suspect Bocking 14 since it seems to be sterile. I'm just in the process of digging up established clumps and splitting them. I'm trying to use it as a weed barrier around some of my planted areas. Early days yet. We're getting some spring like weather now and the comfrey is starting to shoot. I find 90% of root cuttings take well just stuck in my ground, even in turf at this time of year. Good luck with yours. My suggestion is to give them plenty of moisture.

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Gary Numan

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Location: Central Virginia, Zone 7.

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posted 3 years ago

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I have seven comfrey patches, 200 or so feet apart from each other. One patch (of seven 1-year old plants) have popped up, all about an inch. The other six patches (varying from 5 months in age to 3+years), nothing yet. Just the one patch so far.

Determining the difference between Bockings 4 and 14 is done by consensus. It's like trying to identify the difference between twins.
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Artie Scott

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posted 3 years ago

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About 20 days in now, I have two green leaves peeking out now! Hopefully more to follow shortly!

Gerry, any luck with yours yet?

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Gerry Parent

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posted 3 years ago

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The paper bag pots turned out to be a mold-fest so I replanted them again in proper containers.
Like yours, some are starting to pop up and looks to be about the same size.
In particular, it was those that already had some initial growth.
The root cuttings with no growth are still sleeping.

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Artie Scott

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OK, about at the 30 day mark now, and lots of action finally! 12 sprouts total now visible, so I can say I got my money’s worth in viable roots, since I paid for 12 and received 30. Maybe 30-40% sprout rate explains why they send the extra?

Will be interesting to see how many more peek their heads up, but at this point they will be be bonus. Odd how two sprouted very quickly, and then a long pause before any more even started to break the surface of the soil.

It’s on me now to keep them alive until I get them in the ground. Another week or two till frost danger is past

Amy suggestions on how big I should let them get before transplanting to their final home? Hate to disturb them when they are just getting started.

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Bill Ramsey

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Location: SW Georgia, zone 8b

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posted 3 years ago

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Those root cuttings look much more substantial than the little dry chips i got from other sources. I'm in zone 8b and those little chips surprised me how willing they were to create plants out of nothing. It has been several years since I bought them and I divided them extensively last year. They are already blooming this year. I agree with the comments about putting them in the ground where they can get plenty of moisture. Mine do much better in some places than they do in others but having plenty of water and not too much sunshine seems to be their main requirements.

Artie Scott

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posted 3 years ago

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Six weeks in, and I think we can declare the comfrey roots from Marsh Creek a winner. 23 of the 30 roots have now sprouted, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I see a few more when it warms this week.

Looks like one more night in the 30s this week, so will probably plant these out around the fruit trees next weekend.

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Nancy Reading

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Once you've got them established, you can make more plants by dividing.
It looks like yours will be happier once they're in the ground; they're starting to look a bit yellow. Maybe give them a bit of compost where you plant them out.

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