Borage in Zone 5A — Great Plains

Borage, with its edible cucumber-flavored leaves and vibrant blue star-shaped flowers, brings a unique flavor and beauty to your Great Plains garden. It's a pollinator magnet, drawing beneficial insects to your other crops, and its early maturity means you can enjoy it even with our shorter growing season. Plus, the satisfaction of growing something so beautiful and useful in our sometimes-challenging climate is hard to beat.

The Great Plains throws its share of curveballs – from extreme temperature swings to the risk of hail. But borage is a hardy plant, and with a little attention to timing, you can easily fit it into our roughly 168-day growing season. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy its benefits.

You can transplant borage outdoors from mid-April through early May, giving it a head start before the full heat of summer arrives. Before planting, be sure to harden off your seedlings. Gradually expose them to outdoor conditions for about a week, increasing the time each day.

Space your borage plants 12-18 inches apart in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, as late frosts can still occur in the Plains during this period. Be ready to cover your seedlings if a cold snap threatens.

Direct sowing is the preferred method for borage, and it's incredibly easy. You can sow seeds directly into the garden from late April through early August. Borage is happy to self-seed, so you'll likely have volunteer plants popping up in subsequent years.

Prepare your soil by loosening it and removing any weeds. Borage isn't too picky, but it appreciates well-draining soil. Sow seeds about ½ inch deep and 12-18 inches apart. Keep the soil consistently moist until germination, which usually takes about a week. Soil temps should be at least 60°F.

Borage needs moderate watering, especially during our hot Plains summers. While it's not particularly drought-tolerant, it's a pretty forgiving plant that can handle our variable rainfall.

During the spring and fall, when temperatures are cooler, water deeply once or twice a week, providing about 1 inch of water each time. In the heat of summer, especially if we're experiencing a dry spell, you may need to water every other day, ensuring the soil stays consistently moist. Do the "finger test" – stick your finger about 2 inches into the soil. If it feels dry, it's time to water.

Water at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the leaves, which can encourage fungal diseases in our sometimes humid conditions. Signs of underwatering include wilting leaves and stunted growth. Overwatering can lead to yellowing leaves and root rot. A light layer of mulch, like straw or wood chips, can help retain moisture and suppress weeds.

You can expect your first harvest of borage flowers and leaves starting in mid-June and continuing through mid-October. Borage is ready to harvest about 55 days after sowing.

Harvest the star-shaped blue flowers when they are fully open. The young leaves are best harvested when they are tender and have a mild cucumber flavor. Simply snip off the flowers or leaves with scissors or your fingers.

Regular harvesting encourages continued production. As the first frost approaches in early October, harvest any remaining flowers and leaves. You can dry the flowers for later use or compost the plant.

Here are the top 3 common problems you might encounter with borage in the Great Plains:

Self-seeding aggressively

• What it looks like: Borage seedlings popping up everywhere in your garden, even where you didn't plant them.
• What causes it: Borage readily self-seeds, and the seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years. Our variable rainfall patterns can trigger germination at unexpected times.
• How to fix/prevent it: Deadhead flowers before they go to seed. Remove unwanted seedlings as soon as you see them. Consider growing borage in a container to limit its spread.

Powdery mildew

• What it looks like: White or grayish powdery coating on leaves, stems, and sometimes fruit. Leaves curl, yellow, and die.
• What causes it: Various fungi thrive in warm days, cool nights, and moderate humidity. Dry leaf surfaces actually favor it. The extreme temperature swings we get here can stress plants, making them more susceptible.
• How to fix/prevent it: Improve air circulation through spacing and pruning. Remove affected leaves. Neem oil or potassium bicarbonate sprays help. Milk spray (1 part milk to 9 parts water) is surprisingly effective.

Can become leggy

• What it looks like: Tall, spindly plants with few leaves and flowers.
• What causes it: Insufficient sunlight or overcrowding. Even though borage can handle part shade, our intense Plains sun is best.
• How to fix/prevent it: Plant in a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Space plants adequately to prevent overcrowding. Prune back leggy stems to encourage bushier growth.

Great Plains Specific Challenges: The hot heat and variable rainfall of the Great Plains can stress borage, making it more susceptible to powdery mildew and leggy growth. Consistent watering, good air circulation, and adequate sunlight are crucial for success. Our low-to-moderate humidity generally works in borage's favor, reducing the risk of other fungal diseases.

Borage makes a great companion plant for several vegetables and herbs in your Great Plains garden. Plant it near tomatoes, as it attracts pollinators that will increase fruit set. It also deters tomato hornworms. Squash and cucumbers benefit from borage's pollinator-attracting properties, resulting in higher yields. Strawberries also thrive alongside borage, as it is believed to improve their flavor and vigor.

Avoid planting borage near fennel, as it can inhibit its growth. Otherwise, borage is a pretty agreeable plant that gets along with most garden companions.