Borage Plant Info
While not as common as thyme or basil, borage herb (Borago officinalis) is a unique plant for the culinary garden. It grows quickly as an annual but will colonize a corner of the garden by self-seeding and reappearing year after year. June and July are heralded by the presence of the borage flower, an appealing, small, brilliant blue bloom with attractive qualities. Indeed, the plant should be included in the butterfly garden and brings pollinators to your veggies. The oval leaves are hairy and rough with the lower foliage pushing 6 inches (15 cm.) in length. The borage plant may grow 12 or more inches (30.5 or more cm.) wide in a tall bushy habit.
Growing Borage
Herb cultivation just takes a little gardening know-how. Grow borage in an herb or flower garden. Prepare a garden bed that is well tilled with average organic matter. Ensure that the soil is well-drained and in a medium pH range. Sow seeds directly into the garden after the last date of frost. Plant seeds ¼ to ½ inch (6.5 mm. – 1.5 cm.) under the soil in rows 12 inches (30.5 cm.) apart. Thin the borage herb to at least 1 foot (30.5 cm.) when the plants measure 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm.) tall. Planting borage with strawberries attracts bees and increases the yield of fruit. It has limited culinary use in today’s foods, but the borage flower is often used as a garnish. Traditionally the borage plant was used to treat many ailments, from jaundice to kidney problems. In medicinal use today it is limited, but the seeds are a source of linolenic acid. Borage flowers are also used in potpourris or candied for use in confections. Borage can be perpetuated by allowing the flowers to go to seed and self-sow. Pinching the terminal growth will force a bushier plant but may sacrifice some of the flowers. Borage herb is not a fussy plant and has been known to grow in refuse piles and highway ditches. Be assured you want the plant to regrow annually or remove the flowers before it seeds. Growing borage requires a dedicated space in the home garden.
Borage Herb Harvest
Sowing the seeds every four weeks will ensure a ready supply of borage flowers. The leaves may be picked at any time and used fresh. Dried leaves have little of the characteristic flavor so the plant is best consumed after harvest. Leave the flowers alone if you are hosting a honeybee colony. The blooms produce an excellent flavored honey.
