Borage is the bee plant: a big, friendly annual covered in star-shaped blue flowers that pollinators visit from dawn to dusk. It is also one of the fastest herbs you can grow, going from seed to flower in 50–60 days, and it self-seeds so freely you may never need to sow it again.
Use the young leaves in salads and cold drinks, and the flowers — blue, star-shaped and cucumber-flavoured — as an edible garnish. Its main job in most gardens, though, is as a pollinator plant and a companion that brings bees to the whole bed. This crop is in the Boraginaceae family, needs full sun, and takes 50–60 days to reach maturity, so it pays to know what it wants before you sow. This guide covers it all: starting seeds, transplanting, soil and feeding, watering, sunlight, pests, companion plants, harvesting and the problems most likely to catch you out. Let one plant go to seed at the end of the season and you will have borage forever — the seedlings pop up in spring wherever the seed fell.
Borage at a glance
| Growing factor | What borage need |
|---|---|
| Sun | full sun |
| Soil pH | 6.0–7.0 |
| Days to germination | 7–14 |
| Days to maturity | 50–60 |
| Spacing | 12–18 inches |
| Water needs | moderate |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Family | Boraginaceae |
Starting seeds
Borage are direct-sown outdoors — they do not transplant well, so start them where they will grow. Sow at the depth on the packet and keep the seedbed evenly moist until seedlings appear, which takes 7–14 days.
Timing matters: sow too early into cold, wet soil and germination stalls. Use our frost-date calculator to place your sowing window, and check your local extension service for the dates that fit your area.
Borage is direct-sown: it dislikes transplanting, so sow the large, easy-to-handle seed where it is to grow. Seed germinates in 7–14 days, and the plant grows fast from there.
Transplanting and planting out
Set young plants out once the soil is workable, or after the last frost where the plant is tender. Handle the root ball gently, plant at the same depth as in the pot, and water in well.
Space plants 12–18 inches apart — crowding is one of the commonest causes of small harvests. Our plant-spacing calculator works out how many plants fit your bed. Harden seedlings off for a week before planting out, and plant on a cloudy day or in the evening so they do not wilt in their first hours outdoors.
Soil and feeding
Herbs mostly want lean, free-draining soil rather than rich ground — too much fertiliser makes soft, leggy growth with weak flavour. Dig in a little compost for structure and make sure water drains away freely, especially in winter.
Aim for a soil pH of 6.0–7.0 — a simple soil test will tell you where you stand. Feed lightly and steadily rather than in one heavy dose: too much fast nitrogen late in the season pushes leafy growth at the expense of the part you eat. Our fertiliser calculator works out amounts for your bed size, and the raised-bed soil calculator tells you how much mix a new bed needs.
Watering
Water needs are moderate: keep the soil evenly moist, watering deeply when the top inch or two dries out. Deep, infrequent watering builds deeper roots than a daily sprinkle.
Herbs in pots dry out faster than herbs in the ground, so check pots daily in hot weather. In the ground, most herbs are happy with a deep watering when the soil dries out rather than a daily sprinkle.
Water at the base of the plant, in the morning, so the leaves dry quickly. Our watering calculator gives a starting point for your bed size, and the watering schedule generator can build a routine around it.
Sunlight and temperature
Give herbs the sunniest spot you have — a south-facing bed, or a pot on a sunny step. Full sun keeps growth compact and flavour concentrated; in shade, most herbs grow leggy and taste weak.
This crop is rated hardy for cold tolerance, so plan your season around that: hardy crops can be sown and harvested around frosts, while tender crops need warm soil and frost-free nights. Our sunlight calculator can check whether your spot gets enough sun, and the hardiness-zone finder will confirm your zone.
Pests and diseases
Borage are not especially pest-prone when healthy and well placed, but a few pests turn up regularly. The ones listed for this crop in the growing data are aphids, slugs, cutworms.
- Aphids — Small sap-sucking insects that cluster on soft new shoots, weakening growth. A strong jet of water dislodges them, and ladybirds usually keep them in check.
- Slugs — Slugs feed at night, chewing holes in leaves and fruit — especially young seedlings and berries at ground level. Hand-pick them after dark and keep the ground clear of hiding places.
- Cutworms — Caterpillars that feed at night and cut young stems off at soil level. A cardboard collar around the stem at planting time stops them.
Inspect plants weekly, especially the undersides of leaves, and act early. If you need help identifying what you are seeing, our pest-identifier helper and plant-disease checker walk through the symptoms.
Companion plants
Companion planting puts together plants that help each other — sharing space well, attracting pollinators, or confusing pests. The companions listed for borage in the growing data are a good starting point.
Good companions for borage include:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Marigolds
- Cabbage
Our companion-planting finder can suggest more pairings for your bed plan.
Harvesting
Pick the flowers in the morning when they are fully open, and use them the same day — they wilt quickly. Young leaves are best picked before the plant gets old and bristly; older leaves are best left alone.
Expect the crop to be ready about 50–60 days after sowing, though weather and variety shift that window by a week or two either way. Our harvest-date calculator works out your expected harvest date from your sowing date, and the vegetable-yield estimator can estimate how much a bed should produce. Harvest in the morning, using a sharp knife or secateurs rather than tearing, which damages the plant.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sprawling over neighbours | vigorous growth and free self-seeding | give it space at the back of the bed and pull unwanted seedlings while small |
| Wilting in dry spells | uneven watering | water deeply when the top inch or two dries out, and mulch |
| Aphids on the plants | aphids feeding on the crop | inspect weekly and act early — hand-pick, wash off, or use barriers |
Sprawling over neighbours
Likely cause: vigorous growth and free self-seeding. Borage's vigour is also its flaw: it sprawls over neighbours and self-seeds everywhere, so pull out seedlings you do not want while they are small. Slugs nibble young plants, but a healthy borage usually outgrows the damage.
Wilting in dry spells
Likely cause: uneven watering. A dry spell while fruit or flowers are forming costs you the crop. Water deeply when the top inch or two of soil dries out, and mulch to keep moisture even.
Aphids on the plants
Likely cause: aphids feeding on the crop. Small sap-sucking insects that cluster on soft new shoots, weakening growth. A strong jet of water dislodges them, and ladybirds usually keep them in check.
Frequently asked questions
How long does borage take to germinate?
7–14 days, in warm, moist conditions. Cool soil slows germination down, so wait for the soil to warm up and keep the seedbed evenly moist — not wet — until seedlings appear.
What soil pH does borage need?
A soil pH of 6.0–7.0 suits borage best. A simple soil test will tell you where your soil stands, and lime or sulfur can nudge pH up or down over a season.
When can I harvest borage?
About 50–60 days after sowing, though weather and variety shift that by a week or two. For nursery-grown plants the wait is shorter than for seed.
Are borage flowers edible?
Yes — the blue star-shaped flowers are edible, taste faintly of cucumber, and are a classic garnish for drinks and salads. Pick them fresh and use them the same day, as they wilt fast once picked.