How to grow... Borage
Rocket Growing Guides
Borage is a delicious edible flower – perfect for adding a bit of colour to your kitchen garden. Borage is an annual so will die back at the end of the autumn. If you would like to grow borage the following year, we would recommend leaving some flowers to go to seed, they will easily self-sow in the borders
- Borage Growing Guide
How to Plant Borage
- These plants are well suited to beds and borders in full sun or partial shade. You can grow in pots too, but as the flowers can get fairly tall (eg 1m), choose a wide based bot approx 40cm wide and deep.
- Plant it near the back of borders as it will grow to about 1m tall
- Plant 40-50cm apart
How to Grow Borage
- Keep them watered during dry spells, other than that they are fairly self-sufficient
- For longer flowering time, deadhead regularly.
- They will self-seed easily, so either leave flowers to go to seed if you are happy for them to spread in the borders, or keep dead-heading right through to the end of autumn.
How to Harvest Borage
- Harvest flowers in the morning (when they are just opening, rather than in the evening when they are closing again)
- Use flowers to decorate cakes, add to drinks or sprinkle on salads.
- If you would like to grow borage the following year, we would recommend leaving some flowers to go to seed, they will easily self-sow in the borders
Is Borage Good for Companion Planting?
- Borage is a good at attracting bees, making it an excellent addition to the veg patch.
- It is said to attract predatory wasps too making it a good companion for strawberry plants
