What should I plant borage next to

Borage is a strong companion for tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries. It draws pollinators in for better fruit set, is traditionally said to deter tomato hornworm, and is credited with improving strawberry flavour.

Can you transplant borage seedlings

Not easily. Borage forms a taproot and resents disturbance, so sow it direct at 10 mm deep where it is to grow rather than raising and transplanting seedlings.

Does borage come back every year

Borage is an annual, but it self-seeds so prolifically that a patch effectively renews itself each season. Pull spent plants before the seed ripens if you want to keep it from spreading.

How big does borage get

It grows into a large, sprawling plant up to a metre wide. Give it the full 30 cm spacing, site it at the edge of a bed, and pinch the tips early to keep it bushier and more upright.

When to plant Borage in Subtropical Australia

Sow borage in subtropical Australia from September to November. Method: raise seedlings,sow direct. Seeds germinate in 14-21 days, with harvest roughly 56-70 days after sowing.

Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.

Sow borage direct from September to November, setting seed 10 mm deep straight where it is to grow, as this taproot herb resents transplanting. Germination takes 14–21 days and plants mature quickly, reaching flowering in 56–70 days. Space them about 30 cm apart in rows 30–45 cm, allowing room for a big, sprawling plant. Borage is hardy and easy in subtropical gardens around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, valued as much for its pollinator-drawing blue flowers as for its cucumber-scented leaves. Planted near tomatoes, cucumbers or strawberries, it earns its place by pulling in bees and lifting fruit set.

Sowing calendar — subtropical zone

Green months are your sowing window: September to November.

Growing notes

Borage is about as easy as herbs get, and its real value in a subtropical garden is as a companion plant. Sited beside tomatoes and cucumbers it draws in pollinators for better fruit set and is traditionally credited with deterring tomato hornworm, while near strawberries it is said to improve flavour and, more concretely, brings the bees that berries need.

The main thing that goes wrong is simply that borage gets big and floppy. A well-fed plant sprawls a metre wide and can smother smaller neighbours, so give it the full 30 cm spacing and site it at the edge of a bed where it can lean outward. Pinching the growing tips early encourages a bushier, more self-supporting shape.

It self-seeds prolifically. One plant scatters enough seed to fill a bed the next season, which is handy if you want a permanent companion patch but a nuisance otherwise. Pull spent plants before the seed fully ripens if you want to keep it in check around a tidy Coffs Harbour garden.

Slugs and snails nibble seedlings after storms, but established plants shrug off almost everything, needing only occasional water in dry spells to keep flowering.

Borage at a glance

Sowing depth	10 mm
Plant spacing	30 cm
Row spacing	30-45 cm
Germination	14-21 days
Days to maturity	56-70 days
Frost tolerance	Hardy
Method	Raise Seedlings,Sow Direct

Companion planting

Grows well with

Tomatoes Cucumber Strawberries Tomatoes Strawberries Cucumber

Tomatoes: Deters tomato hornworm; attracts pollinators

Cucumber: Deters tomato hornworm; attracts pollinators for better fruit set

Strawberries: Traditionally thought to improve strawberry flavour; attracts pollinators

Common questions

What should I plant borage next to: Borage is a strong companion for tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries. It draws pollinators in for better fruit set, is traditionally said to deter tomato hornworm, and is credited with improving strawberry flavour.
Can you transplant borage seedlings: Not easily. Borage forms a taproot and resents disturbance, so sow it direct at 10 mm deep where it is to grow rather than raising and transplanting seedlings.
Does borage come back every year: Borage is an annual, but it self-seeds so prolifically that a patch effectively renews itself each season. Pull spent plants before the seed ripens if you want to keep it from spreading.
How big does borage get: It grows into a large, sprawling plant up to a metre wide. Give it the full 30 cm spacing, site it at the edge of a bed, and pinch the tips early to keep it bushier and more upright.

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