When to Plant Borage in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide
Sow September to December. Right now in September you can sow.
Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Borage guide is written for the Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
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. Both flowers and young leaves are edible. One of the easiest herbs to grow in Australia.
Planting Calendar for Warm Temperate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is Borage sowing time in Sydney?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Warm Temperate zone right now, Borage included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 17.0°C (optimal range: 10–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Sydney), not a live sensor.
How to Grow Borage in Warm Temperate Australia
When to Plant
Sow Aug-Nov and Mar-May. Nearly year-round possible.
- Soil
- Any well-drained soil, even poor soils. Tolerant of a wide range of conditions.
- 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.
Companion plants: Tomato, Strawberry, Squash, Brassicas
Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Borage
Recommended Varieties
- Standard Borago officinalis
Key Challenges
- Can self-sow excessively
- Floppy growth in rich soil
Pro Tips
- Plant in poorer soil for sturdier growth
- Let it self-sow among vegetables as a permanent pollinator attractor
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.
Common Borage Pests in Warm Temperate Zones
Organic prevention: Borage is more often a pest SOLUTION than a pest problem. It attracts hoverflies and parasitic wasps that control aphids on nearby crops.
Where to next
Get the Full Interactive Guide
Track your garden, get real-time pest alerts, and plan around your zone's weather.
Open the planting dashboard Join Garden BuddyCommon 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): May to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
Does borage grow all year round in Sydney?
No. In the Warm Temperate zone the planting months are Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.