Borage is an annual herb that has great attraction to bees and other pollinators. It's also called Starflower because of the beautiful 5-petalled star-like flowers that are typically blue, but sometimes pink or white. Borage is an edible herb, and it also has many benefits for the garden as it's used in compost mixes and the root structure has the ability to penetrate soil and aerate it.

Sow Borage seeds directly into the garden in the spring once frost danger has passed and the soil temperatures are warm.

Borage plants prefer full sun. In hotter climates, afternoon shade is helpful.

• Work soil in the garden 8 - 10 inches deep
• Add compost and work that into the soil
• Sow the Borage seeds 1/8 inch into the soil and cover the seeds
• Rows can be 24 inches apart
• Thin seedlings to 24 inches apart once they are 6 inches or more
• Once the plant is 6 inches tall, pinch back to encourage a bushier growth
• Borage plants require regular irrigations until they are established

• Once established, Borage plants can dry out in-between irrigations
• An organic fertilizer can be applied a couple of times during the establishment of the plant
• Tall plants may need protection from wind and stakes to support them
• Borage is a liberal self-sower, dropping its own seeds for next season
• Harvest young leaves before the little hairs form, and flowers can be snipped as soon as they are open