oldtimer1 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 (And found some! Referred to as the russian type?) The russian type is different to bocking #14 (if I remember correctly) in that bocking #14 is sterile. I've always used russian comfrey,I presume? in that it has always been a weed in the gardens I've had,rather than being introduced?. As an aside OT,have you any recommendations for a supplier of bocking#14 cuttings or are they all much of a muchness? as I'm hoping this year to have a comfrey bed at the allotment and don't really trust anyone to give me true bocking#14 as opposed to russian comfrey. You can get them from the organic gardening online shop But I'll send you some in a month or two if you want. Each bit of root only an inch by an inch need planting 2.5 to 3 ft apart in a row, within two years it will be like a constant row of leaves 3 ft wide that can be cut to the ground 4 to 6 times a year.. The bocking clone lines were selected from the Stevenson strain, hundreds of plants were tested. You really do not want comfrey with viable flowers, it would seed every where, once a plant is growing they are very very hard to kill.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twig Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 ot1 would it be easier to control in a pot,regarding the seeds spreading? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer1 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 ot1 would it be easier to control in a pot,regarding the seeds spreading? Bocking #14 is a self sterile clone line so seeds are not a problem. I don't think you understand, comfrey roots deep into the subsoil many feet down, it mines/extracts minerals and nutrients concentrating them in its foliage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twig Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 ot1 would it be easier to control in a pot,regarding the seeds spreading? Bocking #14 is a self sterile clone line so seeds are not a problem. I don't think you understand, comfrey roots deep into the subsoil many feet down, it mines/extracts minerals and nutrients concentrating them in its foliage. now i do .so a grow in any size pot would not produce a viable comfry plant .thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer1 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 ot1 would it be easier to control in a pot,regarding the seeds spreading? Bocking #14 is a self sterile clone line so seeds are not a problem. I don't think you understand, comfrey roots deep into the subsoil many feet down, it mines/extracts minerals and nutrients concentrating them in its foliage. now i do .so a grow in any size pot would not produce a viable comfry plant .thank you Comfrey can grow in a pot, but it can only extract the potash its roots are in contact with, in real soil, there are huge reserves of nutrients locked up in the soil, comfrey is very good at getting them especially potash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O.G. Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 But I'll send you some in a month or two if you want. Thanks OT,I'll certainly take you up on the offer and send a PM about March? (£1.20 seems a bit steep for something so vigorous and easy to grow!). Totally off topic now,but I've got to thank both you and Joolz for rekindling my interest in gardening (Joolz for the site and you for the organic gardening advice),I'll admit and say that I'd given up on gardening, something that had always been a big part of my life but since I've been a member here, the leaf bin is back in action,I've taken an allotment on,there are plans for bees,asparagus beds,poly tunnels,worm bins etc . Its nice to be back gardening naturally even if some of my thinking stems from years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randalizer Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Its nice to be back gardening naturally even if some of my thinking stems from years ago. Not only that, if the world goes tits up, people with skills like yours will be in high demand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Zimbra Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 No point growing in a pot then being as it must be in it in thefirst place, yes going awAy from the topic some... but usefull all the same! did the natural gardener get back to you about the castings? I asked them same thing before and they said it cost to much to ship, I also said I could pick up as I often worked in that area at the time but they were reluctant as they didn't have a shop as such just a storage place. Hopefully with the economic downturn they may be more willing to make money, they are very nice people tho. I will be using the castings I salvaged in the next few days, my brewer needs a re- build first and I'll let you know how good they are after I use the brew. But to update my new years brew it's been amazing, it's past it now and I'll have to bin it but I got a good few feeds from it and it's set the girls off lovely, huge boost for them! Just what the doctor ordered, I remain convinced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Zimbra Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 I found a mushroom growing in one of my pots this morning! I am very happy about this as it's a sign of a healthy soil, the soil also has a great bounce to it, it's just what I was hoping to get I only wish I was more on the ball with it and had done sooner. But I remain a happy man and my girls are happy too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O.G. Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 did the natural gardener get back to you about the castings? they are very nice people tho. They did mate and apparently they have mixed up this batch so have no more castings left and as you say they are very nice people to deal with so shall probably buy something off them just because I believe in what they are doing. I can,I believe,recreate what they are doing,it just may take some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randalizer Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) So here is a shot of my newly constructed brew shelf system. Included are shots of my 3 teas bubbling away. These are fresh made, but no Morbloom. For the mineral (hummis, leonardite) and compost additives (earthworm castings, hi P bat poo), I use a blender filled with warm water, add the ingredients and blend before adding to the mix. Edited January 5, 2009 by Randalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randalizer Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) Droids with their lil hats on. If you wonder why I put the glass vessels in containment systems (cimplete with drip tray) look in the 2nd picture. You can see what happened the first time I tried this without a containment system. It's the stain on the wall. The stain also indicates how much lower the previous shelf there was. Edited January 5, 2009 by Randalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Zimbra Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 did the natural gardener get back to you about the castings? they are very nice people tho. They did mate and apparently they have mixed up this batch so have no more castings left and as you say they are very nice people to deal with so shall probably buy something off them just because I believe in what they are doing. I can,I believe,recreate what they are doing,it just may take some time. Haha yep good folk! I like the look of the seaweed, I haven't looked at their site for a while I'll have a look later, had a news letter thing off them a while back and they now stock the old root..? The mycorizial fungi stuff, if I were to purchase some again I'd get it from them for the same reason as yourself. The randalizer I wish I was as organized as you! What's all the pipe work for? If you dont mind my asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randalizer Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) The blue pipe is the irrigation feed for my trays. They terminate with recycled tire rubber emitters that weep water onto the coir chunk mulch that tops each pot in me trays. More details in me 2nd diary. I'm only organized as I'm obssesive/compulsive and I install complex systems (electrical, carpentry) for a living. Edited January 5, 2009 by Randalizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Zimbra Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 I could tell you were a skilled man randalizer, in an earlier picture you put up The one with the shelf I noticed how well made it looked for such a purpose... If you know what I mean and the way you tapped the ends of the nails over on them clips,16mm? Haha and the fact you thought ahead and didn't hammer them right in, but I'd have run the pipe more neatly! Hats off to you sir your a very clever and able man! I think I'll spend tonight flicking through your diary for sure! Ive had a cleen up today, long overdue! And have re- built my brewer not that there's much to it but it needed it. So in a couple of hours I'll start the more bacterial brew with the castings from the coir mix, should work out that it'll be ready for me to feed them on wednesday morning. I've had a wee brainwave for my next brewer as this one isn't powerfull enough I feel, so I'll get the bits together, build and test it and if it's any good I'll post the step by step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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