[Farmer-Zoe1954]

I ordered mine from a farm in FL. All came up and are looking good. I put them in 1gallon containers and will get them into the ground in the next week or two. BTW, I’m in Georgia.

[flaschemom]

We got ours from Perma Pasture farms and they’re coming up nice! We’re up here in North Georgia 🍑

[Down-On-The-Homestead]

Where did you get yours? I’m in FL too 🙂

[MaryT]

Good to know you got yours from Florida, mine came from Maine. I was thinking that those plant cuttings were acclimated to the cooler temps and therefore didn’t do so well in my zone.

[jakebinTN]

I got my comfrey roots from Alaska and I’m in TN. I had no issues. I put it straight into the ground though.

[SteveKeen-RMF]

Lots of places to get comfrey from. I would look local first or at least within a similar zone. I have had better results from planting straight into the ground 1-2″ deep and keeping it well watered. Recently divided and planted 25 or so root pieces and within 3 weeks have plants with multiple leaves. Zone 7b Clover SC.

[Billy]

Russian bocking #4 is the variety we use and sell and our website. It should work pretty well in zone nine as long as you give it intermittent shade and remember not to use potting soil or compost. Comfrey always does better in lousy soil.

[Blake]

I’ve got some comfrey from you, Billy and some from another place too. This is my first year with it. What can I expect this winter? Is it going to die back completely and then come back out in the spring? Or will it grow all winter?

[Sven]

It will die back, but re-emerge in spring. Mine has been through 3 days of below freezing and is still green and growing when the sun hits it. I’m planning to dig up root cuttings tomorrow and plant 1-200 cuttings for spring. Got mine from Permapasturesfarm. I also got Bocking 14 from another place 2 years ago. In my zone of 7a Billy’s Bocking 4 is more vigorous and the soil here is rubbish, mostly hardpan clay. But, the comfrey seems to like it and prefers moisture. I put a bunch on the downhill (and uphill) sides of a Hügelkultur mound. Didn’t seem to make much difference, it grows well there.

[Blake]

Thanks Sven!

[Sven]

You’re welcome. Apologies for the late reply. I must’ve switched off notifications somehow.

[BentNeedle]

The link to your youtube channel posted above goes to a freecode site in Korea. A google search turned up your channel and went to the correct url – https://www.youtube.com/c/permapasturesfarm21

It’s interesting that Comfrey grows in lousy soil as Coe’s Comfrey recommends “fertile holes” for planting even though it grows in sand or clay.

http://www.coescomfrey.com/grow.html

Bocking #4 has the deepest roots, right? I ordered True and Bocking #14 from Ebay and they’ve all up (planted in containers) and my plan is to keep them in the greenhouse over winter (zone 8a) so they’ll get a head start before transplanting into the garden this Spring. I realize they are super hardy but I’m mostly growing Comfrey for fertilizer and I don’t want to lose even one plant. Am I too cautious here?

[Sven]

If you have them in a greenhouse in zone 8a, I doubt they’ll die back at all and will continue to grow. I’m in zone 7a and mine died back after a few frosts. But then it warmed for a few days and the comfrey started growing new leaves again. You will have no problems. It doesn’t need to be babied at all. You can even rototill it and it will grow back more plants from the cut up roots. To transplant root cuttings, I take a shovel, Jab it in the ground and pry open a slot. Drop in a cutting and smash it back down with my foot. Keep it moist. It’ll pop up anywhere from a week to 2 months later. Sometimes I forget where I’ve planted root cuttings and a month later – up it comes.

[MyHandle]

Hello Friends at Perma Pastures! The fabulous Tromboncino seeds arrived safely. Much appreciated!!

Which has the deeper root for most accumulation capability-blocking 4, or 14?

[DebbieS]

I bought my comfrey from Billy, Michelle and William from Permapastures Farm last Fall. My husband directly planted them in the ground around our fruit trees and blueberry bushes. It remained dormant over the winter and sprouted in the Spring. I am in zone 7b, NC. It has unstoppable growth. I’ve harvested it for mulch several times and it grows back better and stronger each time. I even dug three plants up for my son and daughter in law and a root must have still been in the ground. Another plant grew in each of their place.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by  DebbieS.

[Freesteading-Admin]

Great discussion

[Louisiana]

I bought some Blocking 14 roots . from a grower in Washington State. Planted in 6 inch pots setting in water. They rooted. After they got about 10 inches tall planted in the garden. They did not like the hot dry summer. But once it started cooling off. They perk back up. Will put a shade cloth over them next year.

[Louisiana]

Picture of my comfrey. Louisiana here!

[Alisa1]

I have comfrey growing in central Mississippi but I do shade it in the hot summer.

[Bryan8farms]

It’s too hot this far south for comfrey. I have some growing in zone 8b but it is under a assume tree and heavily fertilized. I have had it four years and only have two babies from it. I have tried to propagate it or move one of the babies and they alway die. All the research I have done say they don’t grow well here. Not even Deep South Homestead grows it.

[Sven]

I’d suggest planting in an area that’s usually moist. Perhaps limiting the direct sun to 8 hours would help. My wilts during the heat of the day, but bounces back at night. Maybe plant them on the north side of a Hügel mound where there is good moisture. Just my 2 cents worth, I’m no an expert by any means but have learned through experience. I’ve found that it likes areas by water or wet areas. Planting in heavy mulch is also helpful by holding moisture underneath. Good luck! Oh, and don’t fertilize it or plant in good soil. It does better in junk soil, rocky or clay soil – definitely not in potting soil.

[Sven]

Forget the pots and stick the root cuttings directly in the soil about 1-2” deep. Keep it moist. Plant it in full sun, partial sun, everywhere to see where it likes it best. It needs about 8 hours sun per day. It does like moisture, so if in direct sun, mulch heavily to keep moisture in the soil.

Mullein can dry out and die in a day or two if not deeply rooted. It likes rocky areas and perhaps a bit of shade midday.

Plantain can grow almost anywhere, mine seems to grow best in dappled sun, shaded areas.

[Billt21]

It is a perennial that will die back once it gets cold. In the spring it will regrow from the root. Billy has been advising that as long as the ground can be worked meaning not frozen it can be planted.