[Stratts]

Hi guys,
I am at the point where I can plant my 1st things in the allotment but am not sure about something.

I am going for the 4 year crop rotation plan and am going to prepare the plots accordingly ready for next year.

I want to get something in to see some progress and thought about setting an area aside to put in raddish, rocket, slad leaves, carrots, beans and a few spuds if I can get any.

Then when these are done using the same areas as my permanent Comfrey bed and Raspberry and Strawberry areas.

Would it be ok to do this and would I need to add anything to the soil before changing the use?

Cheers

[Yorkie]

I think it would be fine to do this; the only comment I'd make is that it is really a little late for spuds now unless you can find seed tubers for first early varieties - which mature the most quickly of the potatoes, and should be out in time for the permanent planting to go in.

When you get your comfrey, make sure it's the sterile Bocking 14 variety which doesn't self-seed.  And put well-rotted manure round the raspberries (not touching the stem) after planting if you have access to it.

[Stratts]

Ok thanks I might just leave the spuds then and get a plot ready for them instead.

Got 5 bits of Bocking 14 coming for a fiver 

[Robert_S]

Is normal comfrey so much of a problem? I went to the local big nursery hoping to buy some bocking 14 plants, but the closest thing they had were just comfrey seeds...no mention of bocking 14 on the packet.

 

[Yorkie]

You just need to keep a very very close eye on it.

I think the person has now removed the photos, but she had had a plot completely overrun with the stuff, and it wasn't going without a jolly good fight (in fact, I don't think it was going.  Full stop  )

[Robert_S]

Blimey....glad I read that before planting them then. Wish I'd read it before buying them! Just bought some bocking 14 root sections on ebay.

[bigben]

I guess the reason you are planting comfrey is to use it as a nutrient source, comfrey tea etc. If you keep cutting it down and using it before it sets seed it is much less of a problem than leaving it to go to seed and then having to deal with the spread from seed. The Bocking type has the benefit of not setting seed so it is more forgiving if you let it grow and forget to harvest it.

So plant your comfrey but then use it rather than leaving it to go to seed. Even just chopping it regularly and composting it will do.

[Stratts]

I got 5 bits of Comfrey root through today and put 1 each end down in a pot of compost to get them going.

Is this the right thing to do before planting them out in September.

Have I potted them correctly, they are in 5" pots?

Ta

[SkipRat]

I grow quite a lot of comfry, I have around 15 full grown plants. Its  very beneficial to my plot as I use it for mulching (when leaves have withered) as a compost activator, and to make comfry extract which is les smellier then comfry tea, and of course the bee,s love it which is good for the plot. I have found that it dosent need much treatment regards growing just plant out and stand back, it grows very fast when its established.

[Stratts]

Oh and any idea what size Comfrey bed I'd need for a growing plot 80ft long x 15ft wide so I can set it aside ready,

Ta

[noshed]

Plant your 5 plants about 18" apart and they should be fine

[bigben]

Oh and any idea what size Comfrey bed I'd need for a growing plot 80ft long x 15ft wide so I can set it aside ready,

Ta

I would tend to just plant the comfrey in spots where you are not likely to be growing stuff. It will grow in partial shade and even poor soil. I have tended to put mine in odd gaps around my site, mainly towards the edges up against hedge. Some is close to my compost bins to use as an accelerator for my compost. Others are close to a water butt to make it convienient to just chop it and chuck it into the butt to make a feed. If you have a bit of space behind a shed or greenhouse you could squeeze a few bits in.

I am too miserly with my plot to actually give up a proper bed to it. Your 5 bits of root will get you started but after a year you can dig down and chop off some bits of root to propergate from and grow some more.

[Stratts]

Thanks guys but am I ok having it in pots until I find a suitable spot for it on the lotty?

[bigben]

Thanks guys but am I ok having it in pots until I find a suitable spot for it on the lotty?

Yes - in the short term, but the beauty of Comfrey is the roots go down and bring up nutrients from deep in the soil and then make them available to be used as a mulch or made into comfrey tea. If you just grow in a pot you will get the plant growing but it will not be doing what it is meant to do.

Hope this makes sense - basically yes start in pots but get it planted out when you can.

[Stratts]

Thanks mate