Bocking 14 Comfrey Plant Roots – 10 Pack – Russian Comfrey Live Root Cuttings Perennial

Transform your garden into a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem with our premium Bocking 14 Comfrey roots. This offering includes 15 robust, 4-inch root sections of Symphytum officinale, commonly known as Russian Comfrey or Sterile Comfrey. Unlike other comfrey varieties, Bocking 14 is sterile, meaning it won’t spread by seed, making it an excellent choice for controlled garden environments. Each root is ready to plant and quickly establishes into a vigorous perennial plant, renowned for its lush foliage. Gardeners seeking sustainable practices will find these Bocking 14 Comfrey roots indispensable for creating nutrient-rich compost, effective mulches, and potent liquid fertilizers, contributing significantly to soil health and plant vitality.

Our Bocking 14 Comfrey roots are carefully harvested to ensure maximum viability upon arrival. This particular cultivar is highly prized in permaculture and organic gardening circles due to its deep taproot system, which mines essential nutrients from the subsoil and brings them to the surface. This makes the harvested leaves a powerhouse of plant-available nutrients. Whether you’re an experienced organic gardener or just starting your journey towards a more sustainable landscape, these roots provide an easy and effective way to boost your garden’s productivity naturally.

Key Benefits

Incorporating Bocking 14 Comfrey roots into your garden brings a multitude of advantages, fostering healthier plants and richer soil with minimal effort. This versatile perennial is a staple for any gardener committed to organic and sustainable practices.

• Exceptional Soil Enrichment: Comfrey’s deep taproots draw up essential nutrients like potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus from deep within the soil, making them available to other plants when its leaves are used as mulch or compost. This natural nutrient cycling significantly improves soil fertility.
• Powerful Natural Fertilizer: Harvested comfrey leaves can be steeped in water to create a nutrient-rich liquid feed, often referred to as ‘comfrey tea.’ This organic fertilizer provides a balanced boost for fruiting and flowering plants, promoting vigorous growth and abundant yields.
• Sterile and Non-Invasive Growth: The Bocking 14 variety is sterile, ensuring it does not produce viable seeds. This characteristic prevents unwanted spreading, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of sterile comfrey plant without concerns about it becoming invasive in your garden beds.
• Excellent Chop-and-Drop Mulch: Comfrey leaves decompose quickly, making them an ideal ‘chop-and-drop’ mulch. Simply cut the leaves and lay them around your plants. This not only suppresses weeds but also slowly releases nutrients back into the soil, conserving moisture and regulating soil temperature.
• Attracts Beneficial Pollinators: While primarily grown for its foliage, comfrey also produces bell-shaped flowers that are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators, supporting biodiversity in your garden.
• Drought Tolerance: Once established, comfrey is remarkably drought-tolerant due to its extensive root system, requiring less supplemental watering than many other garden plants.
• Perennial Vigor: This hardy perennial will return year after year, providing a continuous supply of nutrient-rich biomass for your garden. Its robust nature makes it a reliable and long-lasting asset.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Growing Bocking 14 Comfrey roots is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. These hardy plants thrive with minimal care once established. Plant the 4-inch root sections horizontally, about 2–3 inches deep, in loose, well-drained soil. Ensure the planting site receives full sun to partial shade; comfrey is adaptable but will produce more abundant foliage in sunnier locations. Adequate spacing of 2-3 feet between plants is recommended to accommodate their mature size.

Initial watering is crucial: water well immediately after planting and maintain consistent soil moisture during the early growth phase. Once established, comfrey becomes quite drought-tolerant, but regular watering during dry spells will encourage more prolific leaf production. Comfrey is not particularly fussy about soil type, thriving in a range of conditions, but prefers a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. While it can tolerate poorer soils, amending the planting area with organic matter like compost will significantly boost its growth and nutrient content. These conditions will help your grow comfrey plants robustly.

Fertilization is rarely necessary for established comfrey, as its deep roots already access nutrients. However, an annual application of compost or a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring can further enhance growth. Comfrey is generally pest and disease resistant. Harvest leaves regularly (every 4-6 weeks) by cutting them close to the ground, which encourages new growth and prevents flowering. This consistent harvesting is key to maximizing your yield for compost and liquid feed, ensuring a continuous supply of this valuable biomass for your garden. Understanding the many aspects of Russian comfrey benefits will help you make the most of this plant.

Size & Details

This product includes 15 individual Bocking 14 Comfrey roots, each approximately 4 inches long. These bare root cuttings are carefully prepared for planting, offering an excellent foundation for establishing a productive comfrey patch. Once planted, these roots will quickly sprout, developing into robust perennial plants that can reach a mature height of 2-3 feet and spread equally wide. Comfrey is a fast-growing plant, and you can typically expect your first leaf harvest within 8-12 weeks of planting, with subsequent harvests every 4-6 weeks throughout the growing season.

The 4-inch root length ensures a strong start, allowing the plant to establish quickly and develop its characteristic deep taproot system. These roots are shipped dormant and ready to be planted upon arrival. With proper care, your comfrey plants will return year after year, providing a consistent source of biomass. They are suitable for a wide range of climates, generally thriving in USDA Zones 3-9, making them a versatile addition to many garden types. These Bocking 14 Comfrey roots are an investment in your garden’s long-term health, providing a sustainable source for your organic gardening needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does a comfrey plant get from these roots? A: Once established, Bocking 14 Comfrey roots can grow into plants that reach 2-3 feet in height and spread, forming a substantial clump. Regular harvesting encourages bushier growth.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Comfrey is primarily an outdoor perennial plant, best suited for garden beds or large containers in sunny to partially shaded locations. It is not typically grown as an indoor houseplant.
• Q: How much sunlight does Bocking 14 Comfrey need? A: Comfrey thrives in full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight) but can tolerate partial shade (3-6 hours of direct sunlight). More sun generally leads to more vigorous growth and leaf production.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for, especially for beginners? A: Yes, comfrey is very easy to care for and is an excellent plant for beginners. Once established, it requires minimal attention, tolerating a range of soil conditions and being quite drought-resistant.
• Q: What condition will the Bocking 14 Comfrey roots arrive in? A: Your Bocking 14 Comfrey roots will arrive as dormant, bare root cuttings, approximately 4 inches long, ready for immediate planting. They are carefully packaged to ensure freshness and viability during transit.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these comfrey roots? A: The best time to plant comfrey roots is in early spring after the last frost, or in early fall well before the ground freezes. This allows the roots to establish before extreme temperatures.
• Q: How long until I can start harvesting leaves from my comfrey plants? A: You can typically expect your first harvest of comfrey leaves within 8-12 weeks after planting, once the plant has established a good root system and produced substantial foliage.
• Q: What are the main uses for comfrey leaves? A: The primary uses for comfrey leaves include making nutrient-rich compost, creating a potent liquid fertilizer (comfrey tea), and using them as a ‘chop-and-drop’ mulch around other plants to suppress weeds and add nutrients. This highlights the many Russian comfrey benefits.
• Q: Will this sterile comfrey plant spread aggressively in my garden? A: No, the Bocking 14 variety is a sterile comfrey plant, meaning it does not produce viable seeds. While it will form a large clump, it will not spread aggressively through seeding, making it easier to manage than other comfrey types.
• Q: What kind of soil does comfrey prefer? A: Comfrey is adaptable but thrives in loose, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. It prefers a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0) and can tolerate various soil textures.
• Q: Will comfrey survive winter in my USDA zone? A: Bocking 14 Comfrey is very hardy and typically thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9, meaning it can withstand cold winters and will reliably return each spring.
• Q: Can I use comfrey to make a natural garden fertilizer? A: Absolutely! Comfrey is renowned for its use in creating a powerful natural garden fertilizer. Simply steep harvested leaves in water for a few weeks to produce a nutrient-rich liquid feed for your plants.