How to grow borage

Borago officinalis · Boraginaceae · Herb

Borage is a cool-season herb in the Boraginaceae family, almost always sown straight into the ground where it will grow. It wants full sun, though it tolerates a little afternoon shade in hot regions and steady, even moisture. From sowing to first pick is about 55–75 days. It shrugs off a light frost but a hard freeze will damage it.

Grower’s note: Grown mainly for its brilliant blue star flowers, which draw in bees and are edible with a cucumber taste. A big, bristly, fast annual that reseeds everywhere once established - a traditional companion near tomatoes and squash.

Sowing

Sow about 0.5″ deep, into soil between 55–80°F — germination is quickest near 68°F. It comes up fast (5–15 days). It does not transplant well, so sow it in its final position rather than starting it in pots.

Spacing & layout

Give each plant about 12″ along the row with roughly 18″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 1 per square foot. Allow at least 12″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 12″ deep.

Fitting it to your season

As a cool-season crop, borage does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. A second sowing in late summer, timed to mature as the weather cools, is usually the better crop of the year — though a hard freeze will end it.

Quick facts

When to plant borage

Companions

Common problems

Pests: aphids.

Diseases & disorders: powdery mildew.

Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.