How do you germinate comfrey seeds?
Starting Indoors/Outdoors: Comfrey seeds need to be cold treated, also known as stratification for optimum germination. Sow seed in a moisten soil-less growing medium, enclose in plastic bag or small container then place in refrigerator for a 20-60 days.
How do you grow comfrey Bocking 14?
How to plant: Space the plants at least 2 feet apart. Comfrey prefers rich soil of medium moisture in the sun to part shade. It is a heavy feeder and will reach monumental size if given composted manure under the cutting at transplant and/or around the crown of the plant during the growth cycle.
Is comfrey hard to grow from seed?
Comfrey can be grown from seed, but it requires a winter chilling period to germinate. It’s also not unusual to sow the seeds and not see any germination for two years. So it’s more common to propagate the plant from root cuttings. Plant them less deep in clay soil, deeper in sandy soil.
Is Russian comfrey the same as Bocking 14?
Russian Comfrey #4 and #14 Are Similar Both Bocking #4 and #14 can be used as garden fertilizer, compost activator, mulch, medicine, or be fed to animals as fodder. Both reduce transplant shock of plants. Put some leaves in the hole before you replant.
How long do comfrey seeds take to germinate?
3-4 weeks
Indoors fill 10cm pots with moist well-drained seed compost, sow seeds 6mm deep, allow 2 per pot. Ideal temp. 20C. If germination has not occurred in 3-4 weeks cold stratify.
How long does comfrey take to grow from seed?
about two to three weeks
S. officinale, common comfrey, can be grown from seed. It is best to direct sow outdoors about three weeks before the average last frost date, planting about half an inch deep in soil. Water well and keep the soil moist until seeds germinate in about two to three weeks.
Does Bocking 14 comfrey spread?
Probably one of the most useful, beneficial plants you can grow that has one of the worst reputations of any plant! In our 6 years of growing this plant, it has never spread unless disturbed. …
Is comfrey Bocking 14 good for bees?
Comfrey. An all-rounder for short- and long-tongued bumblebees, as well as honeybees. Comfrey can run riot in the garden though so buy the non-invasive ‘Bocking 14’ variety so it doesn’t take over. It can be used to enrich your soil too.
How quickly does comfrey grow?
They develop buds 20 to 40 days after planting, and are best planted in beds, rows, or pots, and transplanted to permanent locations when a year or more old. Roots are laid flat and covered with 1½“ to 4” of soil when planted (see NOTE above). Root cuttings take 1½ to 2 years to grow to the size of a one-year plant.
Does comfrey come back every year?
Extremely cold hardy perennials, comfrey plants become dormant in winter and re-emerge every spring.
Is comfrey easy to grow?
For this reason, one of my all time favorite herbs to keep in my garden is comfrey! It is also a long utilized herbal support for wound healing and treating other ailments. And it is extremely easy to grow – perhaps too easy, as it tends to spread if it’s not well managed. But don’t let that scare you.
How long does it take comfrey to grow?
What is Russian Comfrey Bocking 14?
Russian Comfrey: Bocking 14. Living roots. Organic. Comfrey roots shipped Monday. Plant any time soil is not frozen. All types of Russian Comfrey (cultivars Bocking No. 1 through Bocking No. 21) are botanically known as “Symphytum × uplandicum” or “Symphytum x uplandica”.
Can You propagate Russian Comfrey from seed?
Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) is also called the Bocking 14 cultivar. Bocking 14 does not propagate by seed, only by root cuttings. This variety was developed in the 1950s by Lawrence Hills to prevent the rapid spread of Common Comfrey. There are several other interesting varieties of comfrey:
How do you propagate Bocking 14 from seed?
Bocking 14 is a sterile clone and doesn’t set viable seeds. Accordingly it is propagated from pieces of the plant like sets off the plant – offsets. Initially you purchase or beg off a friend either pieces of root or pieces from the top of the plant known as crown offsets. Crown offsets get away a bit faster but root offsets are perfectly adequate.
How does comfrey spread?
Comfrey can spread through seeds or broken pieces of root. It can easily grow over five feet tall. Selecting the right location is one of the most important factors in growing it. Comfrey will regrow from even the tiniest left behind root, so once it is planted, it is nearly impossible to get rid of.