How to GROW & USE BORAGE

[@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123]

I live in zone 3 and not many things reseed and survive winter but borage is amazing, I have it all over my garden. It gets so tall it falls over and becomes a tangled mess so I just chop it off and leave it for mulch, new seedling pop up all summer !!! It brings in so many bumble bees that it’s actually difficult to harvest the flowers but that is a great “problem” to have 🥰 Blessings

[@myretiredhobbiesgainesvill8140]

I enjoy seeing videos that explain one plant in detail. Please do more of these. I enjoy watching all your videos and learn a lot from them. Thanks for using your knowledge to teach all of us more about plants and gardening. Take care and have a great day.

[@kathleenreadinger4614]

This video is so timely, I am growing it for the first time this year.

[@davidhoulihan4029]

I plant borage as a companion for pole beans and cucumbers. I get Japanese beetles around July and August but they prefer the borage over the beans and cucumbers. Much easier knocking the beetles into a pail of soapy water off the borage than the beans and cucumbers.

[@brettyokum7473]

I'm starting borage from seed for the first time. Can't wait to see the pollinators!

[@SantiagoSuarez-f9l]

FINALY someone in the same zone !

[@tecsonics]

Nice clear,straightforward without unnecessary hype. Thank you.

[@lizj5740]

Thank you for this informative video. I have been "weeding" around my borage plant. Guess what? Looking at your video, I have been pulling out borage seedlings. Oh well. Live and learn. I'll keep them now. I first heard about borage in a talk given by a bee-keeper. He said bees love borage, and he was right.

[@anonymos5726]

I use the big leaves just like you would grape leaves or cabbage for cabbage rolls. Same stuffing and you get the vitamins. Even though the leaves have the fuss, once cooked they are totally normal. I just made them on Sunday along with Swiss chard and beet leaves. So delicious.

[@jsmith3980]

I had no idea that we can eat the leaves.

[@51rwyatt]

I grew borage for the first time last season. It is such a friend in the garden. Doesn't compete with anything, adds color, you can nibble the flowers as a snack while working, and it never asks for help. Among a lot of other uses.

[@dawnmontagano]

I'm growing it this year for the first time. I appreciate you making a video about how to use it!

[@c2mullins]

This is so timely! I have a huge Borage plant in my Tucson garden and have been trying to decide what to do with it 😊

[@qu1ckening]

I planted borage for the first time in October and I just love the blue flowers. I’m pretty sure I chose it because I saw here or on your blog!

[@roseblaszak3569]

Creamy borage and potato soup, yum!!

[@maryasdoss9234]

Great idea!

[@grisespino5342]

Have not grown borage but admired the dainty blue flowers. Lots of reasons to grow it. Thanks!

[@jeaniewilleford4190]

I love that you start your video out with your location and zone so I can have an idea what area you are growing it in ! Thank you so much good information!

[@paintediva]

I'm also in Mesa from Detroit. You are my go-to for info on what I can grow here. Thanks for the info.

[@KreativLee]

What a great super helpful video. Thank you so much 💜

[@viralprimenetwork]

thank you for sharing this video, it has been so informative! have a wonderful day ahead 💚

[@paulsmith8510]

I planeted borage seeds 8 years ago, and it still pops up and the most random places. It re-seeds VERY well. The flowers taste nice, but bees loooove them. I mostly use it for the bees and for compost in the fall.

[@claudettehatton6355]

Thank you ! Nice, and straight to the point. Everything I needed to know in 1 video.

[@ptrainingbytim]

Borage and comfrey are a must have. God bless you!

[@deborahhills9413]

Thank You! Ontario Canada.

[@theresarichardson7495]

This was great! The length, the delivery, and the information! Thank you

[@aadelsamhan9837]

Great video ...thanks so much

[@summerbaby9379]

Excellent video! I just ordered some seeds, and I hope they flower this year.

[@jsmith3980]

Excellent informative video. Borage is an amazing plant.I love when it self seeds in the garden.

[@ebradley2306]

Love borage. Have it blooming in the garden right now bringing in pollinators before veg flowers open. I was rather surprised at the size these things can grow.

[@lulabelle4760]

Nicle informative video. I use borage in a respiratory oxymel with mullein, lungwort and rosemary. Good Medicine ❤❤❤

[@containingmygarden]

Thanks for the borage info. 🌿 I'm a new subscriber.

[@xodayplays6922]

Omg you sound just like the handler from the umbrella academy 🙈😂 I absolutely love borage. I have so much spreading in my back yard

[@RobBertholf]

one of my favorites!

[@dtgirl5320]

My 1 plant lived through winter south Mississippi it just kept multiplying beautiful.

[@FairyChild_For_Freedom-Justice]

Never heard of it before and it's edible like in what salads tea? What else can you do with it.

[@asiflazaro3773]

Thank you for good knowledge.

[@lilstormisparks]

I live in Australia an I'm growing an apothecary and bee garden my borage is so important for the bees

[@annettemartensson4523]

Super helpful 😊

[@DebbieCWellness]

these beautiful edible Borage flowers look great frozen into ice cubes

[@cam94keith96]

Can they be used as a hot/cold tea?

[@ToTheNameOfHumanity]

In Persian , Iran, we call it gol-gaav-zabaan , lots of usage for cold, flu, … relaxation, soothing

[@peace4peaceful]

I've tried to grow borage several times here in oz. I can never get the seeds to sprout. I have some seeds in a pot now. Fingers crossed. 😊

[@chiefredbird7315]

Never heard of borage!

[@mortyr045]

You had me at zone 9b

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

I planted it in a pot last year on impulse out of interest. I was put off using it after reading that its main traditional purpose was to induce lactation (I'm a guy!). This year it has self-grown everywhere and thriving even between paving slabs with a membrane underneath. I absolutely vouch for the ruggedness of this plant and yes it tolerates wet dry acid alkali sun storms it doesn't care. On the other side of the house I always get comfrey - same story. Would love to know more good uses, medicinal or culinary. Can you extract oil from it? Thanks for this video.

[@nextchancenow7153]

Borage and Lime Balm are the best trap crop for aphids. Either they will find them, or ants will herd them to it. Bonus is it can take tons of aphid attack and keep growing. Flowers have a cucumber flavor with a tiny bit of sweet center.

[@alice_rabbit8345]

Oh I never heard of lime balm!

[@nextchancenow7153]

@@alice_rabbit8345 And it’s a perennial that self seeds. Grows back every year before I even plant my tomatoes (I have borage seeded out as well, hasn’t germinated yet)

[@poodlepup1]

hi from Australia.... i have several plants this year... but they are growing only 1 main trunk again... and are top heavy... do you know why?... i have to stake the plants....

[@susanthomas1077]

Noticed in views of your garden you have some sort of coverage on the pathways. Please share that with us. thnaks

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

I use the wood chip mulch from Arizona Worm Farm in my pathways and beds.

[@carleanr4051]

This is my 1st year growing borage. Had no idea it was so prickly 🤣 Also, mine it too heavy and flopped over. I had to stake it. Is that typical?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

That can happen, especially if they don't get enough sun.

[@davinarose2876]

So I planted my borage in November (I’m new to gardening and I really don’t know what I’m doing), and I live in southwestern AZ. It’s getting pretty cold here now that we’re in December and I’m just worried they might get damaged by the frost. I’ve looked it up but I’m getting mixed results whether or not it’s frost tolerant. Does anyone know or have experience that can give me some insight?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

It tolerates light frosts. Here in the valley I haven't ever covered it for temps down to 25°F. Colder than that or extended freezes you may want to cover it.

[@davinarose2876]

I didn’t expect a reply from Angela herself!!❤ thank you so much for your videos and your insight! Just subbed! Love your videos!

[@bessbeanslifestyle]

This is interesting

[@4thdimensionalexplorer]

Is that a typo or a word i dont know?

[@hibiscus-dreams]

Not familiar with the word "intert" - did you mean interesting?🤔

[@zinkametz164]

Try to put it in some soup, it gives your dish a nice kick.

[@suzymcclung9545]

I live in Central Texas and have tried for 5 years to grow borage, seeds, plants, and none of them have even flowered. I grew it like crazy in California. Could it be too humid?

[@sisterfrennn]

I live in Virginia and it gets pretty humid here and my borage is growing like crazy! Maybe too hot in Texas??!

[@Josef_R]

I gave my chickens a leaf yesterday and they said no. And they are why I grew a dozen plants.

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

Shoot. I'd try again.

[@ellielynn8219]

I’ve been growing borage in a container since early spring. They’re still small little guys at the beginning of July. They’re only like 1.5” tall. Could this be because there isn’t enough dirt?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

Possibly.

[@trumpetingangel]

And maybe enough water? Until recently, we've had a drought. Now that it's pouring all the time, everything is growing (ditto for my containers). Oh! a commenter below says it does poorly in containers due to the plant's habit of forming a taproot. Yes.

[@ellielynn8219]

@@trumpetingangel oh that would make sense! I wish I had deeper containers! I’ve been giving it more water than anything else in my “garden”. I live in a heavily wooded area and everything I grow has to be in pots on my deck where there is a bit of light. If I plant it I’m assuming the deer will just eat the whole thing. Thank you for your reply! 💜

[@EMVelez]

Can this be grown in a grow bag?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

Probably. The roots can grow deep - i've found its happiest in the ground. Have the grow bag be at least 12 inches deep

[@philg4678]

where can I get borage? can I grow it in michigan? how do you cook or eat borage?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

Best to start from seed. I'm sure you can. I use the flowers, but mostly grow it for the bees and to use as fertilizer - chop and drop crop, etc.

[@philg4678]

@@GrowingInTheGarden where is a good place to buy seeds? when to grow it from seeds?

[@yllejord]

I don't know why, but borage just won't grow in my garden for some reason. I'll sow again this year too, of course. There are some things l have not tried yet.

[@insomniasugarspite9056]

Perhaps it's the seedn supplier?

[@4thdimensionalexplorer]

Mine took a few tries to get right. I think planting before it gets too warm out played a role

[@hibiscus-dreams]

If you planted seeds previously (like in the last yr) don't be surprised if they germinate at some point in the future - meaning the soil temp and hydration was "just right." I planted cilantro in spring for summer one yr and it failed. Cilantro doesn't like intense heat. Then all the remaining seeds that hadn't germinated went crazy in autumn. Same thing happened with lettuce seeds. Planted 'em summer of '22, & nothing grew. This past spring a surprise crop of lettuce heads appeared that I'd forgotten about.

[@essexfarmer9610]

The only thing to be aware of is that as an oil based seed it stays viable in the soil for many years. So once you have grown borage you are never without it, as it germinates again and again. Arable farmers think twice about growing it and where they grow it as it can become a weed in other crops. That said I love it and like it on our farms.

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

Good point. Luckily the seedlings are easy to recognize and pull, but very true. I picked a couple of spots for it this year that I've decided I want it to return each year.

[@jab4634]

I didn't know there was a white Borage

[@B_Mollhausen]

I just clicked on the video to see how to pronounce borage.

[@BucketsOfCool]

Me too! 😂

[@CunningLinguistics-k7b]

Lol

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

I just always said it like "forage"

[@TingTingalingy]

​@@IjeomaThePlantMamaI don't Believe you.

[@CG-wr5vb]

Haha, this is my only reason also! I’m delighted she’s pronounced it the same as me 🎉

[@maryjones0147]

You said edible? How? In salads?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

Yes, salads or as a garnish. The book The Edible Flower amzn.to/3spSvcF has some good ideas.

[@dansobien8196]

No mention of it causing liver damage or cancer?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

Not in the small unconcentrated amounts you would use from the plant (not extracts).

[@adrianneporta8032]

Can other livestock eat borage?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

I'm not sure - I would research before feeding them.

[@prebenso]

plant one and your whole garden is filled with them in a few years.

[@Kat-mf7mt]

Does touching the bristles hurt or cause any skin irritation?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

They are pretty pokey with bristles for sure.

[@beltop5]

This didn't tell me how to use it tho, which is why I watched

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

The end of the video details how I use it.

[@simonem.3092]

I’m surprised. You missed some important points about borage. (Your content is not usually so scant.) It does terrible in containers and much prefers the ground to accommodate that tap root and general size. You also didn’t mention the cucumber flavor of the flowers and their many uses in beverages and desserts and salads. The leaves are also nutritious and delicious. I did get one thing from the video though- using like comfrey-and that was helpful.

[@EMVelez]

Good to know. I was going to try growing it in a grow bag. Bad idea?

[@LCLand]

No fun recipes?

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

I love the recipes for edible flowers in this cookbook: amzn.to/40eolVN

[@juneramirez8580]

So WHY was mine so prickly that it was useless except the bees loved it. It was like handling a cactus. Never will grow it again!!!

[@GrowingInTheGarden]

It's definitely prickly - handle with gloves. Harvest the very young leaves for eating before the bristles develop.

[@gryphc3860]

There is nothing useless about a plant that bees love. Borage is worth growing for that fact alone! 😊🐝💚

[@kayveteran9815]

Nope! I hate bees 🐝