01/25/2026
So I've moved the business to Louisiana and have spent the last year building up mother stock for the permaculture nursery. I'm giving free classes/workshops in hands on permaculture applications. With that in mind, I'm going to start highlighting individual plants available for sale at the farm, propagated on site, chemical free) This week's feature:
Comfrey - Russian Bocking 14 (sold as 2" root cuttings)
Bocking 14 is a popular, sterile hybrid of Russian Comfrey (Symphytum) valued by gardeners and homesteaders because it won't spread aggressively from seed, though it can still spread from root cuttings; it's a fantastic "dynamic accumulator" for nutrients, providing potassium and minerals for compost, animal fodder (dried), and medicinal uses like poultices (consult a doctor), with its deep roots improving soil and attracting pollinators.
Sterile Hybrid: Cannot reproduce by seed, preventing invasive spreading.
Root Propagation: Propagated only by root cuttings, making it easy to control its location.
Nutrient Powerhouse: Deep roots mine nutrients (potassium, calcium, etc.) from subsoil, making them available in leaves for compost and mulch.
Dynamic Accumulator: Excellent for "chop-and-drop" mulching, improving soil fertility.
Uses in the Garden & Homestead
Fertilizer/Compost: Leaves are high in potassium, great for compost or liquid fertilizer ("comfrey tea").
Animal Fodder: High protein content, but best wilted or dried as some animals dislike fresh comfrey.
Pollinator Plant: Flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects.
Living Mulch: Chop leaves to create a nutrient-rich mulch around trees and shrubs.
Soil Improvement: Deep roots break up clay soil and aerate the ground
Border barrier: The dense mass of leaves on this plant can literally block invading grasses from intruding on ground beds.
