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Sunday, April 10, 2022

Multiplying Comfrey

Dug out one of the emerging comfrey plants - this was a solid row.  They are Bocking 14 and do not reproduce from seed; therefore it does not take over.  In fact, in my heavy clay soil, they behave quite nicely.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1o3_tYmBNS9FmXCiSDVEra8aDp7tNgkIl

The plant yielded 4 crowns (the ones with leaves) and 14 root cuttings a little bigger in diameter than a pencil.  This is what it looked like on planting day.

 https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1px9z1mm1fdlJqL3Kc0OXFAFwL-n-mKLo

A week later the crowns are already showing new growth, although not top growth from the roots yet.  I don't have the doors on my little cattle panel hoop house, but it does keep the wind off of them.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1zFVoQLp1gaElkDSksFonSV1fBSNCLBd6

A week later and you can't even see where I dug up the plant.  Leaves on the ones in cups are still small, but the leaves on the ones in the ground are quite a bit bigger.  In a few more weeks the leaves in the ones in the ground will be longer than my hand and then by summer will be almost as long as my arm.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1UidB9s_Y7-kVQxO1QOLaS5WEKblbaTbW

This is what one of the crowns looked like when I went to check root growth.  Totally amazed and happy -- can't believe this is less than two weeks since this bit of crown went into cups.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Rr2TI-Mp8Pje_lXmzEXGnmelFtXD4Xzp

Potted them up.  Hopefully they will grow even better root systems.  I know I am giving away at least two of these plants.  Do I sell the rest? Plant them in a circle around a tree? Or?  So many options that last night I dug another plant from a different area and made more.  Hopefully I will see top growth from my root cuttings in the next few weeks.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=13syfdL5C1Dc27xXKzeIgihlwnkzioI0j