Wait until the second year, then cut leaves for compost or fertilizer tea. Do not drink it.
Wait until the second year, then cut leaves for compost or fertilizer tea — do not drink it
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| First year | Leave the leaves on so the taproot can bulk out | Cutting a new plant to the ground |
| How | Gather a bunch and cut about two inches above the soil; wear gloves | Ripping the crown, or digging roots to eat |
| Use | Compost, chop-and-drop mulch, or a garden fertilizer tea you pour on soil | Drinking the tea, or eating the leaves |
| Cadence | Every two weeks once the clump is established | Stripping every leaf at once on a young plant |
Leave a new plant alone the first season so the taproot can go deep. From the second year, cut leaves a couple of inches above the ground and use them on the compost or as a feed you pour around fruiting crops. Do not drink that tea, and do not eat the plant — the alkaloids can damage the liver. [1] common comfrey and red comfrey take that same wait. Site and water stay on How to Grow Comfrey.
When can I harvest comfrey leaves?
Wait until the second year. Then cut a bunch of leaves about two inches above the ground. You can cut every two weeks through the growing season once the clump is strong.
Can I drink comfrey tea?
No. The garden tea is a fertilizer you dilute and pour on soil. Do not drink it. Do not eat the leaves or roots.
How to harvest comfrey leaves
Cut for bulk, leave enough leaf for the plant to grow back, and keep the hairy leaves off your skin.
- Wait until the second year on a clump you planted. Skip a heavy cut on a plant that is still filling out.
- Put on gloves and long sleeves. The leaves are hairy and can irritate skin.
- Gather a handful of leaves and cut them about two inches above the soil. Do not tear the crown.
- Lay the leaves on the compost, or use them as a mulch around tomatoes and other fruiting crops. You can cut again in about two weeks on a strong plant. [2]
How to make a garden fertilizer tea
Soak the leaves in a lidded bucket, wait until the water turns dark, then dilute before you pour it on soil. This is not a drinking tea. [3]
- Fill a bucket about halfway to three-quarters full of chopped fresh leaves. Wear gloves.
- Weigh the leaves down with a brick, cover with water, and put a lid on the bucket so flies stay out. Set it away from the house — the brew smells strong.
- Wait at least one week, and often two to three weeks, until the liquid is dark. Some gardeners leave it as long as six weeks. [4]
- Strain, then dilute — at least half water, or about one part brew to ten parts water if the mix is strong — and pour it around fruiting plants, not as a drink.
How long do I soak the leaves?
At least one week, and often two to three weeks, until the liquid is dark. Dilute before you pour it on soil. Do not drink it.
If you cut a new plant to the ground this year, stop and let the leaves feed the roots until next spring.
FAQ
Can I harvest comfrey roots?
Do not dig roots to eat or to dry for a drinking tea. The alkaloids are in the roots as well as the leaves. Leave the taproot in the ground and cut leaves only.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Utah State University Extension -
https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/comfrey-in-the-garden - [2] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/symphytum-officinale/ - [3] Old Farmer's Almanac -
https://www.almanac.com/plant/comfrey-plant - [4] Harvest to Table -
https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_make_comfrey_manure_tea/
This note is part of Symphytum Guides.
More harvest timing notes by plant live in Harvesting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors