If you’ve landed here, hopefully you already know all of the reasons WHY to grow comfrey. If you have your roots or plants ready to go, I’m going to address a few common questions to may have so that you can get the most out of your new plants!

I have experimented quite a bit with various planting locations. I find that comfrey is most prolific in full sun to part shade. I do have a few in full shade that are doing fine, they just don’t grow as fast or get as large.
When planting new comfrey, keep it well mulched, fertilized and watered. (Rest assure if you do none of these things, it will still likely grow well. They’re hardy!) Eventually, they will develop a deep taproot and not need much attention.
Remember: comfrey will only draw up nutrients that already exist in surrounding soil. The more you add compost and organic matter, the more nutritious your comfrey plants will be.
Yes! That’s one of the best things about comfrey: it is a perennial herb. No special treatment is necessary for successful overwintering, though I usually cut mine down to use the last of it.
Comfrey has 2 varieties, so it’s important to note that you obtain the Bocking 14 variety (which has sterile seeds.)
Bocking 14 will only spread via roots, eventually creating a nice clump that can be easily separated to make new plants (kind of similar to Irises). It is easy to maintain a manageable size though and is not invasive.
Do keep in mind that should you ever choose to relocate your comfrey, new plants can sprout from as little as half an inch of leftover root chunk.
This is a tricky one mainly because you’re super excited to use it. 😅 I get it. I was told that comfrey should not be harvest at all the first year and I absolutely broke that rule multiple times with no consequences.
If your plant is young and just getting established, a good rule of thumb is to only harvest leaves that are larger than your hand, one or two at a time.
When it’s done for the season, you can either ‘chop and drop’ or just leave it completely alone to break down and fertilize itself for next season.
If your comfrey is established (second year and beyond) you will be amazed at how often and severely you can harvest. You can cut off multiple leaves or stems at a time, or chop the whole plant multiple times a season. It takes about 2 weeks to rejuvenate itself for another harvest!
I am currently experimenting with a few comfrey plants in large pots. I attempted to overwinter some last year and they were doing well until we left for vacation and didn’t mention them to our house sitter. 😆
I think if I keep the plants small (i.e. start over each spring) and use a good quality plant light and self-watering system, it might be a fabulous option for rabbit fodder!
I will update results next year.
Comfrey is SO easy to propagate and there are 2 main ways based on what you have.
If you have a good, established plant in it’s second year or more, comfrey can be dug up completely and then simply cut in half or into multiple pieces. The goal is to cut in such a way that one or more stems remain attached to the root. This is called a ‘crown cutting.’ Stems can then be trimmed back and all parts replanted.
If you have a less established plant (or if you accidentally broke off a root chunk with no stem) root chunks as little as a half inch piece will create entirely new plants. I was very skeptical of this claim, but have found it to be accurate! The key is to plant the roots SIDEWAYS and keep them evenly moist.
If roots dry out during the process, it will not work. But if you’re patient, you’ll see teeny tiny leaf sprouts in a couple of weeks!

comfrey plants for sale ligonier — I feel like a proud mama when I gaze upon my baby comfrey area! All are planted in homemade compost and rabbit manure, watered with compost tea. Here you can see the tiny green leaves coming up from root cuttings.

In our area, comfrey plants are not all that easy to get ahold of. I have no idea why!

I’m constantly working on creating baby comfrey plants from roots to sell! I have an ongoing waitlist depending on the season. Pricing varies based on root or crown cuttings + plant size, but I’m happy to share when they’re available. Hop on the waitlist if you’re ready to get started!

Comfrey Waitlist