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Next door appear to have comfrey plants in the front garden (unkempt).....im thinking of asking them for some cuttings so:

- Can i tell if its blocking 14?
- What type of clipping should i take?


Cheers

Dan

I have only kept bocking 14 comfrey and couldn't identify any other comfrey plants. I am sure your neighbour would be willing to give you some root cuttings if it is bocking. Ask him/her if he knows what type it is, but if it is not, the neighbour's garden will be full of it and I would have thought that adjoining gardens will have plenty of seedlings. This page might be of some interest - Comfreyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfrey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

cheers Tam

Bocking 14 has pinkish flowers, wild comfrey sometimes has white flowers. I think I've got that the right way round.

Root cuttings aren't needed, cut a bit of stem off and stick it under the ground. Found out that the hard way

Root cuttings are however more reliable.

The leaves are slightly different too. Wild comfrey, the one that spreads has pointed leaves that but the blocking ones are more rounded, a lighter green and less hairy. That sounds like a call for my favourite alien.

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Andrewo
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You'll sharp find out as soon as it sets seed, because if it's not bocking 14 you'll have it all over the garden. As far as I know the bocking 14 strain sets seed, but the seeds arem't fertile!

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I have Bocking 14 myself, the leaves are dark green, hairy/spiny and the flowers are purple, sometimes pink.
It is the easiest thing to grow from root cuttings ... just ask someone to divide up a clump with a spade.
NB: the leaves die back naturally over winter.

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If you can't be 120% certain that it is Bocking 14 don't touch it with a bargepole, once it starts self-seeding it is impossible to eradicate. Either ask someone who has the genuine article, or buy a few root cuttings from somewhere like the Organic Gardening Catalogue, then increase your stock from these once they're established. I know it's nice to get stuff for free, but sometimes it can be false economy.

What time of year do the leaves start back into serious growth?

The reason I'm asking is that I'm planning a flowerbed at the front of my plot and I was thinking of putting spring bulbs in it - if I put the comfrey in amongst the bulbs, will it behave itself long enough for me to enjoy the the crocus and daff display (finished by say end of April) or will it grow too vigorously and drown them out? Or is this just a rubbish idea?

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think i might just take some of next doors leaves for the compost bin...and order bocking 14 for next season....cheers team!!

The leaves are usually 'cuttable' for the first time in April here and, as I'm further North, yours may well be a bit earlier, Demeter. My brother lives in Gloucester and his garden is usually 2 to 4 weeks ahead of mine.

Dan, when you take the leaves make sure you don't accidentally take any seeds too.

If next door's isn't Bocking 14, you'll probably end up with some anyway!

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Dan.

I'm posting here as I've got some Comfrey Bocking 14 root cuttings on the go at the moment; if they do ok and take, I'll PM you and send a couple to you.

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