[Rosemary]

Didn't quite know where to put this.

I'd be interested to know if folk on TAS grow comfrey or not.

If you do grow it, can you tell me a bit about your experience, good and bad

If you have decided NOT to grow it, can you tell me why.

And if you don't know what it is, tell me that too 

Thanks.

[lill]

Comfrey is a herb and used also in medicines, hav'nt grown any, maybe I will give it a go.

[FiB]

I have bought some seeds and am just waiting for a bit of good weather to plant anything!!!  I have heard that it spreads, but am happy to keep in check and add to my compost bin. 

My grandfather,  as well as being a miner, was a keen first aider (St Johns Ambulance) and herbalist.  He used comfrey a lot and famously 'healed' a man in his villliage's shattered leg with daily hot comfrey poultices after the local hospital had discharged him saying they couldnt do anything else and he wouldnt walk again.  He also used it on a canary's leg!!  IT has some very unusual properties according to an old reference in my 'Welsh Herbal Medicine' - for example the ground root in ale is reported to cure a bad back gained from wrestling, but beware - ' the involuntary flowing of the seed in men by gotten therby'  !!!!   Sorry if your having your breakfast!!

[suziequeue]

Nope -
Tried seeds - no.
Tried root cuttings - no.
Tried transplanting a friend's plant - no.

[tizaala]

The other name is Knitbone , because it has a very high calciun content, very good on compost heaps or ploughed in as a green fertiliser, where I used to work it grew well on the edges of woods , so likes it well shaded.

[Possum]

Yes. Marvelous stuff.
I inherited some in my last allotment and (once squashed into an old dustbin) it gave me a constant supply of really good liquid fertiliser.

I dug up some roots when we moved here and it seems to have transplanted well. It doesn't spread directly but does self seed quite easily (Unless you have Bocking 14) I got round this by always cutting it before the flowers set seed.
Wouldn't be without it.

[Rosie posie]

We have lots, it does spread like mad, but we have the space, and I think it is quite pretty.

I have passed plants on to friends. I have another friend who comes and picks them, in flower, for her posies for events (weddings etc)
Makes a lovely, (and stinky  ) liquid feed.
Best of all, it is generally teeming with bees, they love it! 


Suzie, you are welcome to try again with a plant if you want.

[chickenfeed]

around here we used to have loads of large pig breeders and most if not all would have a patch of land to grow comfrey usually well away from gardens or crops as it spreads like made they used it for the pigs its has good health properties. the pig breeders have long gone 30 years or more the the comfrey is still found on verges and waste land around the farms.

we have nursed pigs back to health when they have gone down with good results and wilted comfrey has been feed to sows with litters. goats love it too.

note to self must check today how its growing.

[suziequeue]

Suzie, you are welcome to try again with a plant if you want.

Thanks Rosie Posie - I'd love to. Can I come by Friday afternoon on my way back from work?

[RUSTYME]

Yes , i have a bed of about 50 at present . This will increase to about 300 as and when i can dig more ground .
I use some to make liquid feed , the rest the horses eat .
I only grow bocking 14 , so no probs with spreading .
Have had many broken bones over the years and can verify that it does aid healing , cuts too .
The benefits far outweigh any downside .

[colliewoman]

Yes!
I feed it to the animals and make comfrey oil too, perfect for a foot massage at the end of a hard day

[Rosie posie]

Suzie, you are welcome to try again with a plant if you want.

Thanks Rosie Posie - I'd love to. Can I come by Friday afternoon on my way back from work?

can we make it next friday? I am being descended on by a houseful tomorrow and not sure what the itinery is yet  

ETA housefull of guests that is, not comfrey

[suziequeue]

Yes - I'll send Paul round at some point. 

Thanks

[jaykay]

Can't stop it growing round here.
I think it's pretty, the bees like it, haven't tried it for broken bones or compost yet. The goats eat it (of course!)

[Bionic]

I've heard of it but apart from that haven't got a clue about it or what it looks like.  Has anyone got a pic please?

Sally