The Benefits of Comfrey

Many gardeners and growers hear the word "comfrey" and they run the other direction. Not to worry--the comfrey I am recommending and use commonly in my growing spaces is Russian Comfrey, a plant that produces sterile seed. This strain of comfrey does not spread nor become invasive but, rather, grows upright like an ornamental shrub. I use it heavily throughout my farm for its ridiculous amount of value and function.

Comfrey is celebrated by permaculture growers around the world because it offers the following:

NUTRIENT ACCUMULATION
Comfrey has a strong and deep taproot system that mines nutrients from deep within the soil's sublayers. These roots draw those nutrients upwards, into more shallow soil layers, making them accessible for nearby plants.

CHOP AND DROP MULCH
Comfrey stores much of the nutrients that it mines in its leaves and stems. Combine this with the fact that comfrey can get tall and benefits from pruning. There you have the recipe for a perfect chop and drop plant. Simply cut the foliage back to an inch or so above the soil line and spread the leaves and stems as you would mulching straw over your growing soil. As the leaves decay they add organic matter back into the soil, attracting earthworms and other decomposers, and release their nutrients into the topsoil.

MEDICINAL USES
If you practice herbal medicine or keep a home apothecary, there are loads of uses for comfrey. This plant has been used for centuries for inflammation, swelling, and its other many healing properties.

POLLINATOR ATTRACTOR
Comfrey boasts beautiful little bell-shaped blossoms in a pink-purple hue. These little flowers are hugely attractive and beneficial to honeybees and native pollinators. They also attract beneficial wasps and other predatory insects. Naturally, if planted in your garden, pollinators will be sure to visit food crop blossoms as well, increasing your crop yield.

REPELLER
Some folks have a difficult time with comfrey when it comes to contact dermatitis. The plants have fine hairs on their leaves and stems which can cause irritation. This is why many deer, rabbits, and other critters find it to be repulsive. When comfrey is interplanted with fruit and vegetable crops, it tends to deter wildlife looking for a snack.

BIOMASS
Comfrey grows quickly. I'm easily able to cut the plant back for use as a mulch three to four times in one season. The foliage is thick and this rapid production makes comfrey an excellent contributor of biomass (biological matter) to the soil when applied as mulch.

FERTILIZER
Compost tea is a popular method for fertilizing a garden without synthetic additives. The same approach can be taken with comfrey leaves. Simply chop and macerate comfrey leaves and place in a five-gallon bucket. Fill with unchlorinated water. Allow to steep for several days, until the contents are smelly and sludgy (gross, I know). This concentrate will need to be diluted to 1 part comfrey tea to 10 parts water. Use a watering can or weed sprayer to apply to your soil, stems, and plant leaves.

WEED SUPPRESSION
Due to the thick and full growth habit of comfrey, weeds are quickly and easily choked out. I use comfrey in my garden, in my tree guilds, and in my food forest growing spaces. Weeds have yet to grow up and through this hardy crop.

PROPAGATION
Comfrey is in demand as many growers turn to more natural methods of farming. Because comfrey is so vigorous, it can easily regenerate itself from a small root cutting. Simply digging up roots, separating them, and repotting can result in loads of new plants. This creates a steady supply for the homestead with plenty to sell for a profit.

COMPOST HEAP ACTIVATION
Because comfrey is so nutrient rich and an excellent source of biomass, it can contribute to the compost heap. When comfrey is included in the pile, some folks believe it actually heats up the entire heap faster, making compost more readily available in a shorter amount of time. It also passes all of the nutrients it has absorbed into the pile.