With its blurry blue buds and arresting star - shape efflorescence atop mysterious green leaves , borage merit a prominent fleck in every herbaceous plant garden .
Borage ( Boragoofficinalis L. ) pull in pollinators and razzing and is have it off to deter a range of garden pests . Harvest tailwort just before the flush get hold of full bloom ; thenpreserve by dryingor freezing .
How to Plant and Grow Borage
While you may find borage seedlings in a nursery , it is better to grow them from germ and plant them like a shot in the garden , because they develop a taproot that is easy to damage while transplanting .
you may also seed the seeds in biodegradable pots , then arrange them directly in the garden , which will keep the root without disruption . institute them after your orbit ’s last frost .
Borage’sgrowing essential are simple and similar to many other herb :
Companion Planting With Borage
Borage is a good companion plant to several vegetable , as it is believed to strengthen other plants ' resistances to diseases and pests . This is specially dependable for strawberries , but basil , leeks , kale , Cucurbita pepo , marigolds and others also grow well alongside it .
How to Harvest Borage
Harvest borage lead when they are untoughened , when the plant is new and before the buds have developed flower . you may also harvest tender leaves if you have heavily cut your industrial plant in mid - summertime so that it has grow new growth .
Mature leaves are too prickly to harvest , so if they have developed haired bristles , you plausibly need to avoid them .
pluck the flowers before they reach full blossom . you could use your finger , pruners or just scissors to harvest both the flowers and farewell .
Tip
Try summate borage to your favorite salads , soups , desserts or even fizzy potable !
How to Preserve Borage Leaves
Some growers recommend against trying to dry out borage leaf , because their flavor loses its poke , so seek to expend the leaves fresh . But if you have a lot of folio , attempt drying them to see how the flavor holds up . you’re able to either dry or freeze out both borage flowers and leaves .
Drying in the Microwave
To dry them in the microwave oven , spread them in a single bed on paper towels and microwave them for 1 to 3 minutes . you could also use a veritable oven set to about 180 ° degree Fahrenheit . pass on them in for a few hours , but look into every half - hour or so to invalidate over - drying them .
Air Drying
Alternatively , air - dry them by place them in a mesh bag and hanging them in a dry , cool location for a few days .
Freezing
To freeze leaves or flowers , put them in a plastic bag or block them in ice cube with a fiddling water .
FAQs About Borage
Here are a few frequently take question about tailwort :
How do you keep borage blooming?
Deadheading the industrial plant will encourage it to flower for another few weeks . Additionally , pruning it back in mid - summer will encourage Modern leaves to produce for crop later on in the time of year .
What part of borage is edible?
Both the flower and the leaves of borage are edible and often used as a garnish or vegetable in a variety of dishes , include salads , yogurt , cheese and soup . They can also be brew into a tea or simply bestow as a savour foil to different juices or carbonated beverages .
