Author Topic: what to do with Borage? (Read 5872 times)

northfifeduckling · « **on:** October 31, 2011, 01:57:02 pm »

it has self-seeded all over the veg plot - what can I do with it? Nobody likes the texture of the leaves in a salad here and the flowers are nearly finished now. I know the seeds are supposed to be healthy but seem to be difficult to harvest! I just can not bring myself to just chuck it all on the compost

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** October 31, 2011, 02:55:21 pm »

Quote from: northfifeduckling on October 31, 2011, 01:57:02 pm

it has self-seeded all over the veg plot - what can I do with it?

I think you can put it in drinks like Pimms, but I don't think it goes with mulled wine, which is more seasonal...

If you don't like it in salads, I'd just enjoy it, compost it when it goes over, and look forward to more and yet more next year...!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2011, 02:58:03 pm »

I believe it's related to comfrey so it is a positive addition to the compost heap. As Sally says, look forward to lots more next year because the bees

absolutely love it

Plantoid · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2011, 08:40:30 pm »

Quote from: Fleecewife on October 31, 2011, 02:58:03 pm

I believe it's related to comfrey so it is a positive addition to the compost heap. As Sally says, look forward to lots more next year because the bees absolutely love it

The bees will go absolutely beserk for the high quality sugars produced in the stems after you cut it 3 or so inches off the ground after the flowers have dies off . just don't stand in the line from hives and plants or you'll get machine gunned by busy irritated bees as you'll be in their flight lines and liable to be badly stung.

if you do have bees and have no other need for the plant leave both parts of the plant where they fall till the bees stop taking the sugars from both of them