When to Plant Borage
Borage is a half-hardy cool-season herb. It takes light frosts but not a hard freeze.
Sow it outdoors 1 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost. The first harvest comes about 50 to 60 days after sowing.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Apr 17 – May 8 |
| Harvest | Apr 6 – Jun 1 | May 7 – Jul 2 | Jun 6 – Aug 1 |
Growing borage
Sow borage where it is to grow because it transplants poorly; bees love the blue flowers and it reseeds freely.
- Spacing: 12 in apart, in rows 18 in apart. In a raised bed, 1 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 50 to 60 from sowing, then about 8 weeks of picking.
- Traditional companions: bell pepper, cantaloupe, cherry tomato, cucumber, hot pepper, strawberry, tomato, watermelon. See companion plants for borage.
Plan your beds with these dates
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Open the garden plannerQuestions
Can borage go in before the last frost?
Yes. Borage is half-hardy: sow it 1 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost.
How long does borage take to grow?
About 50 to 60 days from sowing to the first harvest, which then lasts about 8 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- Colorado State University Extension: How to grow, harvest and eat 12 tasty edible annual flowers in Colorado
- University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners (UC ANR): Use and Culture of Culinary Herbs (table from the California Master Gardener Handbook)
- Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M System (J. Masabni): Growing Herbs (E-561, 2009)
- University of Maryland Extension: Care of Herbs and Starting Herbs from Seed
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Kenosha County: Companion Plants for the Vegetable Garden (column, 2012)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden
- Utah State University Extension, Utah 4-H: Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens: Companion Planting (2025)
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County: The Art of Companion Planting (Master Gardener presentation, 2023)
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Plant Partners: 5 Benefits of Companion Planting (2025)