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How to grow borage

Frost-hardy · Borage family

When to sow and plant

  • Sow outdoors 19 April – 3 May

Based on: average for Germany, last frost 19 April, safe from 6 May

Planting calendar for your area
Where the dates come from

The weeks come from our sources; the dates use the average frost in Germany. Enter a German postcode to get dates for your area.

  • Sow outdoors: 0–2 weeks after the last frost (Illinois Extension, Herb Gardening: Borage)

Good and bad neighbours

Gardeners’ lore, not proven · 1

  • StrawberryLore: good· D

    Borage attracts pollinators; a benefit for strawberries has not been tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Strawberry

Crop rotation

Our sources give no separate break for this family.

  • The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.
  • Example: grown here in 2026, again from 2030.

At a glance

Family
Borage family (Boraginaceae)
Frost
Hardy, tolerates frost
Spacing (row × plant)
46 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in)
Plants per m²
7.2
Life cycle
Annual

Spacing according to University of Maryland Extension: Borage. Other sources: 61 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in) (Johnny's Selected Seeds: Borage – Key Growing Information).

Questions and answers

When can I sow borage?

Sow outdoors, average for Germany: 19 April – 3 May. Enter a German postcode above for your area, or your own frost date in the planting calendar.

How far apart should I plant borage?

46 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in) (row × plant), according to University of Maryland Extension: Borage.

What grows well next to borage?

Strawberry: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D).

How long a break do borage need in the same bed?

Our sources give no separate break for this family. The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.

Sources

Show 8 sources
  1. RHS Find a plant: Borago officinalis
  2. University of Maryland Extension: Borage
  3. Johnny's Selected Seeds: Borage – Key Growing Information
  4. Illinois Extension, Herb Gardening: Borage
  5. Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein: Fruchtfolge im Garten (Gartenmerkblatt, 2020)
  6. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (über die GBIF-API, species/match)
  7. Oregon State University Extension: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden (o. J.)
  8. Utah State University Extension (Mohr, Trundle, Hagevik): Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens – Companion Planting (Juli 2025)

Retrieved on 23 October 2026. Facts in our own words, one source per value.