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Borage (Borago officinalis) has the most delightfully colored bright blue flowers in a star shape and is a very pretty herb to grow. It is a hardy annual with a number of culinary uses (mostly decorative).
Steps
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1Purchase or obtain borage seeds. Borage is best sown direct in the garden via seed, as the seedlings don't transplant well once established.
- Tip cuttings from a mature borage plant can be placed in sandy soil in spring. Keep the soil damp and place cuttings in the garden when they have taken hold but before they're too established.
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2Select a sunny spot in the garden. Borage will tolerate partial shade though. Borage likes most soil types provided they're well aerated, moist, and mulched. Its favorite soil type is sandy.
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3Sow the seed in spring for summer flowering or sow in the autumn for spring flowering.
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4Thin out the seedlings. Leave 60cm (2 feet) between the plants.
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5Keep watered regularly. Don't over-water.
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6Harvest. Expect maturity of the borage plant within six weeks. The flowers appear at an early stage and can be picked during summer growth for use in culinary ways. When picking flowers, choose those that are open (although Violet Stevenson advises that they are best picked before they open if you want to preserve their color[1] ). The leaves can also be used. Some ideas for use include:
- Adding to gin-based summer cocktails
- Placing the young leaves into salads cooked like spinach or dipped in batter as fritters
- Use the leaves uncooked in salads and soups, as they have a cucumber flavor
- Add sprigs to wine, cider, and fruit drinks
- Freeze the flowers into ice cubes
- Use the flowers as garnishes in salads
- Candy the flowers for cake decorations.
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow well can they tolerate the Texas heat? How often should the plants be watered? What part is medicinal?
NinoxTop AnswererThe borage can tolerate the Texas heat if you water it well. You should always keep the soil wet and maybe add mulching if the summer is especially hot. You can use all aerial parts (leaves and flowers) for phototherapy. -
QuestionDo I have to cut borage back in the spring?NinoxTop AnswererNo, you don't have to cut borage. The only thing you have to do is remove weeds when the plant is still small.
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QuestionHow wide do they grow?NinoxTop AnswererUsually, borage grow roughly 40 cm (16 in) wide, but if the soil is fertile, the plant can grow to 60 cm (24 in).
Warnings
- Borage leaves cannot be stored and must always be used fresh when harvested.Thanks!
- Borage stems can be quite brittle; if they appear to be leaning oddly, stake them up.Thanks!
- Borage self-sows readily and can spread rapidly. Cut back often or grow in containers where this presents a problem.Thanks!
Things You'll Need
- Borage seeds
- Digging equipment
References
- ↑ Violet Stevenson, A Modern Herbal, p. 96, (1974), ISBN 0-7064-0383-5
- ↑ Whitcoulls Publishers, The Little Herb Book, pp. 8-9, (1985), ISBN 0-7233-0761-X
- ↑ Caroline Foley, Jill Nice, and Marcus A Webb, New Herb Bible, p. 63, (2001), ISBN 1-875169-92-X
- Murdoch Books, Growing Herbs, p. 208, (2006), ISBN 978-1-74045-870-2 – research source
- Caroline Foley, Jill Nice, and Marcus A Webb, New Herb Bible, p. 63, (2001), ISBN 1-875169-92-X – research source
- Violet Stevenson, A Modern Herbal, p. 96, (1974), ISBN 0-7064-0383-5 – research source
