Out of season right now. The next sowing window opens in March.
Growing Calendar
This month: Oct
Plan ahead for this crop
- •Check growing conditions
- •Prepare for next stage
Watch Out For
Choose the sterile Bocking 14 cultivar, not wild or common comfrey: ordinary comfrey sets seed freely and self-sows aggressively, becoming very hard to control
Any piece of root left in the soil will regrow: choose the final position carefully, since an established plant is extremely difficult to remove completely
The liquid feed smells strongly unpleasant as it ferments: brew it with a lid on and away from windows and doors, and always dilute before use, as the concentrate can scorch roots
Common Questions
About growing Comfrey in the UK
Is comfrey safe to eat?
Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids linked to liver damage with regular internal use, so most modern growers treat it strictly as a feed and mulch plant rather than a food crop, despite historic use as a leaf vegetable.
How do I make comfrey liquid feed?
Pack cut leaves into a container with a lid, weigh them down, and leave for 3–5 weeks: the leaves break down into a strong, dark, strong-smelling concentrate. Dilute 1:10 to 1:15 with water before applying, since the neat concentrate is too strong and can scorch roots.
Why is Bocking 14 recommended over ordinary comfrey?
Bocking 14 is a sterile cultivar bred specifically for feed production: it produces very few viable seeds, so it stays where it's planted instead of self-sowing around the garden the way common comfrey does.
Can I grow comfrey in a container?
It's possible in a large, deep container, but comfrey's taproot can reach well over a metre down in open ground, which is where it draws up the minerals that make its feed so potent. A permanent ground position gets better results.
Written from real growing experience, organic methods only. Our story · Our approach
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