Borage in Zone 6A — Northeast

Borage is a fantastic addition to any Northeast garden. The delicate, cucumber-like flavor of the leaves and the beautiful star-shaped blue flowers are a treat, and the plant attracts pollinators like crazy, boosting your other crops. Plus, it's just satisfying to grow something a little different in our short growing season!

Our Northeast climate can throw curveballs like late spring frosts and early autumn chills, but don't let that scare you off. Borage is quite hardy, and with a 178-day growing season, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy it. Just pay attention to timing, and you'll be rewarded.

While borage prefers direct sowing, you can transplant seedlings outdoors in early April through early May, after the threat of hard frost has passed. Remember our weather can be unpredictable, so keep an eye on the forecast!

Before planting, be sure to harden off your seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for about a week. This will help them adjust to the cooler temperatures and stronger sunlight that can be common in early spring here in the Northeast.

Space your borage plants 12-18 inches apart to allow for good air circulation. This is important for preventing fungal diseases, which can be a problem with our moderate-to-humid summers.

Direct sowing is the way to go with borage in the Northeast. It's easy and the plants establish quickly. You have a nice long window, from mid April through early August, to get those seeds in the ground.

Borage prefers well-drained soil, so amend your rocky New England soil with compost or other organic matter before planting. Soil temperature should be at least 60°F for optimal germination. Sow seeds about 1/2 inch deep and keep the soil consistently moist until they sprout.

Space seeds 12-18 inches apart. Borage self-seeds readily, so be prepared to have new plants popping up next year. Thin seedlings to the proper spacing once they emerge.

Borage is a fairly easy-going plant when it comes to watering, but consistent moisture is key, especially in our Northeast climate. While we don't have scorching summers, we do experience moderate heat and moderate-to-humid conditions, plus fairly even rainfall throughout the growing season.

A good rule of thumb is to water deeply about once a week, providing around 1 inch of water. Use the "finger test" – stick your finger into the soil about 2 inches deep. If it feels dry, it's time to water. During particularly dry spells, you might need to water more frequently.

Water at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the foliage, which can encourage fungal diseases in our humid climate. Overhead watering is fine, but do it in the morning so the leaves have time to dry out during the day. Wilting leaves are a sign of underwatering, while yellowing leaves can indicate overwatering. A layer of mulch around your borage plants will help retain moisture and suppress weeds, which is especially helpful in our sometimes-rocky soil.

You can expect your first borage harvest around mid June if you plant in April, and continue harvesting through late October, as long as we don't get an unusually early frost. The flowers are ready to pick when they are fully open and a vibrant blue. The young leaves are best harvested when they're tender.

To harvest the flowers, simply snip them off at the base of the stem. For the leaves, gently pluck them from the plant. Avoid taking too many leaves at once, as this can stress the plant and reduce its production.

Borage is a continuous harvest plant, meaning it will keep producing flowers and leaves as long as you keep harvesting them. As we approach mid- October and the threat of first frost looms, harvest any remaining flowers and leaves to preserve them for later use. You can dry the flowers for tea or freeze the leaves for use in soups and stews.

Here are a few common problems you might encounter growing borage in the Northeast:

Self-Seeding Aggressively

• What it looks like: Numerous borage seedlings popping up everywhere in your garden the following year.
• What causes it: Borage is a prolific self-seeder, and the seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years. Our moderate climate allows the seeds to overwinter successfully.
• How to fix/prevent it: Deadhead the flowers before they go to seed to prevent unwanted seedlings. If you don't mind some volunteers, simply thin them out as needed. You can also collect the seeds and sow them where you want them.

Powdery Mildew

• What it looks like: White or grayish powdery coating on leaves, stems, and sometimes fruit. Leaves curl, yellow, and die. Reduces plant vigor.
• What causes it: Various fungi that thrive in warm days, cool nights, and moderate humidity – conditions we often experience in the Northeast during the summer. Dry leaf surfaces actually favor it (unlike most fungi).
• How to fix/prevent it: Improve air circulation through spacing and pruning. Remove affected leaves. Neem oil or potassium bicarbonate sprays can 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, especially towards the bottom.
• What causes it: Insufficient sunlight or overcrowding. Even though borage can tolerate part shade, it still needs a good amount of light to thrive.
• How to fix/prevent it: Ensure your borage plants are getting at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Thin out plants to provide adequate spacing. You can also prune leggy plants to encourage bushier growth.

Northeast Specific Challenges: Our moderate heat, moderate-to-humid humidity, and even rainfall can create ideal conditions for powdery mildew on borage. Keep an eye out for it and take preventative measures. While deer aren't usually too interested in borage, they might nibble on it if other food sources are scarce, so consider fencing if deer are a problem in your area.

Borage is a great companion plant for many vegetables and herbs in your Northeast garden. It attracts pollinators, which can boost the yields of tomatoes, squash, strawberries, and cucumbers.

• Tomatoes: Borage is said to improve the flavor and growth of tomatoes.
• Squash: The pollinators attracted by borage will help with squash pollination.
• Strawberries: Borage is believed to deter pests that attack strawberries.
• Cucumber: Similar to squash, borage helps attract pollinators for better cucumber production.

Avoid planting borage near anything that might be overwhelmed by its rapid growth and self-seeding habit. In general, there aren't specific plants that borage actively harms, but its vigorous nature can be a bit much for delicate, slow-growing neighbors.