When to Plant Borage in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
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This Borage guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Mar to Apr, Sep to Dec
- Days to harvest
- 56 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
A hardy annual herb with stunning blue star-shaped flowers and cucumber-flavoured leaves. Excellent companion plant and pollinator attractor. Self-sows prolifically once established.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar D
- Apr D
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep S/D
- Oct S/T/D
- Nov T/D
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Borage in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Any well-drained soil, even poor soils. Tolerant of a wide range of conditions.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade. Flowers best in full sun.
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate watering. Drought tolerant once established. Overwatering causes lanky, floppy growth.
- Good companions
- Strawberry (attracts pollinators, improves flavour, traditional companion), Lettuce, Onion, Tomato, Summer squash
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Borage
Recommended Varieties
- Standard Borago officinalis
Key Challenges
- Shorter season
- Frost kills plants
Pro Tips
- Excellent performer in this zone
- Self-sows and returns each spring once established
Pests and problems for Borage in Cool Temperate
- Aphids and Whitefly Moderate
- Powdery Mildew Space plants well. Avoid overhead watering. Accept that late-season mildew is cosmetic and the plant is finishing anyway. Watch
Organic prevention (Aphids): Borage is more often a pest SOLUTION than a pest problem. It attracts hoverflies and parasitic wasps that control aphids on nearby crops.
Harvesting Borage
When ready: Harvest young leaves before flowering for best flavour. Pick flowers when fully open. They should pop off easily.
How to harvest: Pick young tender leaves from top of plant. Pluck individual flowers by pinching stem behind flower. Older leaves become hairy and unpalatable.
Storing and preserving borage
How to keep it
- Flower ice cubes. Place individual flowers face-down in ice cube tray compartments. Fill with water or lemonade. Freeze. Stunning in drinks. Keeps: 3 months frozen.
- Candied flowers. Paint flowers with lightly beaten egg white using fine brush. Dust with caster sugar. Dry on rack for 24 hours. Keeps: 2-3 months in airtight container.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Borage
When do you plant borage in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun, Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Mar to Apr, Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Aug to Sep
Can you grow borage all year round in Melbourne?
No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Mar to Apr, Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Borage in Melbourne?
Frost-hardy annual that self-seeds freely. Sow in spring for summer flowers or in autumn for an early spring show.
What soil temperature do Borage need?
Borage germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 25°C.
How do I know when Borage are ready to harvest?
Harvest young leaves before flowering for best flavour. Pick flowers when fully open. They should pop off easily.
What are the best Borage varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Standard Borago officinalis.
What grows well with Borage?
Good companion plants for Borage include: Strawberry, Lettuce, Onion, Tomato, Summer squash.
Are borage salt tolerant?
Only a little. Borage are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.