Long grown for its medicinal uses, Comfrey is a favorite among herbalists and permaculture gardeners alike. Traditionally, Comfrey is used as a healing herb to be rubbed raw or as a salve onto rashes, lesions, sore joints, and broken bones. But to gardeners, comfrey is also celebrated as an effective Dynamic Accumulator.

Dynamic Accumulators are plants that send down deep roots that access and collect nutrients too deep for many other plants. As a consequence of its deep tap root Comfrey leaves are rich in nutrients which can be shared with other plants in the garden.

One way to take advantage of Comfrey’s high nutrient yield is by using it as a “green mulch.” Comfrey is a hardy perennial that can easily return after being cut down. Chop down your comfrey leaves with a machete or a weed wacker and spread the resulting leaves around perennial gardens, veggie gardens, or fruit trees. Not only will this serve the purpose of a traditional mulch - keeping moisture in and shading out weeds - it will provide a slow release of nutrients and organic matter as the leaves begin to decompose.