[Muddylou]

I've bought six root cuttings of Bocking 14 comfrey as I've read about the benefits
and seen the clip with Monty Don saying "all allotments should grow it". It hasn't arrived yet, but I'd like to know from others experience whether they think it's benefits out weigh having a part of my plot permanently taken up by the comfrey. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Yorkie]

I'd definitely say go for it.

I could be wrong but I don't think Bocking 14 is that invasive anyway.

[compostqueen]

The Bocking 14 is a well behaved plant that won't self seed all over the place.  Plant it adjacent to your compost bins so it's to hand for adding as a compost accelerant. It's a great plant to grow on the lotty as it can be used in water as a liquid fertiliser, compost activator and you can add a leaf to the planting hole when planting spuds or brassicas etc.  I wouldn't be without mine and they certainly earn their keep.  I have a comfrey pipe which I stuff with the leaves which are then pressed down by means of a sand-filled bottle and the resultant juice drips into a jar underneath and then gets diluted 1:20 to liquid feed my veg, fruit and container plants and flowers

[Kristen]

The Bocking 14 "Well Rooted Cuttings" that I bought arrived late and were nothing more than offsets - no roots in sight.

I stuck them in 3" pots and they grew on fine (Comfrey is tough-as-old-boots).  So be prepared for yours to need the same treatment.

[bigben]

In terms of space the type you have does not "take over" - just find a bit of your plot you are not currently growing on. Any old corner even in a bit of shade will do - but if you can then next to your compost bins is even better. Once they get going you will have a brilliant resource that provides potassium as well as nitrogen. As others have said - good for compost, use for spud trenches to kick start your spuds, make comfrey tea to feed toms. Use as a mulch to provide nutrients over a longer period for fruit bushes ....

[Muddylou]

Well thanks everyone, I feel much more reassured now. Will pot it first when it arrives and then put it in it's final position in the Spring. Again, cheers for all the info.

[stompy]

It's alright people saying the amount of room it takes up outweighs it's us.
But, you won't get a more organic fertiliser than home made comfrey tea.
And once it's in it will produce it for free for a very very very (you get the idea) very long time.

Andy

[Kleftiwallah]

I take a stroll up to the pub via a drover's track and collect a bin bag full of leaves about three times a year.   8)The other times I leave the bin bag at home!    Cheers,   Tony.