How to Grow Comfrey
Comfrey At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -34°C
Plant Family
Boraginaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Comfrey grows from the smallest piece of root. In spring, around your last frost, lay a finger-length piece of root flat about 5 cm deep and water it, and new leaves appear within a few weeks. Give each plant 90 cm of room, in a spot where it can stay for good.
The usual garden comfrey, Bocking 14, makes no seed, so it never spreads by seed. But any bit of root left in the soil grows back, so choose its spot carefully, since it is very hard to remove later.
When To Start
Comfrey needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Comfrey?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Comfrey Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Comfrey Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your comfrey root cutting where it can stay for good
Around your last frost
Cut comfrey leaves for mulch, compost or liquid feed
75 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new comfrey plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Hello from your comfrey! Keep the soil moist while the root cutting settles in.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your comfrey is getting established. Let it grow strong this first year before you cut much.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Comfrey's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
90 cm
Plant Spacing
120 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Plant comfrey in full sun or part shade, at the edge of a bed or beside the compost pile.
- 2Dig in some compost at planting, and after that it grows in almost any soil.
- 3Water young plants weekly until they settle, after which their deep roots find their own water.
- 4Comfrey leaves are rich in potash (a plant food that helps fruit and flowers), so it feeds your garden more than it needs feeding.
- 5Cut the plants hard several times a season so they keep making fresh leaves instead of flopping over.
- 6Comfrey is not safe to eat or drink as a tea, since it can harm the liver, so keep pets and grazing animals away from it.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
90 cm
Mature Height
90 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Cut leaves 2 to 4 times a season for mulch, compost or liquid feed
How to Harvest
- 1Once the plant is knee high, cut all the leaves about 5 cm above the crown.
- 2Wear gloves, since the bristly leaves can make your skin itchy.
- 3It grows back in about a month, so you can cut it 2 to 4 times a season.
- 4Lay the leaves around tomatoes, squash and berries as a mulch that feeds the soil as it breaks down.
- 5Add some to the compost pile to help it heat up.
- 6For a liquid feed, pack leaves into a bucket, cover them with water and a lid for 3 to 4 weeks, then mix 1 part of the smelly brown liquid with 10 parts water and pour it around your plants.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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