[Chrysalis]

Hi all. 
I bought some comfrey roots last year and planted them in a safe spot.  No sign at all yet...should I be worried? 
 It's been so cold and the ground has frozen, but this week's been grand during the daylight hours and the soil is warming up fast.

I really wanted to be able to line my spud trench, but that's not going to happen!!

Any ideas as to whether they'll make an appearance or should I buy some more? Thanks. C

[allot2learn]

I moved my comfrey about eight weeks ago but it hasn't broken the surface yet. Plenty of time for it.
I don't think mine has every had enough growth in time to go in with the spuds.

[moose]

I've grown comfrey for five years, but I've never had leaves early enough to go in with the potatoes and this year it is still not showing any growth.

[Lardman]

Mine is just breaking the surface. I've also never had any leaves in time to go into the potato trench.

[Yana]

Grannie Annie kindly provided me with some Comfrey roots that I planted up a few months ago. Two are showing a few small leaves but the rest are yet to make an appearance. Not hopeful as when I put the roots in and covered them in lovely new compost, the foxes then had a field day with it chucking it everywhere and also cr***ing all over the compost. I would like to be able to make comfrey tea later on in the year.

[cadalot]

I bought 10 root cutting off ebay and popped the little guys into loo rolls in a propagator on the 22nd of February and noticed the first show of leafs on Saturday 16th March and the 3 others on the 18th March  so it looks like they have taken about 23 days + ish to show if in a propagator.

I took them to the allotment and planted them at their new home over the Easter - I read that you should not harvest the leafs in the first year!.

[sowitgrowit]

I bought 10 root cutting off ebay and popped the little guys into loo rolls in a propagator on the 22nd of February and noticed the first show of leafs on Saturday 16th March and the 3 others on the 18th March  so it looks like they have taken about 23 days + ish to show if in a propagator.

I took them to the allotment and planted them at their new home over the Easter - I read that you should not harvest the leafs in the first year!.

I think you will be ok! I harvested plenty from three plants last year - they get very big very quickly!

[Chrysalis]

Just beginning to show this weekend.    Had to use chicken manure pellets and growmore for the spuds..
Hope they'll be bigger for later on when I need them for toms...

[Springlands]

My comfrey is just starting to peek through - like everything else it is slow to start this year - hopefully as the weather warms up it will romp away. 

[shed head]

slugs appear to be feasting on mine already

[pdblake]

Some of the stuff on the plot is coming through but not in the garden yet.

[gavinjconway]

My comfrey is so slow as well... normally growing well by end March to use with the spuds.. not this year.

[GrannieAnnie]

It's just been too cold I think.  My comfrey is only just starting to come through.  Even though it won't be ready to put in your potato trench, you can make a nice comfrey 'tea' to water over them, or sometimes I just cut off the stalks and lay them along in between the potato plants.

Be careful when handling though, the leaves do have tiny bristles which can stick in your hands and are difficult to see to remove.

[gavinjconway]

Oh yes - tea will be made on the plot in a large water butt on a continuous cycle.. 

[Chrysalis]

Thanks for the tips, folks. I was a bit worried as they were only tiny shoots,I bought from ebay last Autumn.  feeling reassured now!
I'll wear gloves and make tea when they're bigger! C