I got garlic around all the trees, onion seed, beans, and would love to put in comfrey. I put in the trees, then added berry bushes in between, onion, dill, garlic, and would love to add rosemary. Next winter, I will be digging up the daffodils in the yard to part the bulbs and move some into the orchard. I don't know what I am doing but I keep on planting!
I like how you guys sometimes go back and give us little refresher on the why and how you do things and they also double as a update on how things are going in y'all's system. Thank you guys for this great video. We all greatly appreciate it. Have fun take care
Michelle thank you for continuing to participate. We viewers love to hear from you as well. As a kid we always found our asparagus which grew so naturally in the orchards in the spring. That was before they started using herbicides so badly.
Awesome video my friends. VERY INFORMATIVE!!!!! We just ordered more fruit trees to plant as well, gonna be planting them this week and thanks to y’all’s teaching our trees will never be alone again. I love learning more about permaculture I’m actually fascinated with it because it makes so much sense, just like GOD intended it to be and as HE actually created it all in the beginning. I would say the Permaculture way is GODS WAY! Thank y’all. Always great to see Michelle in the videos by your side Billy. 👍🏻🙏🏻😇🙌🏻☀️☀️
So glad to hear your comments about my #1 favorite, Comfrey, that I would never be without. I never believed the misinformation. Thank you for sticking up for a super friend of humanity.
I love that you used the word design. It screams that God is a great designer. He designed nature to work and be self sustaining. When man got involved we messed up the design. Great to see you guys using nature the way it is intended. GOD bless
I’m in an apartment and want to plant around the trees here. The wildlife is bananas here though. I’m chancing it with my 3 fabric pots. I’m trying! Apartment-Steader in the making.
Good to see you my friend! 🌳🌳🌳🌳❤👍😁🙏🙏🙏🙏 I can't help notice that you seem better this video. I could be wrong, but the last couple videos you seemed a little down. Sorry if I am totally wrong. Every hold your head up! All we need is our faith & each other!
I’m starting my fruit tree guilds. I have your comfrey, garlic, onion and some sedum so far. Definitely looking at the yarrow and herbs next. Love this topic. Thanks Michelle and Billy.
Great info!! I am one of those that’s addicted to starting seeds so when they all live, I definitely find myself getting creative and planting things in any spot I find free. I have 1/3rd an acre urban lot and no grass to mow anywhere on it and I love it! Perennials are definitely my friends! I’m glad to see more of Michelle in videos lately, she’s smart and way better looking than Billy! 😝 - Just teasing!! Y’all are a beautiful couple and you work well together in videos!
Dang it Billy. I now feel bad because the four trees I planted this year are by themselves except for the mulch. There goes another day or two, I’ll get them some companions and ask for forgiveness. As always thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. One day I’ll send you a video of cooking in compost!
Wonderful! Thank you for the video. Perfect timing as we are planting over 100 trees this month as well as the garden and now know I can mix our love for medicinal plants that take over with trees! Yea! Still learning and growing after years of gardening. Thanks again for sharing what others don't!
Thanks so much for the wonderful content you create! I enjoy every video mainly due to the information you provide but also I love the personality of you, your wife, and your son. Keep up the great work please!
David the Good does the same type of garden which he refers to as "grocery row gardening" and he puts annuals in with his fruit trees and bushes. I love it and so do the bumble bees in my area. I'm aiming for annuals for today and perennials for tomorrow. I'm glad that people today are not saying our garden just have to be one or the other. What I remember of my parent's garden was that it was long straight rows of just one plant. This type of growing veggie, fruits and herbs is so much nicer and more productive. Y'll keep growing and God bless your little old pea picking hearts (live according to Tennessee Ernie Ford) and as for me, bring on the next video!
I have been battling dock for years. Those roots are ridiculous. This year I am just harvesting frequently and using it to mulch and recharge my compost piles. Also started guilds where I planted fruit trees. Thanks for the inspiration!
Another gem! Got my wheels turning…. Thank you Billy and Michelle. 😊 While I sure do get a kick out of being responded to personally, I would never be offended otherwise! As ur chanel grows you may not be able to keep up with that and I think we would all be ok with that. I enjoy watching ur chanel grow, you all deserve it! Such a valuable resource! 😊 Thank you again!
I love onion and I started growing Egyptian Walking Onions 5-6 years ago. They are perennial, and one crown in the ground multiplies to anywhere from 3-8 shoots the next year. Meanwhile you harvest green onions at least twice a year. I can cut them off at ground level as wanted for my meal leaving the crown and roots and they grow back. In summer they send up flowering stalks that turn into bulblets on top that can fall over and plant themselves. Or once mature you can snap a cluster off and plant the entire cluster in one or two chunks of what looks like onion sets to grow even more. Mid-August (here in Colorado) I cut off the flowering stems so the energy goes into producing a second crop of green onions later in the fall. Someone told me they even cook the larger bulblets as well. I love always having onions. no stored bulbs. Just green onions in salads, omelets, soups, stews, one dish meals, in rice and in noodles. ( I just get large bulb onions at the store.) Also, besides garlic you can grow garlic chives, use like you would chives, that give lovely white flowers and lots of seeds. So both are perennials that are available in early spring. So are my Swiss Chard. I have about 20 scattered in my landscape that wintered over. I had assumed when they go to seed the second year that they would turn bitter like lettuce, but they don't, you cut back stalks and they regrow more good eating leaves. You just keep harvesting the outer leaves, and leave a few to grow on to mature seeds for storage. Also great food for your animals.
Oh this is so timely for me! A cherry tree, grapes, blueberries and elderberry sticks delivered yesterday. I have comfrey roots in the fridge, strawberries and mullien on the back porch just waiting to be planted this weekend. Had 70+ moh sustained winds last weekend followed by a hard frost and violent storms are moving in here in a few hours but after today we should be ready to play in the dirt!
Have y’all had any success with growing vines like grape up a apple tree!? I saw someone do it but I haven’t had that kind of success. Makes since vines grow up trees!
@@skipdunham1596 we’ve never actually done it before but I’m looking forward to trying it when these trees are much larger. Vine layer is one of the seven essential layers of a forest. I’m thinking that I might try some nitrogen fixing vine though.
Billy and Michelle, we're in zone 8, can comfrey take hot direct sun? I planted an apple tree and I'd like to plant comfrey around it. Does freeze kill it back and it come up again. yes, planting annuals and herbs around trees is new to me. I want to get pine chips, but weedy grass is what we have now. I'm saving boxes to go around existing trees and raking leaves around them to stay too. Y'all are helping me learn a new way, thank you!
I plant garlic around my fruit trees....same as comfrey in never getting rid of it. Haha.Also planted daffodils by my blackberries. So great to see like minded folks.
Love your Channel didn't think it could get much better but hearing more from brilliant Michelle does that. Y'all are great tag- team and love hearing your collaboration it's double the richness. Just had my first year Food Forest birthday in urban Memphis. Trees for last year and I'm adding herb and vine layers, getting more exciting now.
What common comfrey species do you grow? Thanks to you guys I have been researching it and the health benefits are incredible. I have a three year old daughter that has mucus building up in her lungs nonstop. She has been to so many specialists and they don’t have a clue what’s wrong. They finally said they believe it’s autoimmune disease. The doctors have said if she gets sick the likely hook of her surviving is very low. All they can do is fill her with drugs and antibiotics of which are not working. They have tried to pull the fluid off her lungs but it literally bubbles right back up immediately. There are many herbs, roots, plants, etc. that I am researching in hopes to eventually help her lungs, mucus build up, and asthma. When I researched comfrey it can be a benefit. Of course I would never give anything until I feel 100% sure of doses, use, species, etc. I will definitely do my homework first before I would do anything. I have just recently found your channel but have REALLY enjoyed it. Looking forward to creating this kind of habitat of self sustaining plants and animals on our land. Thank you for all the great info!
This video was so helpful!! We are in growing zone 6b. Learning what needs to be grown in our food forest specific to our zone has been a little tricky for me to find. I am so thankful to have found this channel and for the content you put out!
Billy I love this method of growing you are talking about. I've got Elderberry growing and I want to add blueberries and I cant wait to figure out what I want to grow around them. Thanks. And I will be using the Bone sauce in my garden this weekend to see if I cant chase away a ground hog.
Such great information! I have horrible rocky clay, but refuse to give up on planting. I live in town and have restrictions, but I'm making a compost pile, bought comfrey from y'all, got a couple apple trees to get planted, and want a fig, peach, and black raspberries. Working on my little garden area too. I'm inspired now to plant some stuff around my trees out front too. Thanks y'all!!
I like the idea of rosemary and thyme strawberries we have clover 🍀 white red and purple clover around our fruit trees but we are looking forward propagate the new comfrey and some blueberries and our elderberry your videos make me Get out a note pad so I don’t forget all the wonderful ideas we can put into our swales great video keep up the good work this was an extra good one because I was mulching trees today took a break to see this new video 🤙🏻
I spent first year trying to keep weeds out, then found out so called weeds have many benefits so now I call my food forest organized chaos. I have trees and berries interspersed along with all sorts of plants both annuals and perennials. Last year salvia and coreopsis where on clearance so grab a few and added them. Extra kale and tomatoes not tossed but planted. Best crop of potatoes I had last year were the ones that I tossed in the ground just to see what would happen, didn’t do anything to them, no hilling, no fertilizer, was shocked. Never thought about strawberries have dedicated area for those, now I have to take some of my strawberries and add it. Strawberries are great ground cover on hill area I have, they are growing in pure clay and doing fabulous job with erosion control.
@@langstroth9334 I added some different Junebearing Strawberries, not sure which ones as I lost tags on beds, I took a few and then let them grow and send out runners. Nothing has disturbed them so far which is surprising.
I just ordered some comfrey from y'all. I hope it does ok up here in Wisconsin. I'm really looking forward to seeing your video on the many uses of comfrey. Thanks!
Yeah! Awesome! That's abundance. I worked with comfrey chop 'n drop, grew rhubarb from seed. The comfrey works great and keeps coming back after I cut it to smother weeds and feed the soil. But LOL! I started a variety of rhubarb that likes a growing zone north of me. DOH! Now I'm looking for a southern rhubarb...if there is such a thing? Anyone?
Can you help us out with a tutorial on electric fencing? I personally am wondering about the chicken fence but knowledge in general is always a good thing. I wanna know it all! What works best for chickens. Solar powdered versus AC. Controlling birds of prey would help also since I am a complete novice. A babe in the woods.. 😎
We’ve done several videos on that… but I’m not sure we would be able to find them at this point. I’ll see what we can do in the future about covering more of that my friend!
I like that you make sure that its better to have it in even if its not perfect. I live in a smaller town (big yard) and so many people grow nothing and use space as an excuse. You can prune, keep them small and put them closer than those tags say. I have a quick question if you happen to see it. I have one comfrey, its never done great where it is if I dig it can I just divide roots and hope to get more? Its been there about 10 years so its established.
What a fabulous video- Michelle Thank You for your input as this was very valuable to me. I only have small backyard vegetable garden (very abundant) but have the most fabulous dwarf Mango tree & lemon tree & will take your advice planting around them also. Cheers Denise- Australia
I agree with never having enough comfrey. I've used it for years and my most favorite healing salve uses comfrey root. I've known folks who drink the tea their whole lives and have no issues.
Yall just answered my questions about the comfrey. I planted 2 peach trees in the same area last year and wanted to plant something nearby. Me and my grandaughter have chickens and rabbits and this was my intentions for them to get some comfrey. Will be getting back with you very soon to order. Thank you guys great channel. Take care
Thanks for this video, really helpful information, perennial systems is definitely a growing interest of mine as well. I really like the idea of putting strawberries as part of a guild, I'm thinking what else I can add to the mix of all the orchard I planted last year who seem lonely
I’m letting my comfrey get larger to recover from the chickens eating it to the ground last year. Then I’ll divide and get some root cuttings to put around my fruit trees and nitrogen fixers, also have yarrow seeds. Also want to get mullein and horseradish. I’m trying to plant a Fibonacci-shaped herb garden. Once the mimosas come up, I’m going to plant them next to the fruit trees. They pop up everywhere. Also have Siberian Pea shrub cuttings coming. Had no luck finding thornless Sea Buckthorn, maybe next year. Also want Goumi berries and Egyptian Walking onions. I planted one but it hasn’t yet done anything.
Update: I met an associate pastor from church, just by chance (I believe God was answering some of my prayers) and he was asking another friend of mine whether he knew of anywhere to dump stump grindings from a tree he just removed. I said, Dump them at my place. So we shoveled a huge trailer load into my raised beds. As we were talking I was explaining what I’m trying to do. Well, he has an uncle who owns a mini excavator and said we could do all of those projects in a day or two! And he knows plumbing, so between him and the church, I may have indoor plumbing sometime soon! And a storm/root cellar, junk pile removal and perhaps a few swales I’d like to put in! Talk about being blessed, I was overwhelmed with joy and it choked me up when he also gave me his coal shovel. Tomorrow he’s also bringing venison for my freezer. Then this afternoon, as I was finishing piling wood chips on my 6x40’ Hügelkultur mound, a neighbor lady stopped by to introduce herself. Her husband has a tractor with a loader, a post hole auger and a box blade. I felt like a kid on Santa’s lap. What a day! Praise Jesus, he is so very good to me.
I just got your comfrey yesterday. Started planting it today. Although I didn't realize it needed to be further from the trees. I have the space, should I dug it up and replant further out?
Any ideas on what to do about clay soil? I medically retired out of the Army a couple years ago and ended up moving back into a house that I bought when I was stationed near Fort Knox, KY. I'm trying to use 1.5 acres for different stuff and I'm trying to deal with really tough clay soil. So far I have resorted to buying lots of compost for a garden, but I wonder if there are plants that I could put in instead of all the grass that can break up this clay soil.
When you planted your trees, did you put bonemeal mixed at the bottom of the hole with compost? I went to a store the other day to get eggs, they had none, wow 😮!
My most recent plantings of fruit trees and berry plants have been following your way. I've planted tree and berries together instead of berries in one spot and trees in another spot and planted comfrey with all. My question is peppermint and bee balm, I keep them confined because they are invasive, would they benefit the trees and plants or harm them.
I have my invasive mints & plants planted in giant pots or cattle lick tubs that I put holes in the bottom and then sink them halfway into the ground so they don't dry out as fast. I also made some of the tubs into wicking tubs and sunk them up to the drain hole. The invasive plants haven't escaped yet, but I also carefully collect any seed heads and trim them back when the seeds are not dried yet to keep them where they're supposed to be. The trick is remembering to take the time to do that when it's further from the house and you might not see it every day.
Joanne Shedd your bee balm will spread but its slow and super easy to dig up or thin, mine is in the ground and ive had no problems with it. Mint is another story and i would definitely keep that potted
Trying to incorporate this approach in my new fruit tree orchard... interested in the blueberry use. Do you have the right soul acidity to get those blueberries to flourish? Might be my own regional issue...
As I am senior and will be moving to live (zone 5) with daughter and son-in-law while I can get around good still. Do you know if the altitude 8100Ft will limit the choices of zone 5 recommended plants
I'm trying to start a guild this year and trying to settle on my primary fruit tree. Underneath I'll have comfrey, rhubarb and maybe strawberries or blueberry. Or all of the above. Is there any good literature about guilds? And, for the growth on your tree with the black locust, will the other nitrogen fixers do well or does it need something like a locust or mimosa with it?
I am in WV live on family owned property and know what yarrow is but not sure about comfrey. What places are good to research for my area to do some of the things you are showing. Somethings don't grow well here what do you recommend.
I got garlic around all the trees, onion seed, beans, and would love to put in comfrey. I put in the trees, then added berry bushes in between, onion, dill, garlic, and would love to add rosemary. Next winter, I will be digging up the daffodils in the yard to part the bulbs and move some into the orchard. I don't know what I am doing but I keep on planting!
I like the way you roll Ann!
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 Your videos are inspiring. A great addition to the reading I have been doing to help me fumble forward.
Another great permaculture video. We're getting lots of comments on soil PH in permaculture. Maybe we could do a podcast on it .
If I could get two minutes to rub together around here I would love to set you up for an interview my friend!
Got my comfry planted and just waitin'. Shabbat shalom y'all!
Blessings to you and your comfrey Bobbi! Thank you so much for your business!
My comfrey roots from y'all just emerged! So happy. N.E. Arizona.
That’s what I’m talking about
Comprehensive comfrey video would be great!
We hope to get it done in the near future my friend!
I like how you guys sometimes go back and give us little refresher on the why and how you do things and they also double as a update on how things are going in y'all's system. Thank you guys for this great video. We all greatly appreciate it. Have fun take care
Thank you so much my friend
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 you are very much welcome
Michelle thank you for continuing to participate. We viewers love to hear from you as well.
As a kid we always found our asparagus which grew so naturally in the orchards in the spring. That was before they started using herbicides so badly.
Hopefully she’ll read your comment to Dwight. I keep trying to get her into these videos.
looking forward to the comprehensive comfrey video!
We will try to get it done in the near future.
Awesome video my friends. VERY INFORMATIVE!!!!! We just ordered more fruit trees to plant as well, gonna be planting them this week and thanks to y’all’s teaching our trees will never be alone again. I love learning more about permaculture I’m actually fascinated with it because it makes so much sense, just like GOD intended it to be and as HE actually created it all in the beginning. I would say the Permaculture way is GODS WAY! Thank y’all. Always great to see Michelle in the videos by your side Billy. 👍🏻🙏🏻😇🙌🏻☀️☀️
Super excited for the comfrey videos!
Thank you so much
So glad to hear your comments about my #1 favorite, Comfrey, that I would never be without. I never believed the misinformation. Thank you for sticking up for a super friend of humanity.
Thank you so much Mary!
Im super happy Michelle has been in more videos, i feel like she has so much knowledge to spread to the world
I hope she reads your comment because it’s like pulling teeth to get her to do videos sometimes!
I'll second Jess' opinion! My wife loves hearing about how things coexist together in the garden.
I love that you used the word design. It screams that God is a great designer. He designed nature to work and be self sustaining. When man got involved we messed up the design. Great to see you guys using nature the way it is intended. GOD bless
Thank you so much for the vote of confidence my friend!
I am going to add understory plantings to all of my fruit trees. Thank you for teaching us about this!
He will not be disappointed Trina!
They need some company and a little music also 🥰 gotta sing to them
You might have any chirping on this next video
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 get some Mozart playing ❤️
I planted comfrey and flowers that benefit my trees
That’s what I’m talking about
I am working to make my trees less lonely this year thanks to what I have learned from you guys, thank you and my trees thank you too
Thank you so much Kimberly
It's looking great Billy and Michelle. I like the thought of the strawberries in between with the comfrey. God bless have a great weekend
Thank you so much my friend
Very beautiful
Wow don't plant in isolation. Lightbulb moment. Thanks.
Nothing likes to be alone my friend
I’m in an apartment and want to plant around the trees here. The wildlife is bananas here though. I’m chancing it with my 3 fabric pots.
I’m trying!
Apartment-Steader in the making.
I’ve seen it done on apartment balconies!
Good to see you my friend!
🌳🌳🌳🌳❤👍😁🙏🙏🙏🙏
I can't help notice that you seem better this video. I could be wrong, but the last couple videos you seemed a little down. Sorry if I am totally wrong. Every hold your head up! All we need is our faith & each other!
Your intuition serves you well my friend! Blessings as always!
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 Thank you.
I’m starting my fruit tree guilds. I have your comfrey, garlic, onion and some sedum so far. Definitely looking at the yarrow and herbs next. Love this topic. Thanks Michelle and Billy.
You sound like you’re off and running Debbie!
One of your best videos! Super informative.
Thank you so much my friend
Great info and love seeing my sister showing off her skills 👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏻😇. I’m assuming elderberry would be a nice addition??
Great info!! I am one of those that’s addicted to starting seeds so when they all live, I definitely find myself getting creative and planting things in any spot I find free. I have 1/3rd an acre urban lot and no grass to mow anywhere on it and I love it! Perennials are definitely my friends!
I’m glad to see more of Michelle in videos lately, she’s smart and way better looking than Billy! 😝
- Just teasing!! Y’all are a beautiful couple and you work well together in videos!
She is much smarter and prettier than me!
I agree! Michelle is very knowledgeable! Love when she is in the videos!
I love this. I recently purchased Rick Austin's books on food forest. Following the way God Himself put it is the best way to me.
I’m right there with you my friend!
Comfrey is also medicinal..bruises.fractures.soaps.lotions. Coughs gastro etc. I'll be ordering more next month 😊
You can’t lose with comfrey!
Dang it Billy. I now feel bad because the four trees I planted this year are by themselves except for the mulch. There goes another day or two, I’ll get them some companions and ask for forgiveness. As always thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
One day I’ll send you a video of cooking in compost!
That’s a video I can’t wait to see!
Wonderful! Thank you for the video. Perfect timing as we are planting over 100 trees this month as well as the garden and now know I can mix our love for medicinal plants that take over with trees! Yea! Still learning and growing after years of gardening. Thanks again for sharing what others don't!
Blessings to you and your trees my friend!
I need a lot of that 🤷🏻♀️💯😂
Thanks so much for the wonderful content you create! I enjoy every video mainly due to the information you provide but also I love the personality of you, your wife, and your son. Keep up the great work please!
Thank you so much Marcy!
David the Good does the same type of garden which he refers to as "grocery row gardening" and he puts annuals in with his fruit trees and bushes. I love it and so do the bumble bees in my area. I'm aiming for annuals for today and perennials for tomorrow. I'm glad that people today are not saying our garden just have to be one or the other. What I remember of my parent's garden was that it was long straight rows of just one plant. This type of growing veggie, fruits and herbs is so much nicer and more productive. Y'll keep growing and God bless your little old pea picking hearts (live according to Tennessee Ernie Ford) and as for me, bring on the next video!
Thank you so much Nancy
My wife an I are learning this and try to use it in our little homestead acre.
That’s what I’m talking about
Very good idea, if you don't planted, weeds will take over.🤗🤗 Billy, let Michelle talk a little too😊
I have to practically pull teeth together to talk as much as she did.
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 😂😂😂 she will come around sooner or later...hopefully
I have been battling dock for years. Those roots are ridiculous. This year I am just harvesting frequently and using it to mulch and recharge my compost piles. Also started guilds where I planted fruit trees. Thanks for the inspiration!
I’m so glad this information helps my friend
Another gem! Got my wheels turning….
Thank you Billy and Michelle. 😊
While I sure do get a kick out of being responded to personally, I would never be offended otherwise!
As ur chanel grows you may not be able to keep up with that and I think we would all be ok with that. I enjoy watching ur chanel grow, you all deserve it!
Such a valuable resource! 😊
Thank you again!
Thank you so much Ashley!
It’s starting to bother me that I can’t keep up with comments. If people take the time to write then I love to write back!
That’s why this channel is so special. You treat us as you would like to be treated. 😊🙏
I love onion and I started growing Egyptian Walking Onions 5-6 years ago. They are perennial, and one crown in the ground multiplies to anywhere from 3-8 shoots the next year. Meanwhile you harvest green onions at least twice a year. I can cut them off at ground level as wanted for my meal leaving the crown and roots and they grow back. In summer they send up flowering stalks that turn into bulblets on top that can fall over and plant themselves. Or once mature you can snap a cluster off and plant the entire cluster in one or two chunks of what looks like onion sets to grow even more. Mid-August (here in Colorado) I cut off the flowering stems so the energy goes into producing a second crop of green onions later in the fall. Someone told me they even cook the larger bulblets as well. I love always having onions. no stored bulbs. Just green onions in salads, omelets, soups, stews, one dish meals, in rice and in noodles. ( I just get large bulb onions at the store.) Also, besides garlic you can grow garlic chives, use like you would chives, that give lovely white flowers and lots of seeds. So both are perennials that are available in early spring. So are my Swiss Chard. I have about 20 scattered in my landscape that wintered over. I had assumed when they go to seed the second year that they would turn bitter like lettuce, but they don't, you cut back stalks and they regrow more good eating leaves. You just keep harvesting the outer leaves, and leave a few to grow on to mature seeds for storage. Also great food for your animals.
I am fan of comfrey growing all around the tree. Every year it dies back in the winter and leaves choke out the grass around my apple tree.
That’s one of the many things I love about comfrey!
My replacement fruit trees just came today for the ones that didn't survive their first winter. Excited to plant this weekend
I’m always excited to hear about other people planting anything!
Oh this is so timely for me! A cherry tree, grapes, blueberries and elderberry sticks delivered yesterday. I have comfrey roots in the fridge, strawberries and mullien on the back porch just waiting to be planted this weekend. Had 70+ moh sustained winds last weekend followed by a hard frost and violent storms are moving in here in a few hours but after today we should be ready to play in the dirt!
That sounds wonderful my friend
Great information you 3 ! I have always loved companion planting!
That’s the way nature does it!
Have y’all had any success with growing vines like grape up a apple tree!? I saw someone do it but I haven’t had that kind of success. Makes since vines grow up trees!
@@skipdunham1596 we’ve never actually done it before but I’m looking forward to trying it when these trees are much larger. Vine layer is one of the seven essential layers of a forest. I’m thinking that I might try some nitrogen fixing vine though.
Billy and Michelle, we're in zone 8, can comfrey take hot direct sun? I planted an apple tree and I'd like to plant comfrey around it. Does freeze kill it back and it come up again. yes, planting annuals and herbs around trees is new to me. I want to get pine chips, but weedy grass is what we have now. I'm saving boxes to go around existing trees and raking leaves around them to stay too. Y'all are helping me learn a new way, thank you!
Comfort can definitely handle zone eight my friend. Blessings to you and yours!
I plant garlic around my fruit trees....same as comfrey in never getting rid of it. Haha.Also planted daffodils by my blackberries. So great to see like minded folks.
Great minds think alike Lynn!
Excellent!!!
Thank you so much my friend
TY! Blessings
Thank you and blessings to you and yours
Love all your great information, wish I understood permaculture more. Thank you
Keep studying surely! It’ll all make sense in time.
Great info, as always! I would love a video on something to help with ticks!
Guinea fowl absolutely love to eat ticks
Little Ozark‘s Farmstead set it all right there! Nothing is better!
Yarrow is a blood stabilizer and styptic.
Yes it is
Love your Channel didn't think it could get much better but hearing more from brilliant Michelle does that. Y'all are great tag- team and love hearing your collaboration it's double the richness. Just had my first year Food Forest birthday in urban Memphis. Trees for last year and I'm adding herb and vine layers, getting more exciting now.
🌼very helpful
Thank you very much Kim
I grow many of these things near my trees as well, but the comfrey does so I will have to try that again
Give it a shot my friend
What common comfrey species do you grow? Thanks to you guys I have been researching it and the health benefits are incredible. I have a three year old daughter that has mucus building up in her lungs nonstop. She has been to so many specialists and they don’t have a clue what’s wrong. They finally said they believe it’s autoimmune disease. The doctors have said if she gets sick the likely hook of her surviving is very low. All they can do is fill her with drugs and antibiotics of which are not working. They have tried to pull the fluid off her lungs but it literally bubbles right back up immediately. There are many herbs, roots, plants, etc. that I am researching in hopes to eventually help her lungs, mucus build up, and asthma. When I researched comfrey it can be a benefit. Of course I would never give anything until I feel 100% sure of doses, use, species, etc. I will definitely do my homework first before I would do anything.
I have just recently found your channel but have REALLY enjoyed it. Looking forward to creating this kind of habitat of self sustaining plants and animals on our land. Thank you for all the great info!
Thank you so much for the kind words Tabatha!
The variety of comfrey we use is called Russian bocking number four.
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 Thank you so much!
This video was so helpful!! We are in growing zone 6b. Learning what needs to be grown in our food forest specific to our zone has been a little tricky for me to find. I am so thankful to have found this channel and for the content you put out!
Would be very interested in a “what the heck is comfrey for?” Video. 😬
We will try to put one together very soon.
Beautiful! Thank y'all.
Blessings, julie
Thank you very much Julie!
Hey Dr Billy n michelle 🥰🌳 🌳🌳ty tips
Thanks for the video, we enjoy everything you guys put out. We ordered the 50ct comfrey from you all. I can't wait til it starts popping up.
Thank you so much for your business my friend!
Disorderly order….looks messy, but they all work together to produce well and do great!
That’s what I’m talking about
Need to plant me some
Right on!
Billy I love this method of growing you are talking about. I've got Elderberry growing and I want to add blueberries and I cant wait to figure out what I want to grow around them. Thanks. And I will be using the Bone sauce in my garden this weekend to see if I cant chase away a ground hog.
I’m not sure it works on groundhogs but best of luck my friend!
Such great information! I have horrible rocky clay, but refuse to give up on planting. I live in town and have restrictions, but I'm making a compost pile, bought comfrey from y'all, got a couple apple trees to get planted, and want a fig, peach, and black raspberries. Working on my little garden area too.
I'm inspired now to plant some stuff around my trees out front too. Thanks y'all!!
I like the idea of rosemary and thyme strawberries we have clover 🍀 white red and purple clover around our fruit trees but we are looking forward propagate the new comfrey and some blueberries and our elderberry your videos make me
Get out a note pad so I don’t forget all the wonderful ideas we can put into our swales great video keep up the good work this was an extra good one because I was mulching trees today took a break to see this new video 🤙🏻
I’m so glad that stuff helps
Do you have a list of all the things to put around tree/bush? Just found you guys a week ago and this is what I have been looking for!!! Keep it up!!!
We haven’t made a comprehensive list but you could find one in the book called Gaia‘s Garden.
I’m still trying to learn all this and still so lost 😂🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Hang in there Judy! It gets easier.
I spent first year trying to keep weeds out, then found out so called weeds have many benefits so now I call my food forest organized chaos. I have trees and berries interspersed along with all sorts of plants both annuals and perennials. Last year salvia and coreopsis where on clearance so grab a few and added them. Extra kale and tomatoes not tossed but planted. Best crop of potatoes I had last year were the ones that I tossed in the ground just to see what would happen, didn’t do anything to them, no hilling, no fertilizer, was shocked. Never thought about strawberries have dedicated area for those, now I have to take some of my strawberries and add it. Strawberries are great ground cover on hill area I have, they are growing in pure clay and doing fabulous job with erosion control.
That sounds awesome Terri!
what type of strawberries?
@@langstroth9334 I added some different Junebearing Strawberries, not sure which ones as I lost tags on beds, I took a few and then let them grow and send out runners. Nothing has disturbed them so far which is surprising.
@@Terri_Stauffer thnks
I just ordered some comfrey from y'all. I hope it does ok up here in Wisconsin. I'm really looking forward to seeing your video on the many uses of comfrey. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your business my friend!
Yeah! Awesome! That's abundance. I worked with comfrey chop 'n drop, grew rhubarb from seed. The comfrey works great and keeps coming back after I cut it to smother weeds and feed the soil. But LOL! I started a variety of rhubarb that likes a growing zone north of me. DOH! Now I'm looking for a southern rhubarb...if there is such a thing? Anyone?
I’ve never grow in a whole lot of rhubarb here in North Carolina.
Can you help us out with a tutorial on electric fencing? I personally am wondering about the chicken fence but knowledge in general is always a good thing. I wanna know it all! What works best for chickens. Solar powdered versus AC. Controlling birds of prey would help also since I am a complete novice. A babe in the woods.. 😎
We’ve done several videos on that… but I’m not sure we would be able to find them at this point. I’ll see what we can do in the future about covering more of that my friend!
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 Thank you very much good sir. I called myself looking, but I may have looked straight at it and.... You know the story. 😎
Very informative and inspiring indeed!! Big thank you!!
I like that you make sure that its better to have it in even if its not perfect. I live in a smaller town (big yard) and so many people grow nothing and use space as an excuse. You can prune, keep them small and put them closer than those tags say. I have a quick question if you happen to see it. I have one comfrey, its never done great where it is if I dig it can I just divide roots and hope to get more? Its been there about 10 years so its established.
What a fabulous video- Michelle Thank You for your input as this was very valuable to me. I only have small backyard vegetable garden (very abundant) but have the most fabulous dwarf Mango tree & lemon tree & will take your advice planting around them also. Cheers Denise- Australia
As long as it's not invasive or competes with one another
I agree with never having enough comfrey. I've used it for years and my most favorite healing salve uses comfrey root. I've known folks who drink the tea their whole lives and have no issues.
I’m right there with you!
Do you and your family eat comfrey? Thanks for all of the suggestions!
Yall just answered my questions about the comfrey. I planted 2 peach trees in the same area last year and wanted to plant something nearby. Me and my grandaughter have chickens and rabbits and this was my intentions for them to get some comfrey. Will be getting back with you very soon to order. Thank you guys great channel. Take care
Thank you so much for your support my friend! Best of luck with the Comfrey!
Thinking about putting comfrey randomly throughout the pastures for the cows...thoughts?
Not a bad idea because generally don’t mess with it unless they are ill.
From what I’ve read cattle like it better wilted than fresh.
Thank you for great videos!
Yarrow stops bleeding, plus takes the pain away. Just apply the leaves to the cut. You'll be amazed
Thanks for this video, really helpful information, perennial systems is definitely a growing interest of mine as well. I really like the idea of putting strawberries as part of a guild, I'm thinking what else I can add to the mix of all the orchard I planted last year who seem lonely
Hi Billy I live in zone 4 Quebec Canada I don't think I can grow comfrey here, but what other nitrogen fixers could I grow?
Check out Stefan Sobkowiak. He’s probably the best orchardist on the planet and he’s Canadian.
Great video, excellent content. I just found yalls page and loving all the good information! Keep them videos coming
Thank you so much and welcome aboard my friend
yarrow is good for using with a wound.....it helps to stop bleeding.
Did yall till that area up or pot drop holes?
We almost never till.
I’m letting my comfrey get larger to recover from the chickens eating it to the ground last year. Then I’ll divide and get some root cuttings to put around my fruit trees and nitrogen fixers, also have yarrow seeds. Also want to get mullein and horseradish. I’m trying to plant a Fibonacci-shaped herb garden. Once the mimosas come up, I’m going to plant them next to the fruit trees. They pop up everywhere. Also have Siberian Pea shrub cuttings coming. Had no luck finding thornless Sea Buckthorn, maybe next year. Also want Goumi berries and Egyptian Walking onions. I planted one but it hasn’t yet done anything.
Hang in there brother. I will probably come around soon
Update: I met an associate pastor from church, just by chance (I believe God was answering some of my prayers) and he was asking another friend of mine whether he knew of anywhere to dump stump grindings from a tree he just removed. I said, Dump them at my place. So we shoveled a huge trailer load into my raised beds. As we were talking I was explaining what I’m trying to do. Well, he has an uncle who owns a mini excavator and said we could do all of those projects in a day or two! And he knows plumbing, so between him and the church, I may have indoor plumbing sometime soon! And a storm/root cellar, junk pile removal and perhaps a few swales I’d like to put in! Talk about being blessed, I was overwhelmed with joy and it choked me up when he also gave me his coal shovel. Tomorrow he’s also bringing venison for my freezer.
Then this afternoon, as I was finishing piling wood chips on my 6x40’ Hügelkultur mound, a neighbor lady stopped by to introduce herself. Her husband has a tractor with a loader, a post hole auger and a box blade. I felt like a kid on Santa’s lap. What a day! Praise Jesus, he is so very good to me.
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 Maybe by June I’ll have more to show for my efforts with my recent blessings.
Ain’t God good? Honor Him and wait for the blessings that He promised us. Blessings .
I just got your comfrey yesterday. Started planting it today. Although I didn't realize it needed to be further from the trees. I have the space, should I dug it up and replant further out?
You will probably be happier if it is 3 to 4 feet away but it’s not a big deal.
❤ love it
Thank you my friend
Any ideas on what to do about clay soil? I medically retired out of the Army a couple years ago and ended up moving back into a house that I bought when I was stationed near Fort Knox, KY. I'm trying to use 1.5 acres for different stuff and I'm trying to deal with really tough clay soil. So far I have resorted to buying lots of compost for a garden, but I wonder if there are plants that I could put in instead of all the grass that can break up this clay soil.
We have always used the instant garden method for heavy clay soil.
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 Thanks for the reply. I'll research into that.
When you planted your trees, did you put bonemeal mixed at the bottom of the hole with compost? I went to a store the other day to get eggs, they had none, wow 😮!
Is there a rule of thumb for how many comfrey plants needed per square foot?
Not that I’m aware of. I personally think that you can’t plant too much.
My most recent plantings of fruit trees and berry plants have been following your way. I've planted tree and berries together instead of berries in one spot and trees in another spot and planted comfrey with all. My question is peppermint and bee balm, I keep them confined because they are invasive, would they benefit the trees and plants or harm them.
Both are wonderful in their own ways but I would be careful with that peppermint.
I have my invasive mints & plants planted in giant pots or cattle lick tubs that I put holes in the bottom and then sink them halfway into the ground so they don't dry out as fast. I also made some of the tubs into wicking tubs and sunk them up to the drain hole. The invasive plants haven't escaped yet, but I also carefully collect any seed heads and trim them back when the seeds are not dried yet to keep them where they're supposed to be. The trick is remembering to take the time to do that when it's further from the house and you might not see it every day.
Joanne Shedd your bee balm will spread but its slow and super easy to dig up or thin, mine is in the ground and ive had no problems with it. Mint is another story and i would definitely keep that potted
What is the variety of your comfrey?
Bocking #4
Trying to incorporate this approach in my new fruit tree orchard... interested in the blueberry use. Do you have the right soul acidity to get those blueberries to flourish? Might be my own regional issue...
We have found that blueberries do just fine in an environment that is heavily mulched with wood chips.
A UGA extension office had a couple of farmers talk to us about blueberries. They said Azalea fertilizer and pine straw are a blueberry's friend.
As I am senior and will be moving to live (zone 5) with daughter and son-in-law while I can get around good still. Do you know if the altitude 8100Ft will limit the choices of zone 5 recommended plants
I really don’t have experience growing at that elevation but I suspect that it might be difficult.
I'm trying to start a guild this year and trying to settle on my primary fruit tree. Underneath I'll have comfrey, rhubarb and maybe strawberries or blueberry. Or all of the above. Is there any good literature about guilds? And, for the growth on your tree with the black locust, will the other nitrogen fixers do well or does it need something like a locust or mimosa with it?
Check out any books by Toby Heminway. You can learn a great deal about guilds.
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 Thanks! I need more comfrey so I'll be ordering from the site soon!
Will the rabbits and deer eat the strawberries? The do eat my fruit tree leaves? I have to keep a fence around them.
I am in WV live on family owned property and know what yarrow is but not sure about comfrey. What places are good to research for my area to do some of the things you are showing. Somethings don't grow well here what do you recommend.
Your local garden club is always gonna be your best source Deborah.
@@PermaPasturesFarm21 thanks you.
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what is the difference between comfrey and borage?