Herbs – Borage – Heirloom Seeds

Borage is a cheerful, easy annual with bristly grey-green leaves and sky-blue star flowers that taste mildly of cucumber. The flowers are used to decorate salads, drinks and desserts, and the plants are among the best for attracting bees. It makes a good companion plant in the vegetable garden, especially near tomatoes and strawberries.

Growing guide for South Africa

• When to sow: spring (August to October), and autumn (March to April) in mild and frost-free areas. Sow from September on the Highveld.
• How to sow: sow directly where they will grow, about 5 to 10 mm deep, because borage has a long taproot and dislikes transplanting.
• Germination: 7 to 14 days at 16 to 25 degrees C.
• Spacing: thin to 30 to 45 cm apart.
• Position: full sun, in any reasonably well-drained soil.
• Flowering: about 50 to 80 days from sowing. Plants reach 60 to 90 cm.
• Care: water in dry spells, pick flowers often to extend flowering, and wear gloves, because the leaves and stems are bristly. It self-seeds freely, so remove spent flowers if you do not want volunteers.

Quick facts: Packet: heirloom seed. Height 60 to 90 cm. Annual. Sowing times are a guide: adjust for your local frost dates and climate.

Photo: PROPOLI87, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.