How To Make A Comfrey Feed

Comfrey leaves have exceptional properties and can nourish other plants in a wonderfully organic way. Making a comfrey feed is very easy and it only takes a few minutes of your time to create a natural and nutritious plant feed that can be used regularly.

Rather than opting for chemical fertilisers, a comfrey feed is not only free but also 100 per cent natural and provides you with an almost unlimited supply of nutrient-rich plant food. Comfrey is such a nutritious plant as its roots are very deep. This means it absorbs nutrients from deep within the soil, with these nutrients stored in the leaves. By harvesting the plants leaves and letting them compost, you will have a rich, dark plant food that can be used around the garden. Comfrey is especially high in potassium and is therefore ideal for promoting flowering and fruit growth.

This step-by-step guide will help you to make a feed that helps provide your plants with easily-absorbed nutrients that can be taken up by the roots.

You will need the following:

– A large handful of Comfrey leaves.
– A large bucket or a tub trug.
– A stone or weight to weigh the leaves down.
– A watering can.
– Plastic bottles (old water or milk bottles work well).

Step one

Harvest a large handful of comfrey leaves from near the roots of the plant. You may need gloves for this, as the hairy leaves can be an irritant.

Step two

Remove any flowers and tough stems and then chop up the leaves and place them in a watertight container as tightly as possible. If you have a container with a lid, this is ideal – there may be a rather strong odour when the composting process begins and the leaves break down. Use a brick or stone to weigh the leaves down.

Step three

After two weeks, check on the progress. The leaves will take time to break down and you need to keep an eye on how much they are decomposing. As the leaves break down, they release a smelly brown liquid. It is this liquid that you should collect and store in a dark, cool place. For every cup of liquid you remove, add another small handful of leaves.

Step four

All collected liquid should be diluted at a rate of 10 parts water to one part comfrey. The darker the water, the more you will need to dilute it, as it is overly potassium rich and can damage plants if not watered down.

Making a comfrey feed is easy; however, the trick to a successful feed is to keep topping it up and removing liquid. Once you have started the process, you can simply add leaves and subtract liquid every week, ensuring you have an ongoing supply of nutrient-rich organic fertiliser.