[BRIDGEFORD]

HI ALL
HAVE JUST GOT MY FIRST PLOT AND I AM A COMPLETE NOVICE, JUST READ UP FOR FIST TIMERS BUT FIND MYSELF ASKING WHAT A COMFRY PATCH IS AND WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT SERVE
HOPE YOU CAN HELP
STEVE  :?

[Oliver]

A COMFRY PATCH IS AND WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT SERVE

Hello Bridgeford (please don't type in capitals, it is difficult to read and in posting terms it means you are SHOUTING!!!:))

A Comfrey patch (the tall type - which is Russian Comfrey) is grown to provide leaves for making potassium rich fertilizer for tomatoes etc.
The idea is you harvest the leaves, pack them in a container of some sort (we use a 10 litre bottle contraption) and leave them to rot down. The resulting liquid (which smells rather strong!! and is called Comfrey Tea) is dilued and watered on to tomatoes and such like as a feed.

They have made this for the first time this year so don't know much more than that. Perhaps John knows more, as he has a large comfrey patch. :shock:

You can also put comfrey leaves on the compost heap - add some goodness to that pile too.

[BRIDGEFORD]

thanks oliver
of to nuy a peg for my nose keep the smell away!!!!!!

[Oliver]

Hello Bridgeford - She has just received a booklet through the post about all sort of things - green manures and liquid manure amongst them. This is what it says about liquid manure:

 ... Use comfrey leaves to make liquid manure: Steep 1 kg of leaves in 15 litres of water. Let the mixture stew under cover for four weeks, then use undiluted.

The same can be done with nettles using 1kg of leaves for every 10 litres of water. After 2 weeks the resulting fluid is diluted by adding 10 parts of water to 1 part nettle liquid. so there you go!
(English Nature - Wildlife on Allotments booklet)

[John]

Hi - my full article on comfrey can be found Comfrey
Hope it helps

[noshed]

Do not underestimate the pong of comfrey tea, and how it lingers on your person, even when you've left the plot and are communing with the pub philosophers.

[John]

Even after scrubbing your hands an interesting pong doth linger!
If you have to go the pub with the smell on you, I suggest you'll find a welcome in the Pigman's Arms