comfrey

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by colours, May 19, 2008.

  1. colours

    colours Junior Member

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    This is probably a question for comfrey..

    I know its every permie's dream plant and now I own some (thanks Paul). What is the deal with comfrey, why is it so good? I've heard it makes great compost, but not too sure why we would grow a plant purely for compost. And its true the chooks love it. In fact they nearly commit homicide when there isn't enough to share. Is it good for us? I've heard some conflicting stories. I'm sure its been discussed here before but I couldn't find any trace.
     
  2. MikeB

    MikeB Junior Member

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  3. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Yes a very good article.
    there is not enough time or space on the net to tell you all about Comfrey.

    There are a number of varieties of comfrey Symphytum officinalis (which may set seed may have white flowers not sure)
    Syphytum uplandicum Russian comfrey (don't bank on my dyslectic botanical spelling)
    There are also some pretty, profuse flowering, ground- cover and variegated varieties too.
    There are a number of strains of Russian Comfrey developed by Lawrence Hills from the Henry Doubleday Reseasech Association in England. (despite its grand title, just people collecting info. on organic gardening)
    Unfortunately only a few of the named ("Bocking") Russian Comfrey types/strains have been kept pure here.

    Mostly it is the Russian Comfrey that is used. It does not set seed and must be propagated by root cuttings.
    Once you have it planted. It will always be there so carefully choose your spot for planting.
    I like to keep some in pots as it is easier to harvest roots for medical emergencies.

    Caterpillars adore it, so it can be used to trap them.

    Comfrey was recommended in the early days of Australian (NSW) settlement as a stock food.
    It was a resounding failure; as comfrey is a bog plant and likes lots of water.
    If you have a boggy, useless field and horses cows or any other animal or bird -go for it.
    I know NZ racehorses are fed it (along with ginseng and many other herbs).

    if the animal is, at first, reluctant to eat it; rub leaves between two tea towels to remove prickles, and let it wilt for 1-3 days.
    Once they have a taste for it they won't leave it alone.

    The HDRA (Australia) under the wonderful, inspiring June Fear (secretary) did a lot to promote the use of Comfrey in the 70's.
    One of the first Organic Garden Groups in Australia and thought totally "loony" by most 'sane' people. June was responsible for much of the outcry against Chlorinated Hydrocarbon pesticides like DDT etc etc. She just knew they were wrong. In those days no new house went up without a goodly dose. Some were spayed liberally every year. Given the stuff has a half life of c. 18 years it was good business for the pest control companies of the world.

    One interesting use that Hills talks about, and of interest to "Permies", is making liquid fertiliser.
    He recommends half filling a dust bin with Russian comfrey leaves, then filling with water. Place a lid on the bin, stir occasionally.
    It apparently attract blowflies due to its high protein content. leave it for roughly three weeks depending on the weather.
    He says/said you get a fertiliser the same chemical composition as liquid tomato fertiliser.

    BTW
    I have lost most of my old 1970's Australian HDRA newsletters. I thought it would be wonderful to collect them all and put them on the web. June would approve of that. Anyone got old copies going musty in the attic?
     
    Ian likes this.
  4. colours

    colours Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    what a great link, leaves me with no more questions. I've saved the link too so I can read about other herbs. I'll definitely find use for the stuff now. Thanks again everyone.
     
  5. dylanz

    dylanz Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Hey Colours !

    Comfrey a great activator for composts.
    Also, it is as amazing dynamic accumulator... ie: it pull up tons of good stuff from its root systems and readies it for further absorption through leaf decomposition.

    Also... it's also called "bone knit". Heals bones.

    My wife once had a cavity completely disappear and a white pearl grown on top of the problem area by chewing (letting it soak) comfrey. Make sure to spit out the juice, as it's not necessarily good for the ol' liver.

    Word !
    ==
    Dylan
     
  6. Comfrey

    Comfrey Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Sorry Colours I wasn't really on the ball here. I haven't got much to add to all of the above except I was just reading that comfrey was good to add when you are planting potatoes. Also that I am a fan of the dwarf comfreys for shady spots if nothing else wants to grow.
     
  7. urbanus

    urbanus Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    There is a good summary article on uses of comfrey and how to grow it at https://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-H ... stead.aspx.

    Judging from the articles on eradicating comfrey as a weed, growers would be well advised to choose the location of the comfrey patch wisely as it may be impossible to get rid of it once established without the use of herbicides.
     
  8. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    herbicides won't upset it.
     
  9. ppp

    ppp Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    roundup won't kill comfrey!!? surely not.. should I beleive it is "impossible to get rid of it " - (ie should I not plant it?)

    (not that I'm going to plant it then use roundup, but I don't want to plant a noxious weed!)
     
  10. bazman

    bazman Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Comfrey is an amazing plant and if you can grow it and keep the water up to it grow it for sure.

    I have a good friend who uses my comfrey to make a pain removing rub for race horses, but it works better on people, we have a few close friend's including myself you use it each day, it's magic stuff, within seconds pain is gone, bone, muscle and some arthritis pain is kept at bay, my mum uses it on her buggered knees and shoulder, I have some pretty nasty back issues to deal with and I get a 90% reduction in pain with just a quick rub, I feel it is also part of my healing process too.

    If your in Brisbane and can get up my way (30km nth of the CBD) I can give you a sample to try if your chasing a more natural pain remover.
     
  11. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    When i was growing and mail ordering herbs for a living i had a lady ring me and ask me to send a dozen comfrey plants.
    This i did.
    A week later she asked for another dozen.
    A few weeks later she rang and asked for another dozen
    It was the middle of winter and my herb farm was very small and my stock was depleted
    I asked her what she wanted the comfrey root for.

    She told me her mother had had a leg ulcer for ten years.
    The doctors decided that it was time for her leg to come off ( amputation!)
    The daughter was a nurse and was not happy about this
    I sent her all the comfrey I had and suggested she contact a friend , Josephine at Dural who had comfrey growing wild in her organic garden.

    (BTW Josephine had been "sprung" by Dept of Agi who said she was using too much "yellow dye" in her eggs"-- of course she was organic and just used comfrey to feed her chooks- but they did not believe her)

    This story started about late winter one year. In Feb. the following year the woman(daughter) came to see me.
    She told me she had been told by a herbalist to use comfrey root poultices to cure her mother's leg ulcers. This she did, and in the six months TOTALLY cured her mothers leg ulcers.
    A problem she had had for ten years or more.

    For more details see The Healing Garden" by Michael Bailes. ( out of print but in libraries.)
     
  12. JoanVL

    JoanVL Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Having been inspired by this thread, I just went out and bought two comfrey plants. I planted them in a dampish spot, and then it immediately rained - first rain here for over a month. Seems like a good omen, though I've always been a bit weird that way: I'll suddenly decide to do some planting, often on a sunny day, and the next day it rains. :D
     
  13. colours

    colours Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    wished I'd read that a year ago. An aunt of mine recently passed away when a bed sore that she developed near her spine ended up about 20cm, exposing her spine. Infection finally got to her.

    Have been reading more and more about comfrey, its amazing. I have one plant which I will start to divide in spring. Hope it spreads easily as I want to use it as a grass-barrier. Apparently a row of comfrey and a row of lemongrass can stop kikuyu. Would be great around the drip-line of fruit trees me thinks. Could fill with mulch between.

    I'm so excited about permaculture, the more I learn the more there is to learn.
     
  14. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Many local nurses used to secretly use comfrey ointemet on bed sore until the silly "poison" scare
    Especially the ointment made by HDRA which was excellent
    "Natures spirit" makes one which is OK but full of Tea Tree oil.
    Comfrey is one of the few granulating herbs (like chamomile) that stimulates healthy cell growth.
    If you have an ointment place it on the good skin around the bed-sore (or ulcer) daily, gradually the sore will heal.
    A poultice while messy etc also works well. I always like to add a drop or two of lavender Oil to kill any bugs left possibly on the root.

    One of the great shocks of my early , very junior, nursing career was when I asked a senior nurse what would become of a Huntington's Chorea patient I felt for. He had been the headmaster of a school and used to get dressed, shaved, 'spit and polish' (which was hard for him) and sit waiting at the hospital window every Saturday for his wife and two sons to visit.
    (One of the son's would most probably get the disease later in life-it is hereditary)
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntington's_disease
    "O, he will die of bedsores." was the offhand reply of the senior nurse.
     
  15. tupppi

    tupppi New Member

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    Re: comfrey

    I have had trouble growing comfrey. I bought one plant and got another from a neighbour, which I divided. All three are struggling to put up new leaves, and are looking yellowish and very small. I have added a mineral mix and some poultry manure, mushroom compost and new soil, but they are still not doing well. My dog is seriously ill from chronic diarrhoea and he was eating the neighbour's comfrey plant, which is now almostly completely destroyed; she's having trouble growing it, too. He obviously knows he needs the comfrey for its healing properties, but I just can't get it to grow. Does anyone have any clues? I'm getting desperate.
     
  16. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    What part of the world are you in? Try your local organic or permaculture or herb society group.
     
  17. Fernando Pessoa

    Fernando Pessoa Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Please look at the soil and health library in tasmania and ask Mr Solomon for a copy of 100 tons per acre.Please support him this guy has an amazing online resource it's free if you cannot afford. :D
     
  18. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Tuppi I'm new to comfrey having planted my first in autumn this year. I tried growing it from seed but nothing germinated. One of the kind folk here sold me some roots which I divided and put into potting mix. From a small post pack I have ended up with 20 plants. Half of these went into the garden (the larger ones) at the beginning of winter and I have done nothing short of neglect them since. They are in dappled shade, get no water or love and yet they are doing really well. (Much better than some of the stuff that I mollycoddle!) The rest are still in pots waiting for a few more hours in my day to also be planted out.

    You might be able to get the neighbour to lift their plant and divide it to start again. Alternatively find a local permie who will let you have some of theirs. I'm told that it has serious weed potential though, so be careful that you actually want it where you put it.
     
  19. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    Hello eco,
    with regard to the "weed" situation with comfrey and mints for that matter, I have had success in removing them by making a tea of the plant (comfrey in this case) and pouring it back on to the offending plant without dilution. It works well for me.
    intent-observation-intuition
     
  20. gbell

    gbell Junior Member

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    Re: comfrey

    purplepear - is that tea hot, or is it killing the 'weeds' through the magic/theory that weeds will not grow in their own waste, since the nutrient deficiency they're there to correct 'feels' like its been solved?
     

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