Borage is an annual herb grown for its edible flowers and leaves as well as its medicinal properties. Once established, borage readily self-seeds, providing you with an ongoing supply year after year. With a few simple steps, you can harvest borage seeds to collect and replant.
When Are Borage Seeds Ready to Harvest?
Borage seeds form after the plant finishes flowering, usually in mid to late summer. Monitor the faded flower heads starting in July or August. Seeds are ready to harvest when they turn from green to dark brown or black and easily detach from the plant.
Ripe borage seeds often drop from the plants before you harvest. So begin checking under plants regularly as seeds start to mature. Cover the soil with mesh or fabric to catch any dropped seeds.
The seeds do not all ripen at the same time. Pick seeds as they mature coming back every few days to check for more. Seeds left on the plant too long may be lost to the ground or eaten by birds.
How to Harvest Borage Seeds
Follow these simple steps for harvesting your borage seeds
1. Identify Seed Pods
Check dried flower heads for plump, dark seeds. Give pods a little shake to see if seeds detach easily.
2. Collect Falling Seeds
Place trays or tarps under plants to catch dropped seeds. You can also shake pods gently over a container to dislodge mature seeds.
3. Hand Pick Ripe Seeds
Pinch or roll individual seeds from seed heads into your palm or a bowl Take care not to crush pods or seeds
4. Sieve and Separate
Use a fine mesh strainer or screen to separate debris and immature seeds from the harvest. Discard unwanted material.
5. Prepare for Storage
Spread seeds in a single layer on paper towels or screens. Allow to dry completely out of direct sun for 1-2 weeks.
6. Store in Cool, Dry Area
Place dried seeds in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or another cool, dark place. Label with the seed type and year.
What to Look for When Harvesting
Harvest borage seeds based on these visual cues:
- Dark brown to black color
- Easily detached from the seed head
- Plump, round shape
- Firm texture
Avoid harvesting seeds that are:
- Still green or white
- Flat, misshapen, or shrivelled
- Still firmly attached to the pod
Immature or damaged seeds will not successfully grow into new plants.
How Many Seeds to Save
Each borage flower produces 4 nutlets or seeds. A mature plant can yield hundreds of seeds. There is no need to collect every single seed. Harvest only from your healthiest, most productive borage plants.
For a small home garden, just 20-30 seeds per variety is sufficient for replanting the following season. Store extra seeds properly to use for future years or sharing.
Storing Borage Seeds
Proper storage is key to preserving borage seeds until it’s time to plant them. Follow these tips:
- Allow seeds to fully dry before storing
- Place seeds in airtight containers like jars, envelopes, or zipper bags
- Label with seed type and year collected
- Store in the refrigerator or another cool location
- Use within 1-2 years for best germination rates
Stored properly in a cold environment, borage seeds can remain viable for 2-3 years. Discard seeds that are more than 3 years old.
How to Use Harvested Borage Seeds
The tiny harvested seeds can be directly sown outdoors in either fall or early spring. Space seeds 12-18 inches apart in rows or scatter them over a bed and lightly rake in. Cover with 1⁄4 inch of soil.
For earlier blooms, start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last average frost. Transplant seedlings outside after hardening off for 7-10 days.
In addition to planting for reseeding, saved borage seeds have some other uses:
- Add to salads, baked goods, and drinks for flavor
- Infuse in oil to extract their mineral and medicinal benefits
- Mix into potpourri or dried arrangements
Benefits of Harvesting Borage Seeds
Saving seeds from your own plants offers many rewards:
- Free source of plants suited to your growing conditions
- Continual supply from reseeding instead of buying new annually
- Promotes biodiversity by growing heirloom and open-pollinated varieties
- Allows you to share seeds with other gardeners
- Reduces waste from seed packets and plastic pots
Plus it’s fun and empowering to collect and grow seeds harvested from your own garden!
Storing Leftover Plant Material
Don’t discard the rest of the borage plant after collecting seeds! Use the leftover foliage and stems as:
- Additions to the compost pile
- Mulch or green manure dug back into the soil
- Nutrient-rich material for compost tea
- Ingredient for making liquid fertilizer
Enjoy an Ongoing Borage Patch
With a little diligent seed harvesting in summer and fall, you can enjoy a self-perpetuating borage patch year after year. Collect seeds as they ripen and store them properly until it’s time to sow again next season. Learn to identify mature seeds, harvest them at the right stage, and incorporate saved seeds into your garden routine.
How and When to Harvest Borage
Before we get into borage harvesting, a little more info about the plant is useful. An ancient herb, borage also goes by the names “bee plant,” “bee bread,” talewort, starflower, and cool-tankard. The part about bees is especially fitting, since the plant’s star-shaped flowers are a great way to attract bees. Borage flowers are usually bright blue, but the cultivar ‘Alba’ has white flowers. Although borage self-seeds, it is less likely to be invasive than herbs such as mint. Borage spreads from seeds above ground rather than underground stolons like mint. With all of its flowers, the plant can be heavy at the top. It will grow to be 18 to 36 inches (46 to 91 cm) tall. ) high by 9 to 24 inches (23-61 cm. ) across. Not only is borage beneficial to pollinating bees, but it seems to improve the quality of other plants. It is often grown in conjunction with cucumber, beans, grapes, squash, and peas. Borage is full of calcium and potassium, which is why many people plant it with their tomatoes to prevent blossom end rot, which happens when the plants don’t get enough calcium. A little borage in the garden may go a long way toward growing healthy, hearty crops because it helps plants set fruit. Borage (Borago officinalis) comes from the Mediterranean and does best in full sun, but it can also handle light shade. Direct sow seeds ¼ inch (6 mm. ) deep in rows set 18 inches (46 cm. ) apart in February or March. Germination should occur within a week or two. When the seedlings are two inches tall, thin to about 12 to 15 inches (31-38 cm. ) apart. Seeds can be readily obtained at nurseries, garden centers, or via the internet. Or, if you know someone who is growing the herb, you might try harvesting borage seeds yourself. Harvesting borage seeds is pretty easy since, unlike many other seeds, borage seeds are fairly large. They look like small, hard seed pods with grooved sides and a cap on the top.
Both the leaves and flowers of borage are edible with a flavor much akin to a cucumber. The stalks and leaves are covered with fine, silvery hairs that tend to get pricklier as they mature. Borage leaves contain a small amount of silica, which for some people can act as an irritant. Put on gloves when you pick borage leaves and even when you’re cooking if you know or think you might be susceptible. When picking borage leaves, select the young ones, which will have less of the little hairs. Continual harvesting and deadheading will allow for a longer period of use.
How To Harvest Borage Seeds
FAQ
How do you get seeds from borage?
When to pick borage seeds?
What do borage seed pods look like?
How long does borage take to grow?
Borage will grow in poor soil or alkaline soil as long as it is well-drained. Borage prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Seed starting indoors: Borage can be started from seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Start seed in biodegradable pots that can be set in the garden to avoid root disruption. Seeds germinate in 7 to 10 days.
Can borage be self seeded?
Borage is good at self-seeding (although nowhere near as prolific as mint). You can either let the seeds fall to self -seed for next season, or collect the seeds and replant. Wait for the flowers to die off and pick the seeds before they fall to the ground. I find when they start turning brown is the best time to pick them.
When to harvest borage seeds?
Yet the quick seed drop of mature seeds from the plant can make catching the seeds somewhat difficult. The seeds of borage should be harvested when they are mature, and dark in color, such as grey, dark brown or black. The seeds are ready for harvest when they have turned this color, and easily fall away from the seed pod.
How do you grow borage from seed?
Borage is most commonly planted from seeds, as nursery plants aren’t typically available. Plant seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Thin seedlings when they are six to eight inches tall spaced from 18 to 24 inches apart. A support structure won’t be necessary. Borage will grow in full sun to partial shade.