# borage info



## larrythebeek (Dec 29, 2009)

trainwrecker said:


> looking for planting info on borage. soil type, planting time, seed prep. ect.


Here's some links http://usagardener.com/how_to_grow_herbs/how_to_grow_borage.php
http://gardening.about.com/od/herbsspecificplants1/p/Borage.htm

I started a few in the greenhouse to get a head start, probably safe to wait until after the last frost to plant them in the spring. Takes a hard frost to kill them in the Fall. 

Bees love 'em! I have an 8X8 flower bed, every bee in the county seems to visit. 

Larry


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

They re-seed amazingly well. I too have a small area of them and the bees will be on them until November. I'd love to have a field of it.

Adam


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## Kazzandra (Jul 7, 2010)

Invest in members of the Borage family. Your bees will thanks you.
Others are Viper's Bugloss and Comfrey.
All will seed readily-- some are considered invasive plants in some areas. Bee careful!


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## trainwrecker (May 23, 2010)

thanks for the links, good info. i read somewhere something about chilling the seed to get them going. i was wondering about that and if you could plant any in the fall?


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

I purchased my seeds off ebay, didnt really do much to them other than let them soak overnight and plant them in the ground. When folks talk about bees loveing this plant they are not joking. From sun up to sun down the girls will work borage. Where I am I'm having to water it every other day but we are in a drought right now. Great plant and I will plant a larger area of it next year.
Jason


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

It's a bit of a mess though. It can be somewhat unsightly at times. It falls down in the rain; stalks break easily. I would rather have it out in the field than in my limited garden -- but a little garden is all I've got, so there it is. Beautiful flowers, but the plants are unruly things.

Adam


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

Adam I have to agree, the borage is not a pretty plant. But boy howdy do the bees love it. That in it self makes it worth while for me, but im not limited on garden space.


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## larrythebeek (Dec 29, 2009)

Adam Foster Collins said:


> It's a bit of a mess though. It can be somewhat unsightly at times. It falls down in the rain; stalks break easily. I would rather have it out in the field than in my limited garden -- but a little garden is all I've got, so there it is. Beautiful flowers, but the plants are unruly things.
> 
> Adam


The first year I planted Borage they fell down in the rain/wind... Tried to pick them up and the stalks broke very easily. This year I planted them closer together, and with all the 'volunteers' that came up, they hold each other up. Planting instructions say to plant 1 foot apart, but mine are inches apart and looks much better. I'll try to get a pic up.

Larry


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

I planted 4 years ago in an old garden spot. They volunteer every year with seeds being covered with a light discing. they need lots of water and if close enough will smother weeds once full grown. No problems at all with being invasive.


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## trainwrecker (May 23, 2010)

i wonder if deer find it palatable, and if you can plant it in the fall ?


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

I do not see why you couldnt plant it for fall. The plant has alot of small hairs that I think wouldnt be enjoyable to deer.


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

I bought 1 lb of seed this last winter, gave a bunch away at our bee club, added a wet paper towel in a plastic bag with about 2 ounces of seed and left it in the fridge for 2 months. planted them in flats on a heat pad and had excellent germination, grew them to about 3 inches and planted them in the field ( about 600 starts ) . sprinkled the other 5 or six ounces of seed in the field also, Didn't make any difference, all the seed i put down sprouted also now its a foot tall and all the starts are 2 feet tall. The seed was cheap like $26 per lb. I didnt need to work that hard, sprinkling the seeds worked fine this spring.

The bees love it, it has rows and rows of flowers

I also have a good size patch of comfry , bumble bees love it but honeys don't do much with it.


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## Walliebee (Nov 17, 2006)

BGhoney, Where did you get your seed from?


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

I'll look for the package. Its not on my favorites just checked .


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

Deer won't touch it, but I have had baby rabbits eat the very young plants a bit. Great bee plant, they love it.


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

To tell you the truth, I'd rather plant Borage late than have it re-seed. Last year, when I planted borage in July, it was still flowering in November and the bees were all over it. 

This year, having grown from the seed of last year, it came up in early spring and is finishing now. And there were so many other flowers to choose from, that the borage got a lot less attention this year.

Adam


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## inlikeflint (Sep 11, 2011)

I planted Borage this year, but it will not tolerate high heat... 111 degrees+ 

The plant is edible and the leaves sort of taste like a cucumber.
The only reason I planted borage was because it is supposed to confuse the tomato horn worm, and it is supposed to attract bees. I never was unfortunate enough to find any tomato horn worms and I am grateful for this.

The borage plant gets blue flowers and looks a bit gangly and tends to fall over under it's own weight after it gets over a foot tall. I didn't grow enough of it to get it to bunch.

I have a photo of it somewhere. I'll post it up later when I find it.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

I plant my wildflowers about now for fall rain germination (if we get rain). Would it be a good time to start Borage in Texas?


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

Gypsi you may get some blooms from the borage if you start them now. I wouldnt count 100% on this though. I planted several of them this spring and they did fantastic, even though we were not getting rain they responded very well to the soaker hose, which I think I watered them every day or every other day. I have to say the plant is like catnip for bees.


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## beeherder (Aug 7, 2011)

I planted indoors, it was over 100 degrees outside and 74 inside, and they came up in 3 days, not problems. I transplanted outside and they seem to be doing well. 
They are supposed to be great companion plants in the garden to help all plants, and then they also attract the bees. The lit I've read also states what was written above, if you plant them close enough together they will smother out weeks, and support each other better. 
Borage seems to be one of the longest blooming plants, so next year I plan to have alot of it. 
The Comfrey is also supposed to be a good be plant, and is supposed to stimulate compost piles for breaking down faster and better. It is listed as an invasive plants, but if you look on the web, I was looking at companion planting, it says there are less invasive varieties. 
Seek and ye shall find 
I was told sweet alyssum is a good winter plant, so I plan to carpet my front yard with alyssum, and under my hives with thyme if it will cooperate. Scattering borage to grow till it freezes.. I read that alyssum and thyme are cool weather plants though, so winter/fall here I come 
Never done lavender/anise hyssop before, but I have some started, since it's a perenial, to go after it next spring. Hopefully I'll have a great flowering next year. I am trying to have a balance of stuff that will be flowering year round, or at least when the flow isn't on.
I just moved in to this house so I've thrown radish seed out all over and they are coming up nice, but I read the bees will like it, but I am still skeptical. I'll see 

Good luck, and from what I've read, you can't go wrong with borage, in the garden or out of it.


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