tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post9206393744371612202..comments2024-03-26T10:01:18.135-04:00Comments on Living the Frugal Life: Warfare in the Garden - Moving ComfreyKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-53281627102172229742012-10-23T16:27:38.977-04:002012-10-23T16:27:38.977-04:00I'm very interested in your experiment of gett...I'm very interested in your experiment of getting rid of the comfrey. I made the mistake (2-3x) of trying to dig comfrey out, once to replant elsewhere. Now I have too much and in multiple places. I did kill some by putting a compost bin on top of it from summer through spring. Now I have to figure out the others. <br /><br />I haven't heard that some comfrey seeds are sterile before. Do you know how to tell which ones? <br />dcgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-14585318554043490772011-09-17T06:41:19.295-04:002011-09-17T06:41:19.295-04:00CSH, I've never heard of comfrey harming any p...CSH, I've never heard of comfrey harming any plant around it. It is commonly known to help other plants and fruit trees in particular. My guess is that there's something else wrong with that maple tree.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-17893157669420757412011-09-16T18:42:28.148-04:002011-09-16T18:42:28.148-04:00I have a Comfrey plant about three feet from a Map...I have a Comfrey plant about three feet from a Maple tree. The tree's leaves were late to come out and are very pale. My husband thinks the Comfrey is toxic to the tree. There is a second Maple about 6 feet from the first Maple and it has healthy green leaves. Do you think the Comfrey is the problem?<br />SueCSHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09404133802872924138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-60955866828708125072011-06-18T15:20:27.257-04:002011-06-18T15:20:27.257-04:00If we want an orchard with geese living in it, how...If we want an orchard with geese living in it, how will that affect the growth of comfrey planted near the fruit trees?Fransenehttp://www.LiveReadyNow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-21295360917406954962011-05-26T13:48:55.127-04:002011-05-26T13:48:55.127-04:00Wonderful information. I just planted my first com...Wonderful information. I just planted my first comfrey this year, in the mini-orchard, in the hopes that some year I'll be able to fence that whole area off in the Fall as chicken quarters; in the mean time the comfrey can fertilize and be friendly to the fruit trees. :)Summersweet Farmhttp://twocatpots.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-63036632057095764002011-05-08T07:37:20.438-04:002011-05-08T07:37:20.438-04:00Anon, the smothering technique is certainly one I ...Anon, the smothering technique is certainly one I would consider if my present methods don't work. I have a feeling that this early in the campaign the comfrey would simply push up a barrier unless it was very heavily weighted, and try its best to work around anything that was heavily weighted.<br /><br />Ilene, you'd be welcome to as much of it as you liked. You might want to check and make sure that the seed you're trying to start isn't from one of the sterile varieties of comfrey. That would be an exercise in futility. And if it's *not* a sterile-seeded variety, and you *do* ever get it started, watch out! I wouldn't want a comfrey plant around that was capable of propagating itself far and wide.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-9502568316161058222011-05-06T06:59:47.637-04:002011-05-06T06:59:47.637-04:00I sure wish I lived close enough to you where I co...I sure wish I lived close enough to you where I could get a start of that comfrey from you! I've been trying to start it from seed for three years now without success. So far haven't been able to find anyone local (NE OK) to me that grows it. <br /><br />Love your informative posts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-81841514321971413952011-05-04T13:59:57.169-04:002011-05-04T13:59:57.169-04:00I have read that to remove comfrey or other plants...I have read that to remove comfrey or other plants such as mint try the smothering idea. Weed barrier plastics or cardboard etc, covered with mulch of choice. I killed an entire patch of english ivy that had over grown a 20 x 20 area.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-8366668289523284062011-04-30T15:25:07.352-04:002011-04-30T15:25:07.352-04:00Kate, I have ramps and watercress for you but I...Kate, I have ramps and watercress for you but I've misplaced your number. Sandy (610-216-4233)S.Eckerthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03630951405869168215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-49819296102980203852011-04-30T14:30:21.701-04:002011-04-30T14:30:21.701-04:00my mistake was planting mint anywhere except in a ...my mistake was planting mint anywhere except in a container!Dmariehttp://bettermebetterworld.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-19746946904612054512011-04-29T09:45:21.747-04:002011-04-29T09:45:21.747-04:00I have no doubt that you will be able to re-establ...I have no doubt that you will be able to re-establish the Comfrey where you want it to grow now, but getting rid of the old plant completely could take awhile. <br /><br />At the Plant-a-Row-for-the-Hungry garden where I volunteer, we have a patch that we have been trying to remove (from the middle of the garden!) for four years now. <br /><br />We dig it up, but there must be an incredible root WAY down deep that we are missing, because it just keeps coming back up.Amy W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14108368551894382300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-75315805369455836572011-04-29T09:02:25.658-04:002011-04-29T09:02:25.658-04:00Tamar, huh... My hens like comfrey in moderation, ...Tamar, huh... My hens like comfrey in moderation, but I would never expect them to eat every last bit of it. They definitely seem to prefer variety in the greens department. Sow bugs, on the other hand, they will gobble until the sun goes down.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-41759711460147005872011-04-28T13:39:37.467-04:002011-04-28T13:39:37.467-04:00Kate, if you need reinforcements, my brigade of ch...Kate, if you need reinforcements, my brigade of chickens will cover your eastern flank. They are guaranteed to eat it down to the stumps.Tamar@StarvingofftheLandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15807390963622315155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-47799324319042309162011-04-28T09:08:01.209-04:002011-04-28T09:08:01.209-04:00Paula, I'm hoping to propagate more nettles th...Paula, I'm hoping to propagate more nettles this year too. Some comfrey produces only sterile seeds. So I hope that's not what you're trying with. Root divisions seem to be the way to go with the Bocking varieties. As for TP, as Hazel says, it gets fairly prickly as the leaves get larger. Might work this time of year when the leaves are small, but it wouldn't answer most of the time as TP replacement.<br /><br />Andrea, too funny. I have patience for the project. I hope that will answer in place of luck.<br /><br />SFT, I've heard that other people mistake these plants too. To me they look quite distinct. Perhaps it's the pruned woody stalks still sticking up among the foxglove from last year's blooms. <br /><br />Hazel if you try comfrey as a hedge, just be sure you're giving it the space to expand that it's going to take up. Strawberries wouldn't stand a chance if planted to close to comfrey. Please let me know how it goes for you if you try it.<br /><br />DtS, you're welcome. If you haven't already done so, click the link in this post regarding comfrey's other uses. It really is an amazing plant; certainly one of the most important on my homestead.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-36970736173035528832011-04-27T16:58:43.112-04:002011-04-27T16:58:43.112-04:00What an amazingly informative post! We have some ...What an amazingly informative post! We have some comfrey in our yard, but haven't really put it to good use yet. I will definitely take advantage of your wealth of information when deciding what to do when it's time deal with our own comfrey. Thank you! :)Terri & Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16021653063998748923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-84262231297335727232011-04-27T16:17:13.248-04:002011-04-27T16:17:13.248-04:00Ooo, Paula! Comfrey TP sounds a bit...prickly!
I ...Ooo, Paula! Comfrey TP sounds a bit...prickly!<br /><br />I use borage like comfrey, mostly as mulch or in the compost heap.<br /><br />I like the idea of comfrey as a hedge. I wonder if I could plant it alongside my strawberries? It might cut down on a bit of weeding, as long as I make sure they're not shaded...Hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05388175819512214533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-57174633458206302282011-04-27T15:36:56.845-04:002011-04-27T15:36:56.845-04:00We mix our comfrey up with foxgloves in our garden...We mix our comfrey up with foxgloves in our garden. Until they flower of course. :)<br /><br />Sft xAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17545087114808861192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-11289441722483291732011-04-27T13:28:04.095-04:002011-04-27T13:28:04.095-04:00I can't help but be reminded of the response o...I can't help but be reminded of the response of a landscaper to a potential client who told her, "I have bamboo and mint in my yard, and I don't want them any more." Her advice was "Move."<br /><br />May you have better luck!Andrea G.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-17955713344816477962011-04-27T13:18:25.623-04:002011-04-27T13:18:25.623-04:00Good Luck.
I'm trying to get comfrey seeds t...Good Luck. <br /><br />I'm trying to get comfrey seeds to take in a couple of places in the backyard, but so far, no luck. I want it for the compost pile, and I've read that comfrey leaves make good toilet paper in a pinch....<br /><br />I'm also trying to get nettle seeds to take and borage too. Who in their right mind would plant all these weeds?<br /><br />Someone who doesn't consider them weeds, that's who. <br /><br />I will be watching this space to see how you do!Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16171802310115844104noreply@blogger.com