Borage in Zone 7A — Southeast

Borage is a fantastic addition to any Zone 7A Southeast garden. Its delicate cucumber flavor elevates salads, and the beautiful blue star-shaped flowers attract pollinators like crazy, which is a huge benefit for your tomatoes and squash! Plus, there's something deeply satisfying about growing a plant that's both edible and beneficial to the rest of your garden.

Now, we all know the Southeast throws its share of challenges our way – humidity, disease pressure, and those pesky Japanese beetles. But with our long 225-day growing season and reliable summer rains, borage has plenty of time to thrive if you time things right.

If you want to get a jump start, you can transplant borage seedlings outdoors from mid-March through early April. Before planting, be sure to harden them off by gradually exposing them to the outdoor elements for about a week. This helps them adjust to the sun and wind.

When you're ready to plant, space them about 12-18 inches apart. Keep an eye on the weather forecast during this time – we can still get some unexpected temperature swings in early spring, so be prepared to cover them if a late frost is predicted.

Direct sowing is the easiest and most common way to grow borage, and it works great here in the Southeast. You can sow seeds directly into the garden from late March through late August. Borage is easy to direct sow and self-seeds readily.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and prepare the soil by loosening it and removing any weeds. Borage isn't too picky about soil, but a little compost mixed in never hurts, especially with our clay soil. Sow the seeds about ½ inch deep and 12-18 inches apart. Keep the soil consistently moist until the seedlings emerge.

Borage needs moderate watering to thrive in our Southeast climate. While it’s a pretty easy-going plant, it's definitely not drought-tolerant, and the summer heat can take its toll. Consistent moisture is key, especially when they're getting established.

During the hotter months, especially July and August, 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. Given our humid conditions, it's best to water at the base of the plant to avoid getting the leaves too wet, which can encourage fungal diseases.

If the leaves start to droop and turn yellow, you're likely overwatering. If the leaves are wilting and the soil feels dry, it's underwatering. A good layer of mulch around the base of the plants helps retain moisture and suppress weeds, which is especially helpful with our heavy clay soil.

You can expect your first borage harvest around mid-May if you planted in late March, and you can continue harvesting all the way through mid-November. The star-shaped blue flowers are ready to harvest when they're fully open and vibrant. The young leaves are also edible and have a refreshing cucumber-like taste.

To harvest, simply snip off the flowers or leaves with scissors or your fingers. Be gentle so you don't damage the plant. Regular harvesting encourages continued production, so don't be shy about using those flowers and leaves!

As we approach early November and the threat of our first frost looms, you can harvest any remaining flowers and leaves to dry or use in recipes. Borage is an annual, so it will die back after the first frost, but don't worry – it self-seeds readily, so you'll likely have new plants popping up next spring.

Borage is generally easy to grow, but there are a few potential problems to watch out for in the Southeast.

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 is a prolific self-seeder, and the seeds can remain viable in the soil for a long time.
• How to fix/prevent it: Deadhead the flowers before they go to seed to prevent unwanted seedlings. If you do get volunteers, pull them out while they're small.

Powdery mildew

• What it looks like: White or grayish powdery coating on the leaves, stems, and sometimes flowers. Leaves may curl, yellow, and die.
• What causes it: Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that thrives in warm days, cool nights, and moderate humidity – all too common in the Southeast.
• How to fix/prevent it: Improve air circulation by spacing plants properly and pruning if needed. Remove affected leaves promptly. Neem oil or potassium bicarbonate sprays can help, and a milk spray (1 part milk to 9 parts water) is surprisingly effective.

Can become leggy

• What it looks like: Long, spindly stems with few leaves, especially if plants don't get enough light.
• What causes it: Insufficient sunlight or overcrowding can cause borage to become leggy.
• How to fix/prevent it: Ensure your borage gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. If plants are overcrowded, thin them out to allow for better air circulation and light penetration.

Southeast Specific Challenges: Our hot, humid summers and wet-summer rainfall can create ideal conditions for fungal diseases like powdery mildew. Be sure to provide good air circulation and avoid overhead watering to minimize disease pressure. Also, keep an eye out for Japanese beetles, which can sometimes be a problem on borage.

Borage makes a great companion plant for several vegetables in your Southeast garden. It's known to attract beneficial insects and pollinators, which can help improve the yields of your other crops.

Good companions include tomatoes (borage is said to improve their flavor and deter tomato hornworms), squash (the pollinators attracted by borage will also visit your squash flowers), strawberries (borage can help deter pests that attack strawberries), and cucumbers (again, the increased pollination is a plus). I wouldn't plant it near anything you want to keep contained, because it does self-seed so readily.