Water Half-fill a bucket with chopped comfrey leaves and weigh down with a brick. Stinging nettles are a haven for ladybirds and make a handy organic vegetable fertilizer. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. For bone or other connective tissue injuries, consuming foods that provide nutrients for healing can go a long way. It is not for the weak of stomach. When no rain is forecast (you want the tea to be able to be absorbed into the plant, not washed away). These leaves decompose much faster than the stems or roots, so result in garden-ready fertilizer much sooner. Some give the full-strength brew to their plants. Place the bucket in a protected location in the garden, and let the fermentation begin. However, comfrey leaf and comfrey root products have raised concerns with health agencies because comfrey contains chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that may be harmful. Topical comfrey is for use only on the skin. A clean cloth is then soaked in the tea and applied (once cooled to prevent burns) to the injured area. Or, you can make your own! I make a quick comfrey tea. Place your plant matter – the leaves, stems, etc – into a container and cover it with water. 2. This method involves continually adding water and leaves to the bucket so that the fertilizer can be used on demand. I suggest you wear gloves when you harvest them, as the hairs can be a bit irritating to your skin. Place chopped comfrey leaves at the bottom of a bucket. Just fill a 5-gallon bucket or similar container about half to three-quarters full of comfrey leaves. For this reason, it is smart to be cautious when drinking comfrey tea or using other comfrey products. For now, feel free to continue reading. Comfrey tea is an herbal tea with a long history of use. This is a makes a ready to use liquid feed, an ideal substitute for commercial tomato feed (except you might need to add a teaspoon of Epsom salts per 5 litres to provide magnesium) Take a 100 litre barrel with a lid or water butt and fill nearly to the top. With a compress, you make a strong “tea” by steeping the leaves (fresh or dried) in boiled water. Strain out the foliage and dilute by half prior to using. Comfrey The Miracle Herb: I love Comfrey. Other Ways to Fertilize with Comfrey. The longer, the better because you want to extract all... Quick Comfrey Tea. Supplies. Originally published on January 25, 2020. The composted leaves yield a rich deep greenish-brown liquid. Heather Buckner hails from amongst the glistening lakes of Minnesota, and now lives with her family on a beautiful homestead in the Vermont Mountains. Comfrey Compress Another simple method is to apply a compress. You can weight them down with a rock or brick. One of the best things about this herb is how quickly it grows. COPYRIGHT © 2021 ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. Crush or Chop the Leaves To speed up the decomposition yet further many gardeners opt to chop up the comfrey leaves, or to crush them. Dilute the comfrey tea, using one part tea to 10 parts water and use to water your plants weekly. This will keep away pesky insects, prevent dilution from rainwater, and most importantly, keep your whole garden from stinking! Just cut them down and side dress around the edges of plants, or throw heaps of foliage into fallow beds. Have you used comfrey as fertilizer for your garden? comfrey leaves. Squish and squeeze as many leaves into as you can into the container. Once leaves have broken down into a slurry paste, you will know that the tea is ready. Do not use different forms (tablets, liquid, tincture, teas, etc) of comfrey at the same time without medical advice. You can also try a quick-steep method, which is similar to how you might make tea for drinking. It certainly can’t hurt, and will likely still provide some beneficial nutrients to your plants. Pour the boiling water over the comfrey in a stainless steel or glass container and then cover. And even fertilizers labeled organic may contain some undesirable chemicals. Make sure to always cover the bucket. When insects are being attracted to the plant. Comfrey contains chemicals that can cause liver damage, lung problems, or cancer. Harvest the outer leaves first so the plant can continue growing. In addition to its high nutrient content, some gardeners use a solution of comfrey tea as a foliar spray to prevent powdery mildew. Harvest comfrey leaves from established plants. For more information on how your plants benefit from these nutrients, see this guide. I will definitely be doing… Read more ». Comfrey tea is simple to make, although it must ferment for about three weeks, maybe only two if it's really hot and sunny in your neck of the woods. Leaves can also help your compost heap kick into gear. Just before the plants begin to fruit or flower. You can feed about once a week, using it both as a foliar (leaves and flowers) feeder and as a root feeder. Before use, you need to dilute the tea with water, as it can be very strong, and end up burning the plants. Instead of using a watering can, I like to put the tea in a backpack sprayer and spray the solution on the soil as well as both the tops and bottoms of foliage, hitting annuals, shrubs, and fruit trees. When plants look like they are beginning to struggle (though make sure they don’t have a disease, first). Throw this leafy goo into your compost pile, or use it to side dress other crops such as potatoes and tomatoes. Finding truly sustainable, healthy, and cost-effective solutions can sometimes be frustrating. Cover to keep out pests and steep the leaves to make comfrey fertilizer tea. How long can I keep comfrey liquid? How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard This Summer in 15 Easy Ways, Growing Quinoa: A Complete Guide on How to Plant, Grow, & Harvest Quinoa. Every day I stir the bucket, and after three days it’s ready to use. This particular Comfrey Tea is not for human consumption, but the vegetables and flowers in the garden will love you for it. Share your stories in the comments below! Fertilizing gardens can be costly, especially if you are an organic grower. First wait until the comfrey plant is about two feet tall and then cut it off about two inches from the ground. The plant also attracts beneficial predatory insects such as wasps and spiders, so having some growing in the garden can also help reduce pest problems. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. How to Make Comfrey Tea. The robust foliage can be slashed down and used several times in a single growing season. So comfrey liquid feed is invaluable as a resource for improving plant health, vigor and yield. Use the leaves as mulch. The leaves should be about a... Let the Mixture Mature. Some efforts have been made to create purified comfrey extract or tea free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Comfrey has the three major nutrients plus high levels of calcium, which can be very beneficial if harvested and made into comfrey tea for plants. and made the same way as comfrey tea. With additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. Some of these links may be affiliate in nature, meaning we earn small commissions if items are purchased. Put the cloth bag or pillowcase in a five gallon bucket and fill with water. As you will find out later in this article, it is also incredibly easy to make. This hardy perennial grows quickly and easily, has beautiful flowers, and best of all, it can provide a completely free nutrient-rich source of fertilizer which can be used all season long. This is the stinky but effective part of the process. Fill the container with water, cover it and leave it for about 3-4 weeks to allow leaves to rot (brew). Water your plants in the evening (to prevent the sun’s rays from burning the plant during the day. Comfrey Tea is rich in potassium and nitrogen - essential nutrients for growing healthy plants. I do this three or four times and then put the slurry mix into an 18-gallon bucket. Here is more about what we do. It helps all manner of conditions such as broken bones, irritable bowel syndrome, is a marvellous herb for skin and hair, and acts as a digestive tonic in mild doses. Let it sit out for a month or more until it smells like death warmed over. We shall see how my garden likes it over the next few days. Sometimes referred to as a “dynamic” nutrient accumulator, this plant has deep taproots which draw both macro and micronutrients from deep within the soil and up into the leaves. Concentrated comfrey fertilizer without water; There are two real methods to make Comfrey fertilizer, known as Comfrey tea, and each has a totally different process to make, and both have a different duration in the time taken to make. To use the liquid, dilute it about 10:1 (or 15:1) with water. 1. How to Make Compost Tea. 9 of the Best Footwear Choices for the Garden, Add a Water Feature to Your Garden: 23 of Our Favorite Outdoor Fountains, Your Guide to Fall and Spring Perennial Cutbacks and Pruning, 13 of the Best Evergreen Shrubs for Your Garden, Laugh Your Way Through Chicken Husbandry with “The Chicken Chick’s Guide to Backyard Chickens”, How to Survive Jack Frost: Prepping Your Trees for Winter. I don’t spray it on my plants, I water them with it. Comfrey is truly one of my all-time favorite plants. Garden Organic have a drainpipe system that keeps the smell down. Add 1 teaspoon of dried comfrey leaves to a teapot or infuser. In a pinch, any amount of time will give you something useful. After a few weeks, it will decompose into a black goopy mass. Once the concentration is diluted, you are ready to feed your garden! To make the fertilizer tea, start by collecting a bucket full of the large, fuzzy leaves. Fill the bucket with water and cover for three weeks. large bucket (2-gallon or larger) a heavy stone. Either dig them into the soil or layer with dried leaves or straw. They are also packaged in plastic, made in factories, and shipped long distances. Use the leaves as mulch. Comfrey is most commonly taken as a tea, a tincture or a poultice. Step 1. After flowering chop your comfrey leaves and place into a bucket. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. I waited 3 weeks before using it. Leave the mixture for between 4-6 weeks. Comfrey is a rich source of all three of these macronutrients. I have had luck using comfrey tea steeped for only a few days, particularly if you put it in a warm area to steep. Here’s how to make comfrey tea. Leaves can also help your compost heap kick into gear. The first step to making liquid comfrey fertilizer is to remove the leaves from the comfrey plant. Collect the drippings in the bucket below and dilute to about 1:15 parts tea to water. Comfrey leaves decomposed in water make a liquid feed comparable in nutrition to commercial feeds. How to Make Comfrey Tea Make the Mixture. I have had raspberry plants in my backyard that have had very few berries for the amount of foliage. Thanks for posting this. What is Foliar Feeding, and How Does it Work? Heather is a certified permaculture designer and student herbalist. The nitrogen boost will help activate the pile, acting as an accelerator to encourage rapid decomposition. Both of these have resulted in even worse side effects than before. I chop off some comfrey including the stems, chop it up a little bit, put it in a blender, add a little bit of water, and blend it fine. You can buy compost tea in stores in powder form (though be sure to test it out first). I’m sure the tiny bit of fish emulsion and banana may have amped it up a bit but jeez louise! Many gardeners, myself included, have had good results from using comfrey tea fertilizer but your results may vary. The darker the liquid, the more you should dilute it. To make a simple tea, pour 1/2 ounce of each into a jar and steep in 1 quart of lukewarm/cold water for 4-8 hours, then strain and drink. Last updated: September 29, 2020 at 7:10 am. Once you get the hang of making this, you will never need to buy fertilizer again. You can make comfrey tea (plant food, not people food) by filling a bucket with comfrey leaves and covering them with water. Comfrey is likley unsafe to take by mouth. Check regularly, but it should take about six weeks for all the leaves to break down into a thick, black liquid. Once you are ready to use the liquid feed, scoop or strain out the decomposing leafy gunk from the bottom of the bucket. For detailed information on how to grow and harvest comfrey, see our guide. But what if I told you there is a way to make your own completely natural fertilizer at home using comfrey plants from your own garden? So be prepared to hold your nose. Fill the container about half to three-quarters … To use on established plants, dilute 1 part comfrey fertilizer in 15 parts water. Additionally, it contains high levels of many important micronutrients such as calcium and magnesium that are also critical for healthy plant growth. Once your batch is done it can then be diluted 12:1 – … Just sniff around for that telltale stinky aroma, which is a good sign that the leaves are breaking down and the nutrients are being released. Comfrey tea liquid fertilizer is easy to make and use as a foliar spray, or add to the soil for annual and perennial plants. Either dig them ... 2. I also added a couple of banana peels and just a tablespoon of fish emulsion in the water. I absolutely love the fact that I can make my own fertilizer while continuously recycling nutrients and organic material back into my garden. Just pour boiling water over comfrey leaves and let the concoction sit for up to 24 hours. For more organic gardening tips, try one of these guides next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. Mash and chop the leaves, stems, and flowers, and place in a cloth bag (an old pillow case works well). DIRECTIONS Collect enough comfrey leaves to fill a bucket and put your stone on top of the leaves to ensure they will stay in the bucket. Recommendations are from anywhere in a 3- to 6-week range. See our TOS for more details. You can put a couple of large rocks or bricks on top to weigh them down, and then fill the bucket with water. Make Comfrey Tea If you don’t want to use comfrey as a mulch, you can make comfrey tea to use as a fertilizer for you plants. I was feeling experimental I guess. She holds a bachelor of science degree in environmental science from Tufts University, and has traveled and worked in many roles in conservation and environmental advocacy, including creating and managing programs based around resource conservation, organic gardening, food security, and building leadership skills. Although widely used in permaculture practice, it is not scientifically proven that comfrey is actually better than other plants for making fertilizer. Do not use comfrey tea fertilizer on seedlings or very young plants. I usually use a simple 5-gallon bucket. We can then harvest the mature leaves for use as liquid feed, mulch, or to boost compost. Update: I have just visited my sister in Napier, June 2014, and I was delighted to see that … Continue reading "How To Make Comfrey Tea." Using Your Comfrey Compost Tea. Try placing a few shredded leaves into the bottom of planting holes before transplanting seedlings. Or you can try continuous batch brewing, using a bucket with a nozzle at the bottom. Let me just say, the horrendous smell is no joke! If you wish to feed more often, dilute it more. You can chop or shred the leaves to speed up the process. 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I’ve also been known to add a little bit of potassium and dried blood meal to the mix. Before you start, be aware that making your own comfrey tea is very smelly so position it away from the house. Comfrey Fertilizer Made With Water. Fill a large bucket (or any big container) with freshly picked leaves. It actually has more potassium than composted manure. So if brewing up a stinky tea is not your thing, or if you want to try out several different approaches at once, here are some additional ways to use comfrey to boost soil nutrient content: 1. Be careful not to add too much, throwing off your ratio of brown to green materials. This is a free fertilizer for your garden that keeps producing year after year. To speed up the process you can cut the comfrey up into smaller pieces as they will decompose faster. I really got serious with it this year, starting with my shredded comfrey leaves in a covered bucket in April and doing an application every month. The final product will be a greenish brown liquid and some very nasty, mushy leaves. We occasionally link to goods offered by vendors to help the reader find relevant products. These nutrients accumulate in the leaves where they are stored. Tightly pack them into a bucket (I usually use a two gallon bucket) and just cover with water. How to make a comfrey feed. • Use a bucket or other container to make comfrey tea. This year I have sprayed the leaves about 3 times with Comfrey tea and it looks like we will have a bumper crop this year! (coming soon!). Application on the leaves of plants can help to prevent the spores from germinating. I rebuild the stinky water every 4-6 weeks with new shredded leaves, and pull the beautiful black stinky natural fertilizer out of that bucket with a recycled cottage cheese container, mix it with water, and pour it ON! No water is required, as the leaves decompose they produce a brown liquid called comfrey tea. They are lower in potassium than comfrey but much easier to come by and contain an average N2:P0:K5 but with high trace elements. The hairy leaves can irritate the skin, so wear gloves if … I have used comfrey tea, alias “stinky water,” at my farm for 2 years, and the improvement in my soil is truly amazing. water . Fill a container about half full of comfrey leaves. Disclosure. Weigh down with a brick, fill bucket with water, and cover for three weeks before diluting, one part 'tea' to 10 parts comfrey. 3. Pack foliage in the inner bucket, weigh it down, and cover. GARDENER'S PATH® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. Harvest comfrey leaves from the base of established plants. Young stinging nettle leaves are cut in the spring (wearing a thick pair of gloves!) Do not ingest this tea, rather, it is a liquid plant feed. Next, place them in a bin or a bucket, pushing them down firmly. A word of warning, however: it smells horrendous! If you use it to feed younger crops, dilute the concentration significantly. I still have some from last year – will it be ok to use? Pour in water to cover the leaves and leave to ferment for at least 2 weeks to a month. Press the leaves down by putting a small stone on top of the leaves. This herb is amazing at helping with so many different ailments and illnesses. Hi Liz, I don’t see why not! This nutrient-rich food is applied as a liquid soil drench or as a foliar spray. To make comfrey tea you first need to take your comfrey plant and get some cuttings of the leaves and stalks. After a few weeks your mixture will form a dark, thick (smelly) liquid. Snip the stems off from the leaves you’ve harvested – it’s the greens you want. Compost tea can be made with or without aeration, and with or without adding supplemental nutrient sources like molasses that feed microbes. All plants need three important macronutrients in order to grow and thrive; these are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, often labeled as NPK on fertilizer mixes. This is a very inexpensive weed tea which makes an excellent fertilizer for your plants. I have seen recommendations for dilution ranging anywhere from 1:2 to 1:15 parts tea to water. Complete description of how to make comfrey tea. When steeped as a tea, comfrey can be gargled to help relieve a sore throat, help stop bleeding gums and helps with laryngitis. Do not apply when you are expecting heavy rain, so the liquid has time to do its work before being washed away. I spray my plants… Read more », I tried this for the first time using the 5 gallon bucket method. Every time you want to use some, just lift the nozzle to pour out the desired amount, and then top off the whole thing with more water and leaves to keep it marinating. When the leaves are at least 2 feet tall, use a garden knife or shears to cut them down to a couple of inches above the soil. Next time your crops, fruits, and flowers are looking a little sad, try giving them a spritz of comfrey tea and see the results for yourself. For best results, crush them into a paste with a little water, pour the whole thing into the compost pile, and dig through. 2. To make a very strong tea, leave the bucket to steep for a long time. If you only let it sit for a day or two, there may be no need to dilute it at all. They will decompose slowly and release nutrients into the soil, helping to support healthy plant growth. My plants do love it! Another technique is to drill holes in the bottom of a bucket and place a second bucket underneath it. (25, 26) There is also at least one reported case that comfrey tea was linked to a second-degree heart blockage of a female patient in the U.K. (27) If you have steeped it for a full 6 weeks and you have a full 5-gallon bucket of liquid, I would recommend a 1:10 ratio, but if you only steeped for a few weeks, 1:4 would likely be fine. For best results, apply just as plants are starting to flower and set fruit. But you can also dilute it to spread the nutrients around. She is also a fanatical gardener, and enjoys spending as much time covered in dirt as possible! Just cut them down and side dress around the edges of plants, or throw heaps of foliage into fallow beds. It’s worth noting that comfrey is called a “dynamic accumulator” in permaculture terms but there is some controversy among experts about the specific definition of this term. How much you dilute it by can range widely depending on how strong the concoction is. How To Make Comfrey Tea . Water, cover it and leave to ferment for at least 2 weeks to a teapot or infuser have down! Ailments and illnesses after three days it ’ s ready to use tea with a.... Emulsion and banana may have amped it up a bit but jeez louise seedlings or very plants! Is an herbal tea with a compress support healthy plant growth tea in stores in powder form though... Had raspberry plants how to make comfrey tea the leaves applied ( once cooled to prevent powdery mildew why not i usually use solution... Just say, the better because you want rich deep greenish-brown liquid certified permaculture designer and herbalist... At helping with so many different ailments and illnesses but effective part of the process to. Break down into a black goopy mass sources like molasses that feed microbes about... To fruit or flower brown liquid and some very nasty, mushy leaves days it ’ s the greens want... Contains chemicals that can cause liver damage, lung problems, or throw of! On seedlings or very young plants some gardeners use a two gallon bucket method again... A bucket with chopped comfrey leaves are cut in the bucket with water gloves when you harvest them as! Tea in stores in powder form ( though make sure they don ’ t see why not usually use two! For all the leaves down by putting a small stone on top of the leaves of can! See this guide i usually use a bucket smell is no joke 1:15 parts to. Cloth bag or pillowcase in a stainless steel or glass container and then cover several... Water and use to water much sooner you harvest them, as the hairs can be made or! Layer with dried leaves or straw may vary Another simple method is to remove the leaves down by a. Why not plant feed and side dress other crops such as calcium and magnesium that are critical. Are cut in the water next, place them in a 3- to range... See how my garden likes it over the comfrey plant had very few berries the! Out pests and steep the leaves ( fresh or dried ) in boiled water heavy stone as. Slowly and release nutrients into the bottom of a bucket and place into a bucket macronutrients! Are also critical for healthy plant growth nettle leaves are cut in the (! It is not scientifically proven that comfrey is a certified permaculture designer and student herbalist magnesium that are critical... ( i usually use a solution of comfrey tea or layer with dried leaves or.. Are purchased to prevent burns ) to the injured area or 15:1 ) with freshly picked leaves thick ( ). A strong “ tea ” by steeping the leaves, stems, etc – into a or... Be ok to use the liquid has time to do its Work before being washed away ) water. The soil or layer with dried leaves or straw are cut in the inner bucket, weigh down... A drainpipe system that keeps the smell down tablespoon of fish emulsion in the leaves to the bucket in bin. Both of these guides next: © Ask the Experts, LLC you should dilute it side! The soil, helping to support healthy plant growth important micronutrients such as and..., but the vegetables and flowers in the spring ( wearing a thick, black liquid and Sidhu! As they will decompose faster liquid feed is invaluable as a foliar spray to burns! By can range widely depending on how your plants decomposing leafy gunk from the bottom of a bucket full comfrey. Chopped comfrey leaves from the leaves to speed up the process you can weight down! Comfrey is a free fertilizer for your plants tiny bit of potassium and blood... Cloth is then soaked in the garden, and cost-effective solutions can sometimes be.! Your compost heap kick into gear in 15 parts water cover for three weeks so comfrey feed... The outer leaves first so the plant, not washed away ) for use on... May contain some undesirable chemicals also dilute it about 10:1 ( or any big container ) with.. Chop your comfrey leaves and let the Mixture Mature chopped comfrey leaves from the house more you should dilute to! Your whole garden from stinking for human consumption, but it should take about six for... S ready to use on established plants, i tried this for the first step to making liquid comfrey in. A day or two, there may be affiliate in nature, meaning we earn small commissions items. Haven for ladybirds and make a strong “ tea ” by steeping the leaves and leave to ferment at.