Harvesting Comfry
 

I want to make some liquid feed from Comfry. Do I carefully cut stem/leaf,
from top or bottom, or give it a chop with shears down to 6 inches?
TIA :)
--
Pete C
London UK

Harvesting Comfry
 

On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:17:52 +0100, Pete C wrote:

I want to make some liquid feed from Comfry. Do I carefully cut
stem/leaf, from top or bottom, or give it a chop with shears down to 6
inches? TIA :)

Is this common or garden seeds-everywhere comfrey or the sterile
bocking-14 variety? Both will take severe treatment and bounce right back
but bocking14 should not be cut in the first year after growing from root
cuttings.

Harvesting Comfry
 

Derek Turner wrote:
On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:17:52 +0100, Pete C wrote:

I want to make some liquid feed from Comfry. Do I carefully cut
stem/leaf, from top or bottom, or give it a chop with shears down to
6 inches? TIA :)

Is this common or garden seeds-everywhere comfrey or the sterile
bocking-14 variety? Both will take severe treatment and bounce right
back but bocking14 should not be cut in the first year after growing
from root cuttings.
It's bocking 14. Grew from a root cutting planted April-ish. It's about 3ft
high now. Why shouldn't I cut it please?
--
Pete C
London UK

Harvesting Comfry
 

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Pete C" contains these words:

I want to make some liquid feed from Comfry. Do I carefully cut
stem/leaf, from top or bottom, or give it a chop with shears down to
6 inches?
TIA :)

Raze it right down to the ground; it will soon spring up again . I
use an old serrated breadknife.. Ram the whole lot into your
container; it's all going to break down into
a slimey sludge quite soon. Top up with water and ** apply a tight
fitting cover** to reduce the stink and bluebottles .

Janet
Can you give me any idea how much comfry (weight?) for a 5 gallon container?
Then diluted I gather?
Ta :)
--
Pete C
London UK

Harvesting Comfry
 

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Pete C" contains these words:



Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Pete C" contains these words:

I want to make some liquid feed from Comfry. Do I carefully cut
stem/leaf, from top or bottom, or give it a chop with shears down
to 6 inches?
TIA :)

Raze it right down to the ground; it will soon spring up again . I
use an old serrated breadknife.. Ram the whole lot into your
container; it's all going to break down into
a slimey sludge quite soon. Top up with water and ** apply a tight
fitting cover** to reduce the stink and bluebottles .

Janet
Can you give me any idea how much comfry (weight?) for a 5 gallon
container?
Then diluted I gather?
Ta :)

I never weigh or measure it; but 3 or 4 four-foot stems and
their leaves would be plenty.
If you have less it won;t matter.
Dilute , one part of comfrey tea to 10 parts of water.and don't
spill it on your clothes :-)

Janet
Many thanks :)
--
Pete C
London UK

Harvesting Comfry
 

On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:10:59 +0100, Pete C wrote:


It's bocking 14. Grew from a root cutting planted April-ish. It's about
3ft high now. Why shouldn't I cut it please?

Mine came (from garden organic) with the instructions not to harvest in
the first year. It didn't say why not but I'm guessing that like rhubarb,
asparagus and sea-kale it needs an undisturbed first year to build up
strength in the roots.

Harvesting Comfry
 

Derek Turner wrote:
On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:10:59 +0100, Pete C wrote:


It's bocking 14. Grew from a root cutting planted April-ish. It's
about 3ft high now. Why shouldn't I cut it please?

Mine came (from garden organic) with the instructions not to harvest
in the first year. It didn't say why not but I'm guessing that like
rhubarb, asparagus and sea-kale it needs an undisturbed first year to
build up strength in the roots.
Thanks Derek :)
--
Pete C
London UK

Harvesting Comfry
 

Derek Turner wrote:

Mine came (from garden organic) with the instructions not to harvest in
the first year. It didn't say why not but I'm guessing that like
rhubarb, asparagus and sea-kale it needs an undisturbed first year to
build up strength in the roots.

You're not going to hurt comfry, that stuff grows down to a meter in one
year.
--
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