• Register  |
  • LoginLogin
Close
Login
 
 
Register
 Advanced search
  • Search
  • Register
  • Login
  • JOIN!
  • View unanswered posts
  • View active topics
  • Gardening
Gardening Forum   ORGANIC GARDENING FORUMS  Organic Gardening Forum

Comfrey and Beneficial Insects




Post a new topic
Post a reply
14 posts • Page 1 of 1

Comfrey and Beneficial Insects

Thu Mar 29, 2007 12:47 am

I found a good link about companion plants
http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html

But it says that comfrey is the only plant that contains VB12. Is it really so? I used to think that only animal product contains VB12.

Here is also a good link about beneficial insects.

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/farmscape.html#appendixa
banyandreams
Full Member
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Jul 2 '06
Top

Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:02 pm

Hi Banyandreams :D

There is some really useful information in those links. I try to be as organic as possible so anything I can use to benefit my plants or repel insects etc. is very useful.
Comfrey does contain B12 as well as some seaweeds and fermented soya. There are not many plants that do and most don't contain enough to supplement a vege diet. Comfrey is not recommended for internal use by humans as it has been linked to liver problem but makes a wonderful addition to your compost heap. I always grow it round mine. Makes it easy to add when necessary.
User avatar
Jess
Greener Thumb
 
Posts: 1023
Joined: Mar 19 '07
Location: England
Top

Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:47 pm

Thanks Banya,

comfrey is great for attracting beneficials, take a look in the beneficial insects sticky at the top of the page.
opabinia51
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 4659
Joined: Oct 21 '04
Location: Victoria, BC
Top

Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:24 am

Jess:
So comfrey's VB12 is no use to human?

Opa:
I have read the beneficial insects sticky. It's very informative. But I do not know most of the insects, I wish there were more pictures.
banyandreams
Full Member
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Jul 2 '06
Top

Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:27 am

Do you know any sites with handdrawn illustrations of beneficial insects?
banyandreams
Full Member
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Jul 2 '06
Top

Fri Mar 30, 2007 5:15 pm

banyandreams wrote:Jess:
So comfrey's VB12 is no use to human?


It would be very useful to humans if it weren't for the alkaloids in the plant that damage the liver. I only know this because I read in my herb book that the Romans used to use it for healing their wounds (known commonly as knitbone) and used to eat it as a raw or cooked vegetable. Recent studies on laboratory animals have shown that regular use internally causes liver damage and tumours! So wonder how many Romans died a premature death? Just so you know it is still used in many skin preparations today and is a main ingredient in haemorhoid creams! :lol:

http://oregonbd.org/Class/Pred.htm Found one!
User avatar
Jess
Greener Thumb
 
Posts: 1023
Joined: Mar 19 '07
Location: England
Top

Thu May 24, 2007 3:22 pm

This is a link you might find interesting.
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/comfrey.htm
I have never eaten comfrey, though I have what is turning into a grove of it. I use it in my compost. One year I tried putting it in a blender with water and used it on my watermelon plants and they were the best watermelons I have ever grown. I have an area on the side of my yard that is wetlands and it was there when I moved in, but has since spread rather alarmingly. I try to keep that side of the yard with only native plants that will not travel harmfully into the marsh, but this one is getting away from me. It is VERY tough to get rid of. It draws a tremendous number of bees and other insects. I have a herd of 5 deer that live in and around my yard and they love to eat the comfrey. This is Russian Comfrey and grows back very fast after cutting.
Candida
Full Member
 
Posts: 41
Joined: May 24 '07
Location: Upstate NY
Top

Sat May 26, 2007 10:56 am

Thanks for your information. I will use comfrey to fertilize next time when I grow watermelons!
banyandreams
Full Member
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Jul 2 '06
Top

Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:28 am

I would urge anyone considering planting Comfrey to think long and hard before doing so. It is a very tenacious plant that is very difficult to eradicate if allowed to become established. The roots go deep and are very brittle making it very difficult to even dig out. Proceed with caution.

Norm
User avatar
Gnome
Mod
 
Posts: 5122
Joined: Jul 5 '06
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Top

Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:29 pm

Jess - a comfrey tea can be taken internally so long as the period of use does not exceed 3 weeks. It should be used when recovering from broken bones, sprains, etc. (this is really true of almost any herbal tincture, I can't think of anything intended for long-term use).

Further: do NOT use during pregnancy, either externally or internally. It can cause complications and can be potentially life-threatening to the fetus.

Also, if you make a poultice and plan to use it - don't use it for a deep puncture wound, these need time to "weep" and the comfrey will encourage the skin to knit together too soon.

Norm - good point! Keep it in nice, deep pots, unless you have lots of land and don't plan on ever disturbing the roots. As I understand it, any piece of root left will create a new plant, so very hard to eradicate once established. However, it doesn't spread, it does stay put (so long as you don't disturb those roots).
User avatar
Grey
Greener Thumb
 
Posts: 1596
Joined: Apr 17 '05
Location: Summerville, GA, Zone 7a
Top

Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:05 am

Dear All,

Please do NOT consume Official or Russian comfrey when it starts to sprout out flower buds.

Species like Blocking 14 is strictly for vegeation and NOT for human.

Amitié,
Pixi
JPIXI
Senior Member
 
Posts: 213
Joined: Jul 4 '05
Location: France, Paris
Top

Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:05 pm

Gnome wrote:I would urge anyone considering planting Comfrey to think long and hard before doing so. It is a very tenacious plant that is very difficult to eradicate if allowed to become established. The roots go deep and are very brittle making it very difficult to even dig out. Proceed with caution.

Norm


How bad is it -like underground grass type of invasive? What if I would raise it under black plastic-wouldn't help. Do roots just grow straight down or do they travel to the sides and pop up far away from first plant?
Joyfirst
Green Thumb
 
Posts: 361
Joined: Feb 3 '10
Location: Southern California
Top

Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:57 pm

I have grown comfrey in the past. The roots grow straight down; way, way down. I tried to get rid of it and never was able to get to the bottom of it. I also had some in a pot on the porch. It sprouted in the ground just off the porch. It spread by breaking off or by seed, I'm not sure, but I dug it up right away.
estorms
Senior Member
 
Posts: 263
Joined: Dec 15 '11
Location: Greenfield Township, PA
Top

Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:41 am

I grow Bocking 14. It doesn't have viable seed.

Makes great duck forage, Potato fertilizer and Comfrey tea.

Eric
DoubleDogFarm
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 6113
Joined: Mar 29 '10
Top

Please Share. Thank you!

 
 
Top


Post a reply
14 posts • Page 1 of 1

 

 

  •   Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post
  • Comfrey
    in Herb Gardening Forum
    1
    488
    by imafan26 View the latest post
  • Comfrey
    in Composting Forum
    7
    1226
    by estorms View the latest post
  • Should I & Do you: Add beneficial bacteria?
    in Composting Forum
    5
    867
    by toxcrusadr View the latest post
  • Beneficial garden structures
    in Vegetable Gardening Forum
    6
    803
    by rainbowgardener View the latest post
  • Comfrey leaves to help with Potatoes Scab?
    in Vegetable Gardening Forum
    5
    601
    by Mr green View the latest post
  • Troublesome Insects
    in Organic Insect and Plant Disease Control
    17
    1036
    by imafan26 View the latest post
Return to Organic Gardening Forum
  • Delete all board cookies • All times are UTC
Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Copyright HelpfulGardener.com 2003-2018 all rights reserved.
All trademarks and copyrights held by respective owners.