propagate comfrey from a cutting

In my hot dry climate comfrey is a challenge.  I have found if I start comfrey from seeds it will survive. I planted seeds this year, but I didn't get a single one. Maybe because I didn't cold stratify, it was old seed, My watering was off, who knows .  I really want more comfrey, so I decided to try to grow it from a cutting. I cut 3 put some root tone on it put it in a pot, and kept it watered in the greenhouse.  One died, one was green with no growth, and one grew new parts. I knew the one that grew had worked. I planted that one, strangely there was a baby next to that plant with it's own root system, and the one that hadn't grown anything new yet did have roots. That's 3 comfrey plants. This is definitely a great way to increase my comfrey. I plan to keep trying to increase my comfrey.

I am doing Bocking 4 and have had incredible luck cutting flower stalks in the growing stage well before bloom but with the bud beginning to show.  Typically get about a dozen per plant.  I have tried the medium strength rooting compound and also just bare.  Strip all the leaves off the stalk except just a few right near the bloom bud and plant so about 6 inches to nearly a foot of stalk to bury..  Have had a 100% starts with the rooting compound and probably 90% to 95% with the bare stem buried in good soil.  If you do it in potting soil in pots will be solidly filling a 8 deep pot 4 inch square pot in 4 to 6 weeks and ready to transplant.  And because it never blooms seem to get a bit more growth of main leaves so no lose of productivity.

Comfrey's so great!  Root divisions also are an easy way to propagate Comfrey.  Sometimes when I pull up a stalk of one, it will come with a bit of root attached - those grow pretty well.  Most times, however, I go to where an established plant is before it starts making growth in the Spring, and I just jab a sharp shovel in around the edges and break off some chunks of root.  Putting those in the ground in other spots I want seems to result in a new plant every time - even rather small pieces.

Happened to see this and figured my input may be helpful. Im in NE Florida, so it absolutely hates our humidity mixed with heat right around this time of year so I try to propagate before it decides to take a break.
Root division is by far one of the best, think cutting up a carrot into rounds before you dice to make a Mirepoix.. not too big of a round is needed... Maybe only 1/4" should be fine.
The second method I like to use utilizes the leaves because why not maximize my potential opportunities right? Better than just making fertilizer out of them or feeding a compost pile! So that method is pretty easy to remember as well. Take a leaf as close to the crown as possible so you get some nice thick petiole, it won't look like much of a petiole but it's there. You'll smell that cucumber smell. Take a bit of some nice compost or worm castings and put it right on the ridge of that leaf vein like hour about to roll a burrito/blunt/cigar. Roll it up just the same, nice and tight and put about 6-10 around the rim of a pot. Fill it with a nice media that can drain pretty quick but maintain moisture (depends on your climate and setup) and you'll get plantlets all throughout that midrib. Could be up to 40 or 50 plants. Good luck! If it doesn't work the first time, you'll learn something and hopefully have better luck the next!

Thanks for the great info. I have failed sooooooo many times. A couple of wonderful folks on Permies sent me a lot of comfrey roots. I planted them all and did my best to care for them, and never got a single comfrey plant. I also tried comfrey crowns. That one grew, but I really had to baby it to keep it alive, and it died I think in year two. That could have been from a gopher, I'm not sure. I finally started some by seed. One has done very well and is 3 years old??? I've started several others from seed, and some how managed to kill them before they were established. I hope propagating comfrey will help. Ideally I would love to have comfrey grow next to all of my fruit trees

Root divisions in early spring before the heat kicks in seem to be the most reliable for difficult climates. Even a tiny chunk of root with a bud will take if the soil stays consistently moist for the first few weeks. The cuttings route is more hit and miss unless you can keep humidity up around them.