HerbsBoraginaceae
Borage.
Pollinator magnetDeer-resistant
At a glance
The spec sheet.
- Direct sow / out
- May 15
- Germ
- 7–14 days
- Days to harvest
- 55 to bloom
- Spacing
- 18"
- Depth
- ½"
- Square-foot
- 1 per square
- Qty target
- 3–5 plants scattered through the garden.
Plant
Direct sow after last frost. Self-seeds enthusiastically — one planting keeps giving.
Care
No fertilizer needed — thrives in poor soil. Pinch off spent stems.
Harvest
Blue star-shaped flowers are edible; taste like cucumber. Perfect on salads and floated in drinks.
Fresh flowers only. Save seed heads for next year's sowing.
Companion planting
What borage likes, and doesn’t.
Good neighbors
- Tomatoes (deters hornworm)
- Strawberries (deep taproot brings up minerals)
- Squash (attracts bees)
- Nothing significant
Borage is one of the best pollinator plants in the garden — bumblebees can't get enough of it.
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