[LilacSandy]

I have put cut down pop bottles next to my thirsty plants and have put a couple of comfrey leaves in there hoping they will deliver a little bit of goodness each time I fill them up.

[Steveharford]

I grow borage too. Harvest for tea making only occurs once a year as opposed to comfrey which is cut and come again. Having said that borage is superior for its flowers in my view and ever so nice in Pimms don't you know :-) oh and it self seeds like b****ery so no need to sow each year.

[gavinjconway]

I just have a big water-butt and keep adding comfrey and water as I use it.. I tap it off, dilute with water and use on my toms, strawbs and spuds.

This is the start of the brew a few weeks ago and I started using yesterday.. (BTW - the green hose is the rain water filler from the GH..)

[compostqueen]

I had just the one borage plant when I took on the plot and now I seem to have several, all popping up at random parts of the plot. Mine don't really get chance to get too big as I'm nicking leaves off them right, left and centre    Most parts of the plant are edible apparently. The flower heads look great in salads and frozen into ice cubes to add a bit of colour to your Pimms

The plants can be floppy and sprawl a bit as the leaves get heavy but ok on the plot. Good bee plant! 

[JohnB47]

I grow borage too. Harvest for tea making only occurs once a year as opposed to comfrey which is cut and come again. Having said that borage is superior for its flowers in my view and ever so nice in Pimms don't you know :-) oh and it self seeds like b****ery so no need to sow each year.

Fair enough. I'll start some more off then, at least for this year. Must take a note of what the seedlings look like, so that I'll recognise them next year when this years plants offspring appear.

[Steveharford]

Hi John. Once seen easily recognised again with there wide round leaves. I will try to find a seedling today and post a pic up. Steve

[Beetroot queen]

My leeks got comfrey tea last night in desperation to get them doing something, they do look perkier today mind you hubby walked in and was sent straight to the bath, i didnt ask him to bathe in it

[JohnB47]

Thanks Steve. Compostqueen - does your husband look perkier today too?

[surbie100]

I grow borage too. Harvest for tea making only occurs once a year as opposed to comfrey which is cut and come again. Having said that borage is superior for its flowers in my view and ever so nice in Pimms don't you know :-) oh and it self seeds like b****ery so no need to sow each year.

Fair enough. I'll start some more off then, at least for this year. Must take a note of what the seedlings look like, so that I'll recognise them next year when this years plants offspring appear.

The seedlings also smell of cucumber when slightly bruised. They do seed everywhere though. I've given some to all my neighbours  Be prepared to never need to sow it again....!

Edit to add: yes they die off in the autumn, and won't regrow much if you cut back hard - if I harvest at the top I find I get lots of side shoots. The young leaves are really tasty in a salad.

[compostqueen]

"Perky" isn't a word often associated with my old man 

[LilacSandy]

"Perky" isn't a word often associated with my old man 

 

[Kirpi]

I think I posted a photo of this some time last year.

I have a wide downpipe about five feet tall secured to the side of the shed with downpipe brackets. Under this is a plastic funnel which the pipe just fits into and the funnel sits on top of a plastic bottle (a disscarded slug pellet bottle).

The comfrey is stuffed into the downpipe and a plastic bottle of water with the top screwed down is lowered down on top of the comfrey as a weight to keep a gentle crushing pressure on the decomposing leaves. The bottle is tied with string around the neck so the bottle can be hoisted back out of the pipe to put more comfrey in as it sinks down.

The liquor is collected in the bottle under the funnel and I dilute this 1:20 with rain water as a feed.

Works with nettles too. I have two of these for comfrey and nettles in the other.

[compostqueen]

Kirpi     In my comfrey pipe I use a sand-filled champagne bottle as the forcer downer    Cos I is posh 
My catcher is a big pickled onion jar and I've fashioned a device to keep any rainwater out of the catcher. It's the lid of the onion jar with the bottom piece of a watering can rose shoved into it (I cut a hole to size in the lid)  I have plenty of damaged roses due to my old dog's love of chewing them   

[Kirpi]

Kirpi     In my comfrey pipe I use a sand-filled champagne bottle as the forcer downer    Cos I is posh 
My catcher is a big pickled onion jar and I've fashioned a device to keep any rainwater out of the catcher. It's the lid of the onion jar with the bottom piece of a watering can rose shoved into it (I cut a hole to size in the lid)  I have plenty of damaged roses due to my old dog's love of chewing them 

Hi Compost Queen. The problem with my device is rain water seems to catch in the funnel and waater down the liquor. You seem to have closed that problem - do you hae a photo as I can't quite see it in my mind.

[cadalot]

I second a photo - Sounds like a great Idea but if its fixed to the shed what about the smell?