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4.5
I ordered Comfrey root because I read the leaves are great in compost piles. Sounds odd, but apparently the comfrey plant can pull minerals out of the soil that other plants cannot, and so its leaves are valuable for improving soil on behalf of other plants. They also are a hardy plant that should do well in the mountain region where I live. I was surprised that the root cuttings were so tiny. Some did not even have any little root hairs. It was like planting little potato eyes hoping to get a whole potato plant. Nonetheless, over the course of 3 weeks, 11 out of the 12 have sprouted so far and look vigorous. There's still hope for #12. I did not realize I was getting the type of Comfrey that can only be propagated through root cuttings (not the wild variety that propagates itself extremely well, some would say too well). But seeing what a tiny piece of root can do, I'm satisfied I'll be able to grow a nice big patch of Comfrey, given a few years.May 2017 update: I see the price has increased considerably, and it was pretty expensive last year when I bought these -- $23.59 total last year. But I'm still happy with them. They came back this spring despite a couple late hard freezes after they'd put out leaves - frosty enough to freeze the sugar water in the hummers' feeders -- and they're beautiful. I may keep them just for looks. Not many plants would thrive next to the cement slab where I planted them. Photo included of this year's crop.December 2017 update: It's winter, and I decided that the little bridge over the stream bed needed to be moved -- to exactly where I'd planted the comfrey last spring. So I dug 'em up a week ago before the ground froze too hard. Big shovels full of humongous roots similar to rhubarb. FOUR 5-gallon plastic buckets full of great big roots. I imagine some more will grow around the bridge next spring, as I probably did not get all the little pieces of root. Now. instead of 12 one-inch pieces of root, I have to decide where to plant 4 buckets full. I could not be happier. I'm gonna have the most mineral rich compost in Black Forest, CO
