The borage flowers are a real feast for the eyes in the garden. Depending on the variety, the flower stars shine from light blue to pink to white. But in order to enjoy this splendor, the borage should be planted correctly. This is how it works!
How should borage be planted?
To plant borage correctly, you should sow it directly outdoors between mid-April and early May. The ideal location is sunny to partially shaded, with permeable, nutrient-rich and moist soil, which can be calcareous. The plant spacing should be 15-25 cm.
Is direct sowing recommended?
Borage does not require any pre-culture and for this reason should be sown directly outdoors. It is an annual and yet it does not need to be sown every year. He likes to sow himself.
Sowing should best be carried out between mid-April and early May (at the latest by early June). The small black seeds of borage are covered with soil about 1 cm thick. They are dark germinators and germinate after 5 days under favorable conditions.
When sowing borage, please note the following:
- Row spacing: 40 to 50 cm
- Plant spacing: 15 to 25 cm
- Keep soil and seeds moist
- single after four weeks (remove weaker specimens)
What location does borage want?
Borage needs a sunny to partially shaded location to thrive. The substrate should have the following properties:
- medium to deep
- permeable
- nutrient-rich
- humid environment
- likes limestone
- pH value between 6.5 and 7.5
Which plant neighbors are suitable?
If you would like to plant borage between other plants, you can do so. It gets along well with strawberries, cucumbers, zucchinis and cabbage, among others. It is less well looked after in the herb bed between herbs such as parsley, chives and the like. Since it can reach a height of up to 80 cm and likes to overgrow other plants, other weakly competitive herbs would quickly die.
How can borage be propagated?
Growing borage is worth it. As a rule, this herb only needs to be sown once. In the following years it will self-seed. If you prefer to take the propagation into your own hands, you should use the seeds. The first ones will be ripe from July. They can be dried after harvest and stored for the next gardening season.
Tips & Tricks
Due to its rapid growth, the first leaves can be harvested as early as June. Both fresh and older leaves taste good and are suitable for enriching dishes such as cucumber salad and dips.
