How to get rid of comfrey in garden plot - Ask Extension
We were assigned a garden plot that had previously been full of comfrey. They removed the comfrey prior to giving us the bed but now it's coming back ...
Knowledgebase
How to get rid of comfrey in garden plot #874056
Asked June 21, 2024, 11:27 AM EDT
We were assigned a garden plot that had previously been full of comfrey. They removed the comfrey prior to giving us the bed but now it's coming back and within a few days, it started overwhelming out some of our new seed areas. I have two questions. Is comfrey actually dangerous to pregnant women and others? And, how do we get rid of it?
Dakota County Minnesota
Expert Response
You will have to as your doctor about comfrey and pregnancy. However, I can tell you that you need to wear rubber gloves when removing comfrey. It contains oils that can cause significant problems. The previous person probably just removed the top of the plants but did not dig out the roots. That will have to be done in order to get rid of it and do not rototill, that will just break the roots into several pieces which will each produce a new plant. This information from the University of Washington has some good advice: https://depts.washington.edu/hortlib/pal/on-eradicating-comfrey-roots/
