Why you Should Grow Borage in your Garden

Borage (Borago officinalis), also known as starflower, is a versatile herb that’s easy to grow and offers a range of benefits, from enhancing your garden to supporting your health. This hardy plant is rich in nutrients and offers culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. Here’s why you should consider adding borage to your garden.

You can see more details about our favorite crop in our growing guides.

Contents

Key Benefits of Growing Borage

Attracts Pollinators

Borage’s star-shaped blue flowers are rich in nectar, making it a favorite among pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Why it matters: Pollinators are crucial for fertilizing plants and increasing crop yields.
How it helps: Borage’s blooms naturally draw pollinators, which can improve the overall health and productivity of your garden.

Natural Pest Repellent

The strong aroma of borage helps keep harmful pests such as tomato hornworms and cabbage worms at bay.

Why it matters: Reducing the need for chemical pesticides helps create a healthier garden environment.
How it helps: Planting borage near vegetables like tomatoes and squash can naturally protect your crops from common garden pests.

Improves Soil Quality

Borage’s deep roots help break up compacted soil, improving aeration and nutrient availability. As the plant decomposes, it adds valuable organic matter to the soil.

Why it matters: Healthy soil is the foundation of a productive garden.
How it helps: Use borage as a cover crop or in compost to enrich your soil naturally, promoting better plant growth and disease resistance.

Rich in Nutrients

Borage is packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, potassium, and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).

Why it matters: These nutrients support overall health, immunity, and inflammation reduction.
How it helps: Adding borage to your diet, whether through leaves, flowers, or oil, can provide numerous health benefits.

Medicinal Properties

Borage has a long history of use in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and soothing qualities. Borage oil, extracted from the seeds, is often used for skin health and balancing hormones.

Why it matters: Natural remedies can complement other treatments for a holistic approach to wellness.
How it helps: Borage tea can reduce stress, alleviate inflammation, and improve conditions like eczema. Borage oil can soothe irritated skin and promote healing.

Versatile Culinary Uses

Both the leaves and flowers of borage are edible. The leaves have a mild cucumber-like taste, and the flowers add a sweet touch to dishes and drinks.

Why it matters: Growing edible plants like borage adds unique flavors and health benefits to your meals.
How it helps: Use borage in salads, soups, or smoothies, and enjoy the flowers as a colorful garnish in beverages.

How to Grow Borage

Planting Borage
Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil for planting borage. Although it can tolerate partial shade, it thrives best in full sun. Borage prefers moderately rich soil but can grow in less fertile conditions as long as the soil drains well. Plant seeds directly in the garden after the last frost, about 1/4 inch deep and 12 inches apart. Alternatively, you can start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before the last frost.

Watering and Care
Borage is drought-tolerant once established but needs regular watering during dry spells to ensure healthy growth. It doesn’t require much fertilization, but adding compost or a balanced organic fertilizer at planting time will help it thrive. To promote continuous blooming and prevent excessive self-seeding, regularly deadhead the flowers.

Harvesting Borage
Harvest young, tender leaves for the best flavor, as older leaves can become tough and hairy. Pick flowers regularly once they bloom, and use them fresh or dried for culinary and medicinal purposes.

How to Use Borage

Culinary Uses

Salads: Add fresh borage leaves to salads for a refreshing cucumber flavor. The flowers can be used as a garnish or in drinks.
Soups & Stews: Chop borage leaves and stir them into soups or stews for a fresh, green taste.
Beverages: Use borage flowers to decorate drinks like cocktails, lemonade, or iced tea, and freeze them in ice cubes for a beautiful, edible touch.

Medicinal Uses

Borage Tea: Brew fresh or dried borage leaves and flowers in hot water for a calming tea that may help alleviate stress.
Borage Oil: Use borage oil on your skin to soothe irritation, reduce inflammation, and promote healing. It can also be taken as a supplement for its anti-inflammatory benefits.

In the Garden

Companion Planting: Plant borage near tomatoes, strawberries, and other crops to deter pests and encourage healthy growth.
Green Manure: Chop and drop borage leaves as green manure to improve soil structure and fertility.

Borage is a wonderful, low-maintenance plant that offers a wide array of benefits, from attracting pollinators and repelling pests to enhancing your soil and boosting your health. Whether you are a novice or an experienced gardener, borage’s versatility makes it a valuable addition to any garden. Its culinary and medicinal properties provide even more reasons to grow this incredible herb.