This is the perfect permaculture plant – improving the soil dramatically where it grows. Fertilise the bottom of your potato and and runner bean trenches with a layer of comfrey leaves. Comfrey is used worldwide as an animal fodder. Which Comfrey Plant to Choose “Bocking 14”, a variety of comfrey that is less invasive ( it is a sterile cultivar and doesn’t produce seeds), and is specially selected for medicinal potency without the alkaloids which have given comfrey a bad rap in the past. Let’s take a minute to talk about the properties and uses for each. Blocking 14 is sterile and does not produce seeds. We started growing Bocking 14 a few years ago and have been amazed at this remarkable herb and its many benefits. Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) also called the Bocking 14 cultivar. Rust resistant. Bocking 14 is high in allantoin, the cell proliferating agent that helps with healing. For a strictly medicinal use, the true comfrey S. officinal seems to be more in favor. I grow it for use as an activator and nitrogen source in compost bins, foliar fertilizer, and as an ever-ready mulch whenever needed. Comfrey also has great medicinal purposes as well. The flowers can range in color from white to purple and the plant is mainly found in northern Europe. This variety has high levels of allantoin (for healing) and high levels of Potassium which makes it less palatable. There are reports that Bocking 14 will be shunned by various animals (but that could also be based on what else is available to eat). Native Habitat: Not known in a truly wild situation. We propagate our own comfrey from our non-seed producing Bocking 14 plants in our Certified Organic orchards. Description: Bocking 14 is a vigorous and robust sterile hybrid of comfrey. In 1954, Britain’s best known organic gardener, Lawrence D. Hills, established a research association in the town of Bocking, north-east of London. These roots bring nutrients from the subsoil up into the plant, improving the surrounding soil. . The only way to propagate it is through divisions and root crowns. The Bocking 14 cultivar of Russian Comfrey is a variety that can only be propagated from root, not from seed. Symphytum x uplandicum ‘bocking 14’ This is the sterile (meaning that it is not invasive!) See more ideas about comfrey, plants, comfrey plant. Part 1. A member of the Borage family, Comfrey – Symphytum spp. z. Comfrey has long been recognized by both organic gardeners and herbalists for its great usefulness and versatility; of particular interest is the "Bocking 14" cultivar of Russian Comfrey. ... Comfrey plants wilt very fast in hot conditions and will stop photosynthesising at this point. Its rotted leaves can be used as a mulch or forked into the soil to improve its structure. Comfrey ‘Bocking 14’ in the under story of a Walnut – Juglans regia in our Forest Garden. Comfrey has a wide range of uses including being a natural healer through to being a marvelous fertilizer. It is therefore advisable to split it up every few years. root and crown cutting. However, you can dig up a plant after a year, separate it into many individual roots, plant those roots and each will grow a new plant. Comfrey, Symphytum, is a perennial herb that grows leaves two to three feet tall and has bell shaped flowers. Comfrey is an essential plant in any garden. They’re fairly common and shouldn’t be much trouble to find. Introduction to Comfrey . In addition, the Russian (Bocking #4 or #14) varieties of comfrey are larger and the blooms are said to be more brightly colored than the “true” or “common” variety, which is known for smaller plants with more richly colored darker blooms. To propagate it root cuttings, and crowns are taken. The most commonly available variety (in UK) is Bocking 14. Sterile varieties are often preferred as they do not go to seed and thus spread. $15 for one root cutting of Russian Comfrey Bocking #14. How to grow comfrey Garden comfrey has a higher nutrient content than the common wild comfrey, and its leaves can be cut several times in a season. Propagating Comfrey. You will find comfrey a very fun, useful, extremely easy-to-grow, long-lived and hardy plant for your orchard and garden. Bocking 14' is high in potassium (K) phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), which are required for healthy plant growth, larger flowers and bigger fruit crops. Bocking-14 comfrey is the most desirable cultivar for making compost tea to fertilize your garden, with an NPK ratio 1.8 / 0.5 /5.3. I’m propagating Bocking 4 and 14, which are the kinds that do not propagate via seen and have to be propagated via root cuttings. There are several varieties of Comfrey as developed by the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA). Comfrey,Bocking 14 (Symphytum uplandicum). 3′ ‘Bocking 14’ strain. 4 – 9 ht. Russian strain of comfrey. About comfrey Bocking 14. Comfrey is a dynamic accumulator of nutrients, most notably iron, silicon, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium and many trace minerals. Size at Maturity: 4′ x 2′ USDA Zone: Zone 4. It has the highest allantoin content of any variety tested. Symphytum x uplandicum ‘Bocking 14’ Family: Boraginaceae. This is Comfrey #14. The gardener can produce "offsets" from mature, strongly growing plants by driving a spade horizontally through the leaf clumps about 7 cm (2.8 in) below the soil surface. This beautiful vibrant-looking plant makes a … is native to Europe and Asia and there are 40 recorded species of Comfrey throughout that region. Even though this plant contains poisonous chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), some people use the leaf, root, and root-like stem (rhizome) to make medicine. I bought a small box of Bocking 14 Comfrey root cuttings from a fellow permaculturist a few years ago, and have never looked back. Comfrey #4 and #14 plants grow to the same size. We offer a guarantee that you will not be disappointed to receive these healthy young plants, which can be immediately planted out into a prepared location and have an expected life span of at least 20 years. Twenty litres per m2 per week of drought should be more than adequate. 1: Grow True Comfrey for Medicine. Comfrey is a dynamic accumulator meaning that it mines and collects a number of nutrients that other plants can’t get to. As they break down, the plant roots will access the potassium-rich fertiliser. We’ve been growing comfrey since 1999, and only supply genuine Bocking 14. Comfrey is actually a broader genus scientifically known as Symphytum, which is used extensively in herbal medicine. An alternative is to just purchase a comfrey plant from a nursery. Includes a flyer about growing comfrey. 'Bocking 14' is a type of Russian comfrey and is a truly magical plant in the garden. Bocking 14 is a sterile hybrid, however seeds may still be. Comfrey Plants (1 items) This really is a truly remarkable plant – with many tricks up its leaves! Comfrey does this with a very long tap root by mining nutrients from very deep down that are out of reach for other plants. For more information: Russian Comfrey Bocking #14. Interestingly enough, there is a decent amount of debate regarding the safety of using comfrey, as some of the volatile chemical components can be potentially dangerous … Plant the root cuttings any time in the spring when the ground can be worked. The point being it won't take over your pasture/farm/fields over time all on it's own as common comfrey will. Bocking-14 comfrey is the most desirable cultivar for making a tea to fertilize your garden with an NPK ratio 1.8 / 0.5 /5.3. (That will become huge over time.) We do not sell the Bocking #14 strain of Comfrey as “it is shallow rooted and subject to drought,” and “it is disliked by rabbits and chickens — as being too bitter” according to Lawrence D. Hills, the world’s foremost expert on Comfrey. Comfrey excels at self-sowing its seeds, causing it to spread quicker than you may want it to. If you don’t want your patch to spread too quickly, try the aforementioned “Bocking 14” variety. Shipped Monday. First, a little information about comfrey. The Bocking 14 strain has the highest concentration of allatoins and proteins of all the comfreys. Comfrey is a versatile plant helper in your organic perennial garden: Use it for. It's not "invasive". Shipping is $7 no matter how many comfrey roots you order. Trials have shown it has a high level of potash which makes it great as a mulch for tomatoes or a compost addition. Comfrey – The Most Beneficial Plant. It is advisable to wear gloves when handling comfrey. In the 1950s the organic pioneer Lawrence Hills (founder of the organization now known as Garden Organic) developed a strain of Russian comfrey named Blocking 14 which is sterile and will therefore not seed itself all around the garden. Our bocking 14 comfrey plants are organically grown from root cuttings on our own small farm. It is my favorite plant in the garden. Despite being sterile, Bocking 14 Russian Comfrey will steadily increase in size. This is my useful and beautiful patch of comfrey, Symphytum x uplandicum ‘Bocking 14’ . For compost/tea production, the B-14 … Comfrey enriches soil, is a staple of any active compost bin and makes a powerful liquid feed. Chickens, goats, horses and cows love wilted Comfrey leaves, some farm animals are less finicky and will ingest it right from the plant. The beauty of it is that Bocking 14 Russian Comfrey is sterile. DESCRIPTION. It gives and gives, and asks very little in return. 'Bocking 14' will flower and provide nectar and pollen but will not produce viable seed. About Comfrey. Growing Tips: Comfrey is hardy from zones 3 to 9. Plant Comfrey in “fertile holes” to get established and it will thrive and live even through the hottest Summer or coldest Winter. It is also a great source of fertilizer for your property. This removes the crown, which can then be split into pieces. This is the original ancient herb, nicknamed ‘knitbone’, that is grown for medicinal purposes. Jan 23, 2019 - Comfrey is perhaps the number one most useful plant for any gardener using organic and sustainable techniques. Comfrey is known as the wonder plant and it really is one of the most useful plants you can grow in the garden. Blocking 4 has deep roots – up to ten feet long. It's a member of the borage family and boasts a higher nutrient content than common comfrey. You can also save money on animal feed! For fodder, the B-4 seems most popular. 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