Subject: Re: comfrey tendencies

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 11:04:25 -0400 (EDT)

In a message dated 10/10/97 5:06:37 AM, [email-masked] (Miekal And) wrote:

>For anyone in the know,
>
>I'm wondering about the extent of the invasive tendencies with comfrey
>in a zone 2-3 situation. I'd like to use it as living and cut mulch and
>have heard mention of people interspersing it all over in close to the
>dwelling forest gardens. am confident about safe use of it as a lower
>story in orchards. but i'd like to try it closer in, among our expanse
>of beds (annuals and perrenials) that were planted in a field of quack
>grass - to define the beds and pathways,  and to start filling in
>against the quack and thistles.
>Anyone with helpful speculation about comfrey as a mulch plant or border
>definer in a water abundant zone 4 situation please respond.
>
>cheers
>
>hether

Comfrey is not invasive unless you rototill it.  In that  case you will ge a
zillion little comfrey plant as each root piece develops leaves and makes a
new clone.  To limit or eliminate comfrey, use sheet mulch--probably
something that persists a while.  In zone 2-3, the cool climate sufficies to
make even a few layers of cardboard adequate for that.  Where I live, now, in
Florida, cardboard goes quickly and so we need to replace it promptly or use
something like rugs (mostly made of synthetics nowadays) to temporaily mulch
out the area until the comfrey gives up the ghost.  

For Mother Earth, Dan Hemenway, Yankee Permaculture Publications (since
1982), Elfin Permaculture workshops, lectures, Permaculture Design Courses,
consulting and permaculture designs (since 1981), and now correspondence
courses via email.  Next starts in Oct. 1997. Internships available.
Copyright, 1997, Dan & Cynthia Hemenway, P.O. Box 52, Sparr FL 32192 USA
 [email-masked]  

We don't have time to rush.

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From: Keith Johnson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 21:08:19 -0700

[email-masked] wrote:
> >of beds (annuals and perennials) that were planted in a field of quack
> new clone. 

>  [email-masked]

Hi,Just a note to those of you reading this in areas with gophers. Here
in California, comfrey roots are also eaten by the gophers who will
harvest 100's of short root pieces and then stash them in little pockets
which then sprout into a jungle of comfrey. Whether this happens with
any other rodents, I don't know, but I do know that gophers will also 
store Bermuda grass with the same results. This hasn't stopped us from
growing comfrey, but if we don't harvest the tops regularly, the rest of
the garden can disappear in it.

Keith 	
[email-masked]

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From: Keith Johnson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 21:08:19 -0700

Keith 	
[email-masked]