Borage seeds?

Invasive in the sense that borage re-seeds itself.  The first time I planted one, it produced many, many attractive, tiny flowers. Not knowing better, I let it go to seed. Not that I would have been able to keep up with dead-heading the thing, anyway!

A couple of months later, I noticed a dozen or two seedlings that resembled cukes growing in that area and was puzzled.  

Finally, after reading that borage tastes like cucumber, I put two and two together and concluded that I had to yank those seedlings to prevent a takeover of my entire tiny back yard.

Thanks, ladies.

Hmm. There's no way on earth I'm going to be out deadheading every flower. I've got enough to do on that with marigolds and nasturtiums, and more than one garden I'll be working. There is a spot in the back yard in which I suppose I wouldn't mind having nothing but a plant with beautiful flowers and edible leaves, though. Or else doing some easy weeding.

It's about an eight foot area, waist high and semi-shady -- the foot and a half wide strip of soil behind our retaining wall before its level ramps up to the hill behind the house. I amended it with lots of wood chips and steer manure last year, so it's pretty rich and easy to weed. Lots of gopher and mole action, though. It's actually a spot lots of windows look out on, so tall flowering plants would be great there, if they maintain a decent look through the summer and while being harvested.

I was planning on planting peas there, but maybe the borage in the soil in front, starting it out a little lower so the peas have a chance to get some sun, and the peas behind in one-gallon containers pushed up against the critter wire for them to climb? If they can live together in close proximity for a while without the peas being overwhelmed and shaded out, it could make for a pretty picture, perhaps ... if by the time the borage get so tall they start stealing sun, the peas are mostly on the way out anyway ...

If I try that, I'm hoping that the borage isn't the kind of plant that gets big and stays big immediately. Putting the peas in one-gallon pots should give them a good head start on catching the sun. Any thoughts?

sanderson wrote:Marc,  That's what I read previously, so I planted in containers.

Sanderson, what size pot do you finally end up with?

I'd place the borage planters on about a 3'-diameter ground cover of some sort.

Unless, of course, you have ambitions to add to your income by selling borage seedlings....

Windmere, The purple pot is 7", the plastic pots are 8".  I have other veggies scheduled for the 10", 12" and 14" pots. Keep in mind this is my first year with Borage and I don't know what I'm doing, except trusting in MM and compost!     Also, I have a tiny back yard with 74 sq. ft. of boxes and 43 pots!

Thanks for the advice, Donna.