Susan W
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Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Comfrey seeds

Has anyone had experience starting comfrey from seed? I just ordered seed (from Horizon Herbs in Oregon). As it is very warm here, is suggested to chill in frig for a few weeks before planting. I am hoping about 3 weeks enugh, then I'll put in peat pellets. Hopefully there will be comfrey babies by October and they can go in gallon black plastic nursery pots. Our 1st frost is end of October. End goal if this works is to plant some in my beds, and trade/ sell the rest come spring. I know some of my new found friends from the farmers market will have some starts I want come April!

DoubleDogFarm
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Susan,

I'm not sure I like this idea. This is probably Common Comfrey and will spread by seed.

Must people prefer Russian Comfrey of the sterile type. They are propagated quite easily by roots.

Eric

Susan W
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Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

DD, thoughts appreciated and I had to laugh (no disrespect). I will tell suspected takers of the spread by seed. I figure even in-town, as I am, one could have a dedicated area, even a few sq feet.

To back track, I picked up my one plant and stuck it in a back part of garden/yard. I loved the flowering, when it does. We got one from same supplier for the 18th c herb bed at Ft Toulouse, AL. It gets more regular watering, and has not spread out-of-bounds. I see it going into flowering when I am there mid-April. Clueless about which variety!

Now back to the spreading from h*ll.....and my laugh. I can see it now. Those that got it and it spread beyond control, will gang up on me. In the dead of night will spew slugs in all of my herb pots.......Revenge!

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soil
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just so you know, comfrey HATES being in pots. the sooner it goes in the ground the better.

and like DD said, Symphytum officinale aka comfrey. will set seed. and pretty much if you don't get them when they are VERY young. you will have another new permanent comfrey patch. unless you run pigs in the area for a year. ive seen many times, one comfrey plant, turn into a yard of comfrey and pissed off owners.

the bocking 14 that horizon carries eliminates that problem with all the other benefits of comfrey.

that being said, some people thing the true Symphytum officinale is far superior as far as medicinal purposes go.

Susan W
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Posts: 1858
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Thanks for the good thoughts on comfrey. I figured I may have made a mistake in ordering the seeds, but not out a life savings. I talked to someone at Horizon Herbs again concerning the seeds or wait and get the roots (Russian Bocking).
Judging from my one plant, about 10 yrs old, self seeding not a big problem. There is another in the herb bed at Ft Toulouse (AL) from the same supplier, and it has not spread. A big reason for not spreading is this climate. The plants come up, may flower in spring, and die back in the heat. I have some leaves, no stock. I was told the one at Toulouse is a brown mess. Both will perk up come cooler weather

As for staying in the pots to winter, if I get seeds to germinate before frost, won't have much of a plant, and should be fine in a gallon pot for the dormant time. Were I to get root cuttings, would be a far different story! They need in the ground soon! If there is interest in this come spring, may get an order of root cuttings, and pot for a couple of weeks until unloaded.



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