Borage Planting Guide

May

borage this May — what to know

borage rewards gardeners who pay attention to a few basics. Here's what matters in May, wherever you're growing.

Sun full sun

Water low

Days to harvest 50–60

Plant depth 0.5″

Spacing 8″

How to water borage
Mulch heavily around borage to hold soil moisture without watering more often.
Where to put borage
borage wants at least 6 hours of direct sun. Less than that and you'll get leggy plants with weak yields.
Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant borage. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.

Get borage planting dates for your county →

Borage is a self-seeding annual herb with star-shaped blue flowers that attract pollinators. Its leaves have a cucumber-like flavor and the flowers are edible.

Borago officinalis · Herb · Boraginaceae family · 50–60 days to maturity

Get Your Personalized Borage Planting Dates

Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.

Where Can You Grow Borage?

Zone Compatibility for Borage Zones 3a – 11b

1a 1b 2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b 12a 12b 13a 13b

Ideal (data available) Suitable Marginal Not recommended

Planting Dates by Zone

Zone	Start Indoors	Direct Sow	Transplant	Harvest
Zone 3a	Apr 3	May 8	May 8	Jul 3 – Aug 21
Zone 3b	Mar 29	May 3	May 3	Jun 28 – Aug 16
Zone 4a	Mar 25	Apr 29	Apr 29	Jun 24 – Aug 12
Zone 4b	Mar 20	Apr 24	Apr 24	Jun 19 – Aug 7
Zone 5a	Mar 21	Apr 11	Apr 18	Jun 13 – Aug 1
Zone 5b	Mar 14	Apr 4	Apr 11	Jun 6 – Jul 25
Zone 6a	Mar 6	Mar 27	Apr 3	May 29 – Jul 17
Zone 6b	Feb 27	Mar 20	Mar 27	May 22 – Jul 10
Zone 7a	Feb 18	Mar 11	Mar 18	May 13 – Jul 1
Zone 7b	Feb 11	Mar 4	Mar 11	May 6 – Jun 24
Zone 8a	Feb 1	Feb 22	Mar 1	Apr 26 – Jun 14
Zone 8b	Jan 21	Feb 11	Feb 18	Apr 15 – Jun 3
Zone 9a	Jan 13	Jan 20	Feb 3	Mar 31 – May 19
Zone 9b	Dec 28	Jan 4	Jan 18	Mar 15 – May 3
Zone 10a	Dec 4	Dec 11	Dec 25	Feb 19 – Apr 9
Zone 10b	Dec 4	Dec 11	Dec 25	Feb 19 – Apr 9
Zone 11a	Dec 4	Dec 11	Dec 25	Feb 19 – Apr 9
Zone 11b	Dec 4	Dec 11	Dec 25	Feb 19 – Apr 9

How to Plant Borage

0.5"

Planting Depth

Between Plants

12"

Between Rows

🍂 Fall planting: Sow 10 weeks before your first frost date for a fall harvest.

Growing Conditions

☀️ Sun

Full Sun (6-8+ hours)

💧 Water

Low — drought tolerant

Drought tolerant — water only when soil is dry 2" deep.

🧪 Soil pH

6 – 7

Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.

🗺️ Hardiness Zones

Zone 3a – 11b

📅 Days to Maturity

50–60 days

Quick-growing crop. Multiple plantings per season are possible.

👪 Plant Family

Boraginaceae

Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Boraginaceae family crops grew last year.

Succession Planting Borage

Borage matures in just 50–60 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 4 successive plantings by sowing every 5.7 weeks.

Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.

Companion Planting for Borage

✅ Good Companions

Tomatoes Squash Summer Strawberries

Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

Growing Tips for Borage

Direct sow in spring as borage does not transplant well. Allow some plants to go to seed for next year. Young leaves are best; older leaves become bristly.

Saving Borage Seeds

Recommended for Your Garden

🪴

Fabric Grow Bags $10-25

Breathable fabric pots that promote healthy root growth and prevent overwatering.

🏺

Self-Watering Planters $15-40

Built-in reservoir keeps herbs and greens consistently watered with less effort.

🌱

Seed Starting Trays $8-20

Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.

Reader favourite

Seed Saving & Storage Guide

$27 $157 value

Most saved seeds go bad before next season. This shows exactly when to pick, how to dry, and where to store seeds from 200 plants so yours don't.

200 plants, step-by-step: life cycle, pollination type, isolation
Exact temperature + humidity ranges that keep seeds viable
Bonus: searchable Google Sheets tracker + custom GPT assistant

Save a lifetime of seed money →

Borage by State

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow Borage?

Borage (Borago officinalis) takes 50 to 60 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.

What zones can Borage grow in?

Borage can be grown in USDA zones 3a through 11b. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.

How much sun does Borage need?

Growing Borage requires Full Sun (6-8+ hours), Low — drought tolerant, and soil pH of 6 to 7.