Comfrey
Introduction
Not for eating, comfrey is well known amongst gardeners for its ability to make a natural fertiliser by soaking the leaves in water for several weeks, sometimes called ‘comfrey tea’.
Planting
- Grow from seed in spring
- Buy pots in the summer
- Propagate plans by division in late summer
Harvesting
- Take leaves for making fertiliser throughout summer
- Comfrey is a perennial plant, but dies back in winter
(inside)
(outside)
(fresh)
(stored)
= jar, 
= freeze, 
= store
Varieties
Comfrey is not grown for its flowers, but there are white and purple flowering varieties.
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Growing
Comfrey is a hardy perennial that grows invasively and will spread around a plot if unchecked. This vigour is likely what makes comfrey such a good fertiliser.
Comfrey is easily grown from seed in spring, but there is often no need to do so on an allotment if it is growing wild somewhere around the site. Comfrey plants can be dug up and divided.
Growing in a large container is one method to keep the plant under control. The plant develops very deep roots and spreads, so growing in a big tub avoids unwanted growth. Keep the soil moist, although the plant can recover from a period of drought.
What is less well know is the plant’s ability to produce beautiful white or purple flowers in late spring and early summer. However, comfrey is not really a decorate plant, and given its normal use, is best grown on an allotment rather than in a pot on the patio.