Borago, Blue Borage ~ 85 seeds

Sun Preference
Full-Sun, Part-Sun
Bloom or Harvest Time
Spring, Summer, Fall
  $2.99

Description

Borago officinalis
Hardy Annual
Spring/summer/fall harvest
Can handle light frost

A butterfly & bee favorite!

One of the easiest flowering herbs to grow, 2 to 3 foot tall borage has clusters of sky-blue little starry flowers and silvery-green leaves that add contrast to other garden plants. Harvest these dainty "bluest of blue" flowers with their mild, cucumber taste to use as garnishes and decorations. Children especially delight in the pretty shape and color of borage blossoms and the texture of their fuzzy leaves. Borage self-sows easily and welcome garden pollinators adore it.

Seed Starting Successfully

Start your garden from scratch with Gertens' wide variety of seed packets! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, we have seeds for every skill level and garden size. From colorful flowers to delicious vegetables, our seeds are carefully selected for their quality and performance.

Seed Starting Successfully

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When to Grow Veggies & Fruits

From Our Experts

Details

Cold Winters: April-June
Mild Winters: Oct-May
Sun/Shade: sun or part shade
Sow Seeds: 6" apart, 1/4" deep
Days To Germinate: 10-14 days
Mature Height: 2-2.5 feet

EASIEST TO START OUTDOORS
Sow seeds in spring once weather has settled, 1/2 inch deep and 6 inches apart, in full sun. Keep seedbed evenly moist until germination occurs in 10 to 14 days. When the seedlings are well established, thin the plants to stand about 12 to 18 inches apart to give bushy plants room to mature. Borage will self-sow freely in the garden and can grow in poor soils. Seedlings do not transplant well because plants have a long, fragile tap root.

GROWING NOTES
Borage flowers have a delicate cucumber-like flavor and are pretty, edible garnishes for both green and fruit salads and cool summer drinks. Freeze the sky-blue flowers inside ice cubes to accent herbal iced teas and festive punch, or candy them for decorations. Children love the star-shaped flowers on birthday cakes or just picked fresh and eaten off the plant.

In traditional herbal lore, borage was thought to lift the spirits and inspire courage. Enjoy these cheering plants all summer long.

More Information

Mature Height (Range) 25" - 36"
Spacing in Row 6" apart, thin to 12 - 18"
Days to Germination 10-14 days
Planting Depth 1/4"
Seed Packet Type Herbs
Plant Life Cycle Hardy Annual
Bloom or Harvest Time Spring, Summer, Fall
Sun Preference Full-Sun, Part-Sun
Common Family Name Herbs
Brand Renee's Garden

Product Questions (12)

Starting times will vary depending on the vegetable you are growing. Each seed packet will have specific sowing instructions for that type of vegetable. Some plants, such as tomatoes and peppers, should be started indoors, 6-8 weeks before the last frost...
The process of bringing seeds outside is called hardening off. Hardening off is generally done sometime after the seedling has two full sets of normal leaves. In Minnesota, you want to begin hardening off seedlings in late April/early May.  To ...
If you have a southern facing window with all day sun, you may grow seedlings in a windowsill. Be sure to rotate the seedlings frequently to ensure the plants do not lean heavily towards the sun. For more even results, use a grow light, positioned roughly...
We recommend using either high intensity T5 fluorescent bulbs, or LED grow lights. Both setups will produce excellent results. T5s are the typical grow light, are economical and come in frequencies that are helpful for plant development. LED technology...
Grow lights should be kept roughly 4-5” above the top of seedling leaves. If you are using very powerful LEDs, you could even keep them 8-10” away.
Grow lights should be used to mimic a natural sunlight cycle for plants. We recommend using them 12 hours a day, from roughly 7am to 7pm.  
A variety of seedling trays exist for seed starting. If you are starting smaller seeds, a simple peat cell tray works great. However, the larger the seed, the larger the initial pot should be. If you are starting larger seeds indoors such as: sunflowers...
Do not start any type of fertilizer regime for young seedlings until they have at least two full sets of regular leaves. Start with a root stimulator, then after a month you may move on to a gentle, weak (half strength) water-based fertilizer. Remember...
Let the roots tell you when to transplant. When you begin to see the seedling’s root growing out of the bottom of their current pot, it is time to transplant up to something larger. We recommend using a 4” nursery pot to transplant most seedlings. In...
Gertens carries a wide variety of both spring and autumn planted bulbs. Spring planted bulbs, such as gladioli and dahlias, are best started indoors in early April, and planted outside once the soil temperatures are above 55 F. Autumn planted bulbs, ...
The big three tips are: 1) Staking and training 2) Feeding and watering and 3) Harvesting and enjoying. 1) Keeping plants trained and staked allows air circulation around crops and provides much-needed support for produce as it grows...
Gertens does carry an assortment of both perennials, as well as annual and perennial wildflower mixes. It is important to remember when growing perennials, that you will not get any flowers the first year of growth. It often takes a perennial 2-3 years...
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