Hey, fellow gardeners! I’ve been trying out different natural fertilizers in my yard, and I have to tell you about comfrey. Do you want to know if comfrey has a lot of potassium? Well, I’m going to tell you (or should I say,”tea” ).
What Makes Comfrey a Potassium Powerhouse?
Yes, comfrey has a lot of potassium. As a garden blogger who has grown and used comfrey for years, I can say that it’s like nature’s multivitamin for plants.
- Rich in NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) – higher ratios than farmyard manure
- Exceptional source of potassium (K) – crucial for fruit production
- Contains vitamin B12 – one of the few plants that does!
- Natural and free (after buying your first plant)
Types of Comfrey You Should Know About
There’s two main types I wanna talk about
-
Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
- Self-seeds like crazy
- Can get a bit invasive (watch out!)
-
Russian Comfrey ‘Bocking 14’ (Symphytum x uplandicum)
- Sterile variety
- Better behaved in the garden
- My personal recommendation!
Making Your Own Comfrey Liquid Feed
I’m gonna share my tried-and-true recipe for making comfrey tea (warning: it ain’t gonna smell like roses!):
Basic Recipe:
- Fill a bucket with chopped comfrey leaves (pack ’em in!)
- Add water using one of these ratios:
- Little water = black liquid (dilute 1:20)
- Two watering cans (10L) = cola brown liquid (dilute 1:10)
- Full barrel of water = ready-to-use mixture
Pro tip: ALWAYS use a lid unless you want your garden smelling like… well, let’s just say it’s not pleasant!
When and How to Use Comfrey Feed
From my experience, here’s the best way to use this magical plant juice:
- Harvest time: 4x per year (spring through autumn)
- Application: Weekly for heavy feeders
- Perfect for:
- Tomatoes (after flowers set)
- Peppers
- Aubergines
- Squash
- Pumpkins
- Sweetcorn
- Any struggling plants
Growing Your Own Comfrey
Listen up, cuz this is important! Here’s what I’ve learned about growing comfrey:
- Likes shade (perfect for hiding those ugly compost bins!)
- Super low maintenance
- Plant near compost – it’ll catch any nutrients that leach out
- WEAR GLOVES when handling (those hairs can be irritating!)
Mixing It Up: Comfrey + Nettle Power Combo
Want a super-charged garden feed? Here’s a little trick I use:
- Comfrey = high potash
- Nettles = more nitrogen
- Combined = perfectly balanced feed
The Money-Saving Aspect
Why spend $$$ on synthetic fertilizers when you can grow your own? After buying one comfrey plant, you’ll have:
- Free fertilizer for life
- Sustainable garden practice
- Natural, organic solution
- No more expensive store-bought feeds
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from my oopsies:
- Not wearing gloves (rookie mistake!)
- Forgetting the lid (your neighbors won’t thank you)
- Using common comfrey instead of Bocking 14 (hello, invasive nightmare!)
- Not diluting properly (too strong can harm plants)
My Personal Experience
I’ve been using comfrey in my garden for years, and I can’t say enough good things about it. My tomatoes are doing great, and my squash plants are going crazy. Even though it takes some time to get used to (my partner still complains), the benefits are much greater than the smell.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a sustainable, cost-effective way to boost your garden’s potassium levels, comfrey is your best friend. It’s like having a free fertilizer factory right in your backyard! Just remember to hold your nose when brewing the tea, and you’ll be golden!
Do you have any questions about how to use comfrey in your garden? Feel free to leave them below. I love sharing what I’ve learned from gardening.
How to make comfrey liquid fertiliser
- Cut off the leaves about 5cms above soil level. Put on gloves because the stems have rough hairs that can irritate the skin.
- Add about 1 kg of cut or bruised leaves to every 15 liters of water in a bucket or barrel. You needn’t be too precise!.
- Put a lot of pressure on the leaves to cover them with water, and then put the lid on the container.
- After four to six weeks, a nasty brown liquid with a strong smell is ready to be used. There is no need to dilute.
- Take out the sludge at the bottom and put it on the compost pile.
How to use your comfrey liquid fertiliser:
- It can be used to feed tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers in the summer (as soon as the flowers have set fruit).
- For hanging baskets and pot plants.
- For other hungry flowering plants such as clematis and dahlias.
Turn Comfrey Leaves into a FREE High Potassium Plant Food | How to make Comfrey Tea to feed Plants
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