Anyone use a comfrey feed?

[Berty]

I did the water but thing like Asbean. I stuffed a netting bag that I got with my seed potatoes in with comfry leaves and nettles. The bag has a draw string which helped close the bag. The string is quite long so a tied that to the handle of an empty 2litre milk container. Dropped the sack in the water butt and filled it up to the top with water, put the lid on and stood back. I couple of weeks later it was still brewing and the stench was unbelievable however the lid keep the smell in. After a few months and smell subsided which I took to means it was "safe". I draw off the brew and add it to my watering can before serving to the plants. It does make a difference.

I am stuck now between comfrey in the potato trench or in the [comfrey] tea pot!

Comfrey is the ideal cut and come again plant. I take two or three cuts a year and it is still a strong grower.

Why the milk carton? It floats so I don't have to go fishing in the tea for the smeggy sack.

[Berty]

[isbister]

have just been reading about Joy Larkcom's first job as a student gardener which was to make Black Jack. This is a sack of well rotted horse manure + some grass clippings and sometimes soot (quantities not specified) suspended in a water butt and left fot ten days. Resulting liquid to be diluted to the colour of weak tea.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've made it in the past; it's smelly and nasty to handle (not as bad as the contents of the pee barrel though!), but very effective as a liquid manure. The only reason I stopped was that the barrel I was using grew legs and walked the moment I emptied it out. I'm planning to try it again this year.

[silly billy]

I did the same as Berty but I didn't know you had to wait for the smell to subside I never did last year and it worked fine.



And it smells beautiful  :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

[Trixiebelle]

I am currently FEEDING the water butt with rotting comfrey leaves in it  ;D I visit it every morning and give it a good old STIR.

I call it my 'secret weapon' for tomatoes and courgettes and the big water butt next to it with rotted down grass clippings is my 'secret weapon' for onions.

I'm not REALLY competitive  :)

[poderosa]

Hi, comfrey is also a great compost activator just add a layer to the heap and leave it. You can also cut it several times a season to place around tomato plants, it rots down quickly and adds to the potash in the soil.

[asbean]

Thanks Trevor, by "some" I meant "a few", like 2-3;  I agree, "some" makes it sound like an intended plantation; I know they're invasive, but so useful, and for the compost too.