I believe that permaculture has the potential to be an absolute game changer for the world of agriculture, and this thought has inspired me to create a series discussing some of the best plants for a permaculture garden. Honestly, I have no idea as to how long this series could last, but I hope it is as interesting for you as it is for me.
The first plant that I will discuss is comfrey, one of the best taproots in the world.
What is it?
Comfrey is a perennial herb that has large green leaves and can reach heights of about 1m. The height above ground is matched below, with the taproot being a sort of mineral ‘miner’. The minerals it accumulates from the subsoil is brought into the leaves, and when they are used as a mulch they basically act as a fertiliser.
How to grow it?
Comfrey is definitely one of the hardiest plants kicking around, and you are likely to not have any problems growing it. It doesn’t need any fertiliser because of it’s taproot, and it’s water usages are also greatly reduced due to this too. I imagine that it grows quite well in all places, but I have heard that it can become dormant in the winter in really cold climates, which is expected.
The recommended way to plant it is through root cuttings, which is not only highly effective but also cheap. It can spread when you disturb the roots, so any cultivation around them isn’t highly recommended unless you want new plants.
Uses:
Comfrey is a plant that can be utilised for a myriad of things. The main use is simple cut and drop mulch, which is not only easy but also effective at getting the nutrients from the subsoil into the topsoil. The second major use is something called comfrey tea. This is created by soaking several leaves in a body of water for a week or more, and then watering it on. The nutrient uptake is quicker here but the amount of organic matter isn’t the same. There are several other uses but I am not going into them as I am not sure what the legitimacy of the claims are.
Pros:
Easy to grow
Versatile
Great for improving the soil
Is easy integrated into any guild
Cons:
Can become weed like
Doesn’t produce any food
Image source: Permaculture Research Institute