Sunday, June 6, 2010

The Borage Report



The side yard. The cosmos are to the right. That leafy plant center bottom is borage -I got seeds for free from the BBG. Alyssum in the path. Evening primrose in yellow.

The borage is about to flower. Apparently it can be eaten and has medicinal properties. Also, it is said to have positive effects on nearby tomatoes and legumes. How lucky for me to have tomatoes and beans planted right next! Notice all the little spiny hairs -they don't quite sting like nettle.
The tomatoes are growing rapidly (is it the borage?). To the bottom right, brandywine, the center top, sweet 100 cherry, and to the left an unknown orange variety given to me by a neighbor.

The brandywine is putting out flowers rather early (is it the borage?).

The Italian flat leaf parsley has sprouted -we put it in kind of late (not the borage).


5 comments:

  1. That side garden is looking wonderful. I like borage flowers - pretty. They're supposed to taste like cucumber and seem to be the only not-prickly part...

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  2. Prickly prickly.

    Thanks! No designer am I, and a collaborative effort too.

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  3. my tomato boxes a al frank are in use & attracting lots of attention in the community garden. partly because the only large-gridded fencing i could find is orange snow fencing. bad choice, as it splits easily if you hit it with a staple--or just snag it whilst moving in the garden.

    one of the garden "elders" pooh-pooh'ed them but he pooh-poohs most everything i say or do, it seems. 14 square was a bit large for this small space but would be fine otherwise. makes room for lettuce now.

    thanks for the idea.

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  4. Donna,

    My favorite for the tomatoes is the 1.5 or 2 inch square poly mesh fencing. Its not easy to find retail, I've always gotten it online. My friends used the rubbery safety fencing -I'm not much for that look either, but they went to HD and found that and I photographed it.

    Funny, everyone always has something to say about garden choices!

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  5. yeah, i could not find the fencing you had on your planters, just the other stuff. online sources were like $50 with shipping!! where did you find yours?

    now that i see the vole damage in this comm garden, i am SO glad i tried the planters. i think the height of the planter will help deter the buggers. i put metal mesh on the bottom of my planters to stop tunneling--and i inherited lovely soil so i want the 'maters to grow into the soil.

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If I do not respond to your comment right away, it is only because I am busy pulling out buckthorn, creeping charlie, and garlic mustard...