Product Review

Borago officinalis, or simply Borage, is an attractive annual that is grown both for its beauty and to be harvested for teas and garnishes. It produces lovely 1 ½ inch, violet-blue, star-shaped flowers and textured leaves. Borage is extremely attractive to bees, and it is often grown in vegetable gardens and orchards to attract bees for pollination. The flowers are great for cutting and have a long vase life and can be used as a garnish in drinks and salads. The young leaves can be used in salads or dried and used to make teas and summer drinks. Start Borage directly outdoors after danger of frost has passed. Press the seed into the soil, cover with 1/8 inch of soil and keep it moist. With a temperature of 70F, germination is usually in 14 days. Borage prefers full sun to partial shade and rich, well-drained soil. Measure rows of seed 24 inches apart and thin seedlings to 8 - 10 inches when they are 2 inches tall. Borage is known to reseed itself for next season's plants.