Borage is a plant that has edible leaves and flowers. It is easy to grow from seeds, either outdoors in a garden or indoors in a container. After planting the borage seeds, this plant usually sprouts in about a week, if it receives adequate sunlight and water. Borage does not like to be transplanted, so the seeds should be sown in a place where they will continue to grow.
Before planting borage seeds, the soil should be loosened and moist. Borage grows best in soil that is fertile, and that drains water well. The seeds can be planted anytime indoors, but should be planted outdoors in the late spring, after the last frost. Germination of the seeds usually occurs within five to eight days after planting.
When planting borage seeds outdoors, the plant needs to be given ample room to grow. To do this, they should be spaced at least 12 inches (30 cm) apart. To grow properly, the seeds should receive at least partial sunlight, although full sun is ideal. The planting area should also be protected from wind in order to keep the plant from blowing over as it grows. Bees are very attracted to borage and the plant is often planted around strawberries, squash, or tomatoes to help aid in pollination.
The borage seeds should be planted no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep in the soil. After planting, they should be watered regularly. If the soil is not very fertile, a fertilizer can be used to promote growth. As they grow, the plants may need a light trimming.
If planting the seeds indoors, several seeds can be planted in one pot. Later, after the seeds germinate, the plants should be thinned out to give each one the room it needs to grow. If kept indoors, the seeds need to be in an area, such as a windowsill, that receives sunlight for at least eight hours a day.
The soil in which the borage seeds are cultivated should be kept free of weeds. A fully grown borage plant can reach between 2 to 3 feet (61 to 91 cm) tall and is usually ready to be harvested about eight weeks after planting. The seeds of a borage plant need only be planted once, as the plant is self-seeding and can easily take over a garden if it is not carefully weeded and cared for. This plant will bloom bright blue flowers in the summer months.
