The star-shaped, Madonna blue flowers are soothing and happy…
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/misha20-800x374.jpg)
Misha: This time we’ll be growing a type of herb called borage.
Hachibee: It’s a strange-shaped flower, sort of like a blue star or a starfish.
Misha: This blue color is called Madonna blue, and in the past, artists used this flower to paint the blue robe of the Virgin Mary.
Hachibee: That’s a divine color. That’s how beautiful the blue is.
Misha: The color is beautiful, but borage also has the effect of lifting your spirits as an herb. When you feel down or tired, it brightens your mood and gives you courage. I wonder how borage grows.
Hachibee: Let’s get started!
Borage “almost weekly” cultivation report
9/17 Planting
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_5467-scaled.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: So these are borage seeds. They’re pretty big. They’re black and hard.
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_5476.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Borage is planted in the fall. The seeds fall to the ground from the seed clusters, so you don’t really need to bury them in the soil.
9/24 Germination
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_5501-scaled.jpg)
![育ててみました。](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/育ててみました。-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: They sprouted quickly! And the sprouts are thick and look quite healthy.
10/1 The buds grow
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_5763-scaled.jpg)
![育ててみました。](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/育ててみました。-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Hmm! It’s grown so much!
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Borage has great growth power. It’s perfectly fine even if you start planting it outdoors.
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_5936-scaled.jpg)
10/8 The fourth leaf appears
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_5971-scaled.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: They’re growing up so well.
10/15 5th to 6th leaves appear
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_6840.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Oh? This leaf is a little different in shape.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Yes, this leaf with a unique spongy texture is a borage leaf.
10/22 Leaves begin to grow
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_6964.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: It’s growing, it’s growing!
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: As it starts to grow, the leaves are getting a nice darker color.
10/29 The leaves have a unique shape
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7128.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: It’s starting to get wrinkly and fluffy.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: This is the true essence of borage.
11/5 More leaves grow
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7258.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Oh, it’s gradually starting to fill up the ground.
11/12 The leaves get bigger
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7348.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: The leaves have grown big. Borage leaves are pretty big.
11/19 The leaves start to grow upwards
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7386.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: You’ve gotten pretty wild looking all of a sudden.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: The leaves and stems have gotten so much thicker and more reliable.
11/26 The grass grows taller
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7467.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: It seems that the newer the leaves are, the more clearly the sponge-like pattern becomes.
12/3 There are still leaves coming out
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7570.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Even though it’s already December, leaves are still coming out!
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Maybe it’s trying to absorb as much light as possible to gather strength before winter comes.
12/10 Growth begins to stall
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7606.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: I guess the growth rate has slowed down now that we’re in December.
12/17 Growth halt
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7656.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: His growth stopped completely!
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: The borage is finally getting ready for winter.
12/24 Appearance, unchanged
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7680.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Merry Christmas.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Borage has already gone into hibernation and can’t hear us say Merry Christmas anymore.
12/31 The leaves stick to the ground
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7811.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: It stuck to the ground to keep out the cold wind.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: It’s what we call a rosette. It spreads all over the ground and gets plenty of sunlight.
1/7 Braving the cold
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7839.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Good luck!
1/14 Still enduring the cold!
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7907.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Wow, that looks cold!
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: It’s the coldest time of the year right now. But even in this extremely cold season, borage’s leaves are still green. It’s very cold-resistant.
1/21 Still enduring
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7946.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: It looks like it’s stuck even more tightly to the ground.
1/28 Braving the cold
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_7981.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: I’m even impressed by the way it can withstand the bitter cold.
2/4 Still enduring the cold
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8001.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: The new bud in the middle of the plant has stopped growing, just as it was in December, and it’s as if time has stopped.
2/11 Withstands snow
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8058.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Even though it snowed and there’s ice on the leaves, the leaves are still bright green!
2/18 Growth resumes!
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8084.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Oh! New leaves are starting to appear again!
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Even if the outer leaves that survived the winter die, new leaves continue the life. I feel the mystery of life.
2/25 The leaves start to grow upwards
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8114.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: It looks like he’s raising his arms in the air.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: The borage has been saving its strength all winter.
3/3 New leaves appear one after another
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8195.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: They’re coming out!
3/10 More new leaves appear
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8219.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: They look like baby’s hands, so cute!
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: What a beautiful young leaf color.
3/17 The leaves start to grow upwards
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8283.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: With every rain, more leaves appear.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: All the new leaves start growing upwards at the same time.
3/24 Leaves stand up
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8312.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: It’s getting quite warm now, so the borage seems to be doing full of life.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Yes, and it’s finally bud season.
3/31 Buds form
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8416.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Buds have appeared!
4/7 The clusters of buds grow large and begin to spread out.
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8626.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: These are unique buds.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: It feels like a bunch of buds are massed together and pushed upwards all at once.
4/14 Blooming!
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8846-800x548.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: What?! The flowers have already bloomed! So fast! And they are beautiful blue, star-shaped flowers!
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8797-800x565.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: Borage flowers are shy, so for some reason they all bloom with their heads down. It’s so adorable.
4/21 Flowers start to bloom one after another
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_8911-800x553.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: The flowers bloom one after another, popping, just like fireworks.
4/28 The flowers fall and the seeds begin to form.
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_9463-800x473.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: When the flowers drop like a parachute, the buds remain. Borage has a strange shape, with its hairy stems.
5/5 Seeds begin to form
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_9514-800x609.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Although it’s hard to see very well, it looks like it’s forming properly deep inside the flower.
5/12 The seeds grow
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_9733-800x512.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Oh, it’s done, it’s done! But it starts out as green grains.
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_0396-800x550.jpg)
5/19 The seeds fall – the end
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_0386-800x501.jpg)
![Borage ボリジ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/★IMG_0397-800x599.jpg)
![自給自足的家庭農園 ハチベエ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ハチベエ-アイコン.jpg)
Hachibee: Once the seeds turn black, they will drop to the ground just like the flowers.
![自給自足的家庭農園 ミーシャ](https://engeiguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ミーシャ-アイコン.jpg)
Misha: The reason why the flowers and seeds were facing down was so that they could fall. Borage is quite an extraordinary plant, both in its strength to endure the winter and in its ingenious idea of dropping seeds from the flowers. I have never had such a fun flower to observe.
~Borage cultivation points~
Cultivation difficulty:★☆☆☆☆
A winter-hardy plant that is planted in autumn and blooms around May.
Its robust growth and reproductive ability, with large numbers of seeds dropping from its flowers, are on par with those of wild plants.
Even in the coldest of winters, the leaves grow lush and large.
There is something more encouraging than the benefits of herbs.
Borage is a low-care plant and is recommended for those new to winter-hardy plants.