Borage in Zone 7A — Mid-Atlantic

Borage, with its charming blue star-shaped flowers and cucumber-flavored leaves, is a delightful addition to any Mid-Atlantic garden. It's incredibly versatile – use the flowers to garnish summer drinks, add the leaves to salads, or attract pollinators to your vegetable patch. Plus, nothing beats the satisfaction of harvesting your own herbs and flowers amidst our four distinct seasons.

Our humid summers can be a challenge, and spring weather is always a bit unpredictable, but Borage is adaptable. With a 208-day growing season in our region, you'll find the timing is just right for a bountiful harvest.

If you're starting your Borage indoors, aim to transplant seedlings outdoors from late March through mid April. This gives them a head start before the full heat of summer arrives.

Before transplanting, harden off your seedlings. Give them about a week of gradual exposure to the outdoors, increasing the time each day. This helps them adjust to the fluctuating temperatures and stronger sunlight common in our Mid-Atlantic springs.

Space your Borage plants 12-18 inches apart to allow for their bushy growth habit. Keep an eye on the weather forecast; we sometimes get a late frost, so be ready to cover your transplants if needed.

Direct sowing is the preferred method for Borage in the Mid-Atlantic, and it's wonderfully easy! You can sow seeds directly into your garden from early April through late August. This long window takes advantage of our reliable rainfall and allows for multiple sowings.

Prepare your soil by loosening it and removing any large clumps. Borage isn't too picky about soil, but it appreciates well-draining conditions. Sow seeds about ½ inch deep and keep the soil consistently moist until germination. Borage self-seeds readily, so be prepared for volunteers in subsequent years!

Space seeds 12-18 inches apart. Thin seedlings as needed to ensure adequate airflow and prevent overcrowding, which can be a problem in our humid climate.

Borage needs moderate watering to thrive in our Mid-Atlantic climate. While it's relatively easy-going, consistent moisture is key, especially during our humid summers.

During the spring and fall, when temperatures are milder and rainfall is more frequent, check the soil moisture regularly. Stick your finger about 2 inches deep; if it feels dry, it's time to water. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, either from rainfall or irrigation. In the heat of summer, you may need to water more frequently, especially if you're experiencing a dry spell.

Water at the base of the plant rather than overhead. This helps to prevent fungal diseases that thrive in our humid conditions. Mulching around your Borage plants with straw or wood chips helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and keep the soil cool.

Signs of underwatering include wilting leaves and stunted growth. Overwatering can lead to yellowing leaves and root rot. Adjust your watering schedule accordingly based on these signs and the weather conditions.

You can expect your first Borage harvest from late May through early November in Zone 7A. Keep an eye on the flowers; they're ready to harvest when they're fully open and display their vibrant blue color. The young leaves are also edible and have a refreshing cucumber-like flavor.

To harvest the flowers, simply snip them off the stem with scissors or your fingers. For the leaves, harvest them when they are young and tender for the best flavor. Avoid taking too many leaves from a single plant at once to ensure continued production.

Harvesting regularly encourages more flowering and leaf production. As we approach late October and the first frost, continue to harvest any remaining flowers and leaves. You can even let some flowers go to seed to ensure a supply of Borage for next year.

Here are some potential problems you might encounter with Borage in the Mid-Atlantic:

Self-Seeding Aggressively

• What it looks like: Numerous Borage seedlings popping up in unwanted areas of your garden.
• What causes it: Borage readily self-seeds, especially in our region's favorable growing conditions and even rainfall.
• How to fix/prevent it: Deadhead flowers before they go to seed to prevent unwanted seedlings. Thin out any volunteer plants that appear in undesirable locations. Consider growing Borage in containers to control its spread.

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. Dry leaf surfaces actually favor it (unlike most fungi). Our humid Mid-Atlantic summers can create ideal conditions for powdery mildew.
• How to fix/prevent it: Improve air circulation through spacing and pruning. Remove affected leaves promptly. Neem oil or potassium bicarbonate sprays can help. A milk spray (1 part milk to 9 parts water) is surprisingly effective.

Becoming Leggy

• What it looks like: Tall, spindly plants with few leaves and weak stems.
• What causes it: Insufficient sunlight or overcrowding.
• How to fix/prevent it: Ensure your Borage plants receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Thin out plants to provide adequate spacing and airflow. Prune back leggy stems to encourage bushier growth.

Mid-Atlantic Specific Challenges: Our moderate-to-hot summer heat and humid humidity can exacerbate issues like powdery mildew and leggy growth. The even rainfall, while generally beneficial, can also contribute to excessive self-seeding. Keep a close eye on your plants and adjust your care accordingly to address these challenges.

Borage makes a great companion plant in the Mid-Atlantic garden. It attracts pollinators, which benefits many of our common crops.

Good companions include tomatoes, squash, strawberries, and cucumbers. Borage is said to improve the flavor of tomatoes and strawberries. It also deters pests that can attack squash and cucumbers.

I haven't observed any bad companions for Borage in my own garden.