How to protect my comfrey over winter?

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What, if anything, should I do to my comfrey to protect it over the winter? Do I mulch it? Cut it back first? I've never grown comfrey before and have three surviving plants (out of six) that are doing great and I don't want to lose them. All suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), October 09, 2001

Answers

I usually just cut the dead back. We have serious winters here and they never have a problem surviving.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), October 09, 2001.

Dianne, I live in the deep freeze of Michigan and am unable to KILL mine so I would say you have to do nothing. I have it growing in many different places and it ALWAYS comes back. (good thing I like it huh?) ;>)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), October 09, 2001.

To be sure just put some loose straw around your plants. Comfrey is invasive and probably next year you may be asking how to halt its growth.It attracts bumblebees like crazy

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), October 09, 2001.

I, also, do absolutely nothing. We're zone 6 and it survives just fine on it's own. Just like other "weeds". It won't hurt it to baby it this year but probably in a year or two you'll be saying to yourself "I can't believe I use to take the time to...."

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), October 09, 2001.

NOTHING will kill comfrey! The only way I have done it is by painstakingly digging up every sliver of root that I could find, then cutting off every little leaf that pops up, then keeping the sun off any other shoot that comes up by placing black plastic on top of the plant held down with a rock. Even then, you have to watch to make sure every piece is dead.

Don't worry about mulching the thing, it won't die if you don't want it to.

-- Mary in East TN (barnwood@preferred.com), October 11, 2001.



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