My grandma made the most delicious salad dressing with it with dill chives onions sour cream vinegar Chopped the leaves up when they are fresh even they are prickly sitting in the salad dressing you will not notice and it makes it amazing
Borage for courage!! (According to Pliny the Elder) Roman soldiers drank a tea of Borage before they were sent to battle. …. Borage is an underrated anti-depressant in tea form. I have had it work wonders for myself. It gives heart and fortitude. Blessings to you. 💗
I love your informational video and the fact that you are all natural (I am too, essential oils and flowers, etc., no dyes or artificial products ever). I love the idea of making soap from borage. Thank you again for sharing this wonderful video.
I started growing borage two years ago and I am amazed at how beautiful the flowers are. I grew it for medicinal purposes but they haven’t used any yet. I love that it comes back year after year and each year it’s gotten larger. I plan on harvesting the flowers and leaves this week or next.
I'm slowly making my way through all your extremely informative videos and found this one a few weeks ago. I ordered Borage seeds, planted them indoors and hallelujah, they're sprouting. Yippy, I'm on my way. Thank you for all your inspiration. God Bless your beautiful soul.
What some do to lessen the prickly effect is to roll the leaves tightly (also used for nettle!) and when you unroll them the prickles are mostly gone. Not really necessary for cooking, mostly for in salads.
Borage is so easy to grow, I sowed some seeds in August in my garden in Hungary, went back to England and returned in October where I found lots of fully grown Borage, it had just got on with growing without any help from me.
Good morning Heidi. Nice video. Since Borage and Comfrey are in the same plant family, that is probably why some people believe it to be toxic. Just about an hour ago I chopped and dropped my Borage. Putting it on my Malabar Spinach to give it a BOOST of vitamins. Soooooooooo pretty. Can't be without Borage. Thank you for taking time from your very busy day to educate and inspire others to use herbs. You are a kind Spirit.
I was growing this years ago, but I didn’t know back then it was medicinal! I wish I had known. I just planted it because the flowers were so unique and beautiful.❤
I planted borage this year because I heard it keeps the big worms off of tomato plants. I didn’t realize they come up prickly, but they are sooo easy to grow and very hard to kill off. They are almost like a weed in how fast they grow. I have some planted in truly clay soil, and they are coming up even better there. You can’t go wrong with this stuff. Came here so I know what to even do with it!
I live in Tucson and my Borage is just getting ready to bloom. We still have honey bees visiting the garden so I'm hoping the blooms will help keep them happy and coming back. I'm new to gardening in the Southwest moving here from Missouri, quite the learning curve. I will be harvesting some leaves to put in the dehydrator this week now that I know what to do with them! LOL I look forward to binge watching your videos, great information. Thank you.
My borage here in the Sierra Nevada foothills in Northern California self seed and I have put it all over my gardens and it really does love to hang out with my tomatoes, squash and even strawberries...
I just got some borage in a seed swap that I did. i’ve been wanting to grow borage for years but never got to it! I sent out 150 packets and I got 150 packets back of different seeds! I’m so excited for the growing season!!! Great video as always! Have a great day!😊🌱
I have a bad habit of cutting away plants that grow out of control, and then once I have a pile of it composting, I think "I should check if that was actually good keeper".... I did that today, came inside and now finding these videos of uses of borage. .... Ai! Thank you anyway though!! Now I know :)
Very good application of more cucumber tasting than cukes themselves, in a Tzadziki recipe. Thanks. Will add cukes too, when available. I suppose I could freeze cucumbers, for that purpose anyway, tho have never tried.
Wonderful news for me! I planted Borage and let it seed itself around my garden and yard to serve the pollinators...and last year we got some honeybees...I knew they'd love it. This year, we let our chickens loose in our old garden space that has comphrey and borage both it it. They have free choice whether to eat it or not and are eating both. We have a couple of rescued, really old hens that are looking like spring chickens again...LOL. I purposely searched your channel to find some food/soap/cream/ medicinal use for it as I'd seen it in some of your other videos! I'm thrilled to see so many uses for it. I'd just stomped some down to stop it shading out other plants and now I have more uses than my usual "stomp and drop". God is good, and so is Heidi!
Gotta watch your older borage video, again.... see what I missed! Since the borage comes up way before my cucumbers I love to put leaves into my salads. An oil vinegar dressing is all I use and plenty of olive oil makes even big leaves ripped up very palatable! A yogurt dressing would do the same. I don't cook so much when it's hot out, but I want to try a "spinach mix" with lambsquarter and borage, spinach always bolts on me so I quit growing it and use lambsquarter instead! The blossoms I nibble on when I'm in the garden, add a few early ones to salads for looks but mostly leave them for the bees. Now I have to try some "tea" with the blossoms, may be with mint and lemon balm? Adding them to my green mix I thought about.... so many things to try!!! And yes, they selfseed!!!!! Foolishly I also put new seeds out😁 and the Japanese beetles seem to like borage as well as comfrey!
I actually planted a few seeds myself this year because I was not sure if the chickens may have eaten all the fallen borage seed because they love it so much....that was silly of me! haha
Love that I have found you on here Heidi, thank you for all your wonderful teachings - so very informative! I am newish to using herbs etc for a better way of living and the way God intended them to be used - im absolutely loving this journey, and something I will be able to pass down to my kids. And yes, God is good all the time ❤
Oh Heidi, I love all this info you share about different herbs and what you can do with them. I don’t grow borage but I am going to see if this is something that I can get to grow in Central Texas. Thanks so much for the inspiration!! Love, Mary ❤️😘❤️
I'm in east tx and I bought some seeds from Heidi this year......the borage, calendula, and marshmallow all came up! I put them in pots for now but will be moving to the ground this fall. Beautiful plants!
Love, Love, Love Borage! ♥️ 'It Gladdens the heart' ♥️ I eat the flowers straight up while in the garden, dry them for making floral teas pretty and colourful, and all the stuff you mentioned! Bees love blue and star shaped flowers the most - go figure! :) Love your work Heidi ♥️🙏
That's why when I put some dried borage away for teas last year I labeled it as "exciting borage!" I also love permaculture, tho i do feel we need a full switch to Regenerative Ag, albeit the rest of the bases ought be covered by Permanent Agri-Culture. Clearly we need to regenerate topsoil lost & denuded since like 1945, rationalizing petro-chem use, which must also come to abrupt end or very swift transition off.
Thanks for this video, i haven't grew Borage, bought seeds last year but because of illness didn't get anything planted this year, but hope to next year blessings
That was helpful; thanks Heidi. Maybe it's just where it was growing that made it taste like stale pond water smells. I'll try it somewhere else next year but thanks for all the other suggestions! God bless!
Sad (but, true) to say ... I don't have any experience with borage as of yet, BUT, many thanks to YOU, Heidi, I am growing my first batch using the seeds I purchased from you. You (& Mr. Rain) ROCK! Keep up the good work!!! :-D Love & prayers
I'm right behind Kathleen, Heidi, I planted seeds two years ago in my garden knowing that I wanted to learn how to make soap however; not yet! Sad, I know the feeling Kathleen. I get going in a hundred ways an "Keep kicking the Can Down" the road. I will this year make some Borage and Grapeoil soap.
It took me a couple of years from my decision to learn how to make soap and to finally doing it. Part of it for me was getting over the initial fear of it. Once I made that first batch, I was hooked and made several batches in one week. haha
The leaves on mine are massive. I wasn't sure what they were when they were growing, I thought they were sunflower plants the miniature ones. Them it flowerd this morning and I found the photo on the internet and then I looked up the seed packet I planted and sure enough it is in Mrs fothergills beneficial bee and insect mix sold here in australia
Yes, when they first start growing the leaves will be huge but as it starts flowering the leaves towards the top, just like most annuals, will come in smaller.
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you. I was just going to rest the flowers on top of the icing, and disguard them when I serve the cake. If I have enough pansies in bloom on the day, I can use them instead.
When I purchased the plant they told me it was Borage, My Plant is Large and multiplies a lot. ...the flowers are more purple. Is it Borage? Might it be a different variety. I just found you and I am amazed how many things you KNOW about. WOW. Will be following you for sure.
I have some planted, with the intention of attracting pollinators (I have tons of flowers, but, the more the merrier!), eating the leaves (I am a "greens" man!), and making tea out of the flowers (Ok, out of all flowers possible! LOL). I think I have some sprouted! (Unless they are volunteers of some other plant. LOL
@@RainCountryHomestead I have some up and thriving! No flowers, yet, but, the pokies on the leaves, and the distinct cucumber taste, and i am sure that they are Borage! Yippie!
I always find myself coming back to your videos again, and again! Have you ever tried fermenting, stinging nettle for plant food? It makes my plants, triple in growth.! It smells so bad though.!😹
I literally just finished editing a video on small space homesteading and in there I talk about how comfrey and nettle are great compost material but no, I do not ferment either one, I simply do a chop and drop
Thank you for your informative videos. I really enjoy all the tips you share n learning from your experience. I’m new to growing edibles n finally got started bc of the ease of growing in a GreenStalk garden tower. I’m learning as I go. One thing is to research how a plant n its root system grows. I planted borage. In my GS bc I heard it’s a great companion plant for tomatoes n strawberries both of which I’m growing in my garden tower. However I didn’t realize borage gets so huge n is a “trap” plant for pests. It leaves quickly got covered in little black pest n eggs If I was leaves really well can I still use them? What would u do. I soaked in water w some raw apple cider. N raised several times. They look clean
Is borage flowers safe to eat when they contain pyrrolizdine alkaloids? I'm confused because online it says edible but this compound is very toxic to your liver?
I have been eating them for the many years I have been growing them and am still alive. I am pretty sure I noted in this old video that I add them to salads. Now, I am sure like with anything, one can get too much, but one can even drink too much water at once and it can be deadly, it is very rare that happens but it has happened. There will always be those scaring people away from helpful herbs and oils. If one simply practices moderation and does not make a whole diet out of any one food, they should be safe. It is just a matter of common sense
Do you use poke weed for food and fries greens? I'm going to dry some this year. I have the boiled leaves in the freezer. If you don't have any in your area I can send you some seeds this fall. ;-)
Some people in the south say the young green leaves are ok to use without boiling. I've found some blogs that use the berries juice with apple juice to make jelly. One of my friends ate a couple fresh leaves last year and he's still alive. :-) I haven't tried it yet.
It was awhile ago I had learned about it, I cannot remember what it is that is "toxic" but I am guessing it is likely the same thing we are often taught to be afraid of in many other plants. It is likely that one simply should not eat it raw in large quantities
Rose Jafari Hello! I love Polk shallots (it’s true name) Polk weed, P. Salad, P berry. I let it grow wherever it wants to n my yard, have u tried it n scrambled eggs? Delicious!!! Have a good day
I read that it is the pyrrolizidine alkaloids in borage, that cause liver issues or propensity towards cancer. I have also read where it was suggested to buy borage that has had this alkaloid removed, so that it won’t cause that problem. Question; How do they remove the pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and is it a simple process that we can do at home? I was wondering if it was something as simple as when steaming spinach removes a lot of the oxylates. Just wondered if it was something along those lines? I have tried searching online for the answer to this, but no luck. Does anyone know?
I do not how or if they even remove them but I am not at all concerned. Kale is high in oxalates, as are very many greens, but I still eat them. Just like most things, it is about moderation and balance. One can actually die from drinking too much water but that does not stop us from consuming it because we need it. I each peach kernels and apple seeds too.
Can you explain how sugar in kefir is good for the gut. I have candida and am afraid to use sugar. I was using water kefir but the sugar really affected my gut, or maybe I was just paranoid! Thanks... sending your book today! Blessings!
The sugar is digested by the bacteria and yeast converting it into something that is more gut friendly, The longer you let it ferment, the less sugar content is there.
Thanks Heidi! Maybe I will purchase some more water kefir. I so need the good bacteria! But was confused how sugar causes bad gut health, but fermented foods with sugar are suppose to be good for you!
Can you try the leaves and flowers to make tea. 🤔 So you can use it as a medical infused oil does it matter what type of oil . 🤔 So the whole plant is edible . And also medical. 🤔 How do you identify it. 🤔 Thank you so much. 🙂
Yes, you can dry it for teas and infusing in oils, adding to meals and even use in soap making. I always use avocado oil because it is one of the least likely to go rancid and never has for me.
My borage opened its first flower today. Really tempted on eating it. But looking online it says the plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic. It deters me from trying it. 🙃 whats your opinion on it?
Hey David, you must live in a warm place, we are still in the middle of winter here so no boarge plants to be seen for a few more months. If you watch the video, I explain how I use it and yes, I eat the flowers and the leaves
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you for the reply. Its reassuring. No i dont its winter here also. Sorry I should of mentioned im growing it indoors. My borage plant only a foot tall. It still gets chilly in the house, thats probably the reason it started flowering so early i also have it in a 2 gallon pot.
@@RainCountryHomestead as you have experience with the flower. When is it best to eat it as in flavor. The first one that opened yesterday has already fully turned blue and is sticking something out which might be the stigma. And the petals are starting to go inwards not extended out no more
Does borage need a lot of sun and water? I have some plants but they are tiny and growing between my tomato plants. How do I get them to make more blossoms?
Not really. While it will often get some new growth, it usually dies off quickly but you can get another batch of plants coming up in the same year from the seed that falls from the first ones that seed
Great video as always, smiles... Now onto the Borage health & garden benefits, so I can learn more, just wish I could grow so many medicinal plants etc... But is what it is & I move on, wink, smiles & hugs Heidi... ~"1 & all please take care of you & yours as well as the children, elderly, animals etc."~ 😘 🌹🌈💞🎵🌷🌺🌸😆👏👍💫🌟💛 ☘️ ~"Love, Hope, Peace, Kindness, Dream, Inspire, Laughter, Joy, Give, Live & Let Live"~
Hello Rain Country, I just wanted to ask can you eat the 'Borage Flower' as it is ? Or do you need to pick anything of the flower your not meant to eat, like the black stems in the middle of the flower?
Though I cannot say what is best for you as everyone will have a preference, I make my on skin cream and it works great for me and many people that have bought it from me love it. I have a recipe video on how I make it using my own herb infused avocado oil that I also have a video on. Here is the skin cream video: ua-cam.com/video/M9e5J6Vs1V0/v-deo.html
How big are they now? Sometimes it seems it takes forever for them to start growing and getting substance to them, then suddenly they go crazy! At least here it does because it takes so long for us to get decent enough weather
Rain Country They’re a couple inches. I keep eyeballing the others too. The chamomile isn’t growing great either or so “I” think. Honestly I’m not being picky about any of them. It’s my first time actually growing them so I don’t know enough. Plus I’ve never grown anything at all in the area they’re planted. Kind of a big giant petri dish over there only with dirt! LOL 😂
I do not believe I have any written recipes for the infused oils but have several videos such as this one: ua-cam.com/video/ThmPdJV9xZA/v-deo.html and this one: ua-cam.com/video/BUVlOUewYJE/v-deo.htmlua-cam.com/video/SSdRhU2akiY/v-deo.html and this one:
Thanks for asking as I forgot to say that here (though I am pretty sure I do in the video I linked in this one one the health and garden benefits of borage). It is an annual but it self seeds like crazy. You only need to plant it once.
I do it the same way I dry any of my other herbs, just put it on my dehydrator and let it run until it is dry. The heat setting should not ever be set higher than 115 and even lower is best
@@gloriaslater8433 Three reasons: I dehydrate a great amount of herbs of all varieties and would have to have them hanging ALL over the house, also for the sake of time, because of the great amount of herbs and the many other chores and jobs I have, I do not have the time to worry about hanging bunches all over when I can simply put them on the two or three dehyrators I run off my solar power all at once and have them done in a day or two. Third reason is it gets too humid here for the herbs to dry thoroughly this way at this time of year. In the winter, I can do this on racks Patrick built for me to set on or near my wood stove which creates a dry, not humid, heat that will properly dry everything in a day or two
@@RainCountryHomestead Sorry I was half asleep trying to research it for my lil sis so I'm fairly certain I missed more information than just that. Thanks!
I only use the flowers, as the plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, some of which are hepatotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic. But I still grow a lot in the garden, as it is a great favorite for bees !
Many plants contain those that people regularly consume. It is about moderation not excess. Same goes with kale or comfrey. I was afraid of consuming comfrey tea for a long time because of all the fear mongering and mixed information out there but finally started making tea from the leaves while it was coming if fresh and love how it makes me feel. However, I do not consume it in large quantities either. Just like how peach, nectarine, or apricot kernels constantly get a bad rap because of the amygdalin that turns to cyanide in the digestive process after consuming. However, it is all very natural and when consumed in small amounts can be very healthy. I have eaten them many times. A good gauge is to eat one kernel per every whole fruit one eats and you would not get too much.
@@RainCountryHomestead many thanks for the explanation. In moderation, is what I was told as well ! Great videos by the way, I found your channel this weekend, looking for ideas for deshydrating fruits from the garden... Lots to catch up !
It is not a specific recipe just for boarge, it is just my regular soap recipe and sometimes I would add dried borage, sometimes I would add any number of other herbs. Here is the basic recipe in this old video: ua-cam.com/video/rPckDJP9GLY/v-deo.html
If you mean soap, I sell it on my Etsy store, only a couple of my soaps to I use borage in: Etsy.com/shop/raincountryhomestead. I do not sell the herbs for tea but I do sell the seeds to grow your own when they are available. I am currently sold out but will have more available in a few months
never mind, on the computer the I cards are right where they are supposed to be!!! and here is a little disclaimer on Borage (which is probably in your first video too, since you are a very thorough wealth of information!!!) Borage/Starflower Herb Notes / Side Effects It is not recommended that Borage be taken long term internally because of the concentration of alkaloids in Borage that can damage the liver. *Do not take Borage if you are taking anti-coagulants without discussing it with your doctor first.* Nausea, cramping, bloating and headache are side effects that Borage can cause, although they are relatively mild.
I had only recently learned of any issues with borage, I tend to focus on the postive and forget to pay attention to warnings, which are important, but it seems that with most such things, the issues typically arise with those on medications and what is their definition of long term and high quantities? Seems they are never quite clear on that. Like with horseradish - it can be toxic consumed raw in high quantities, but who the heck does that?! haha
Rain Country I think that warning tends to be geared toward prepared products, such as borage oil in capsules, but yes, people on pharma meds should be aware. I forget too that a lot of people take that chemical stuff..
Hi Heidi, do you only harvest the blue petals or do you just pull the entire bud off at the stem? Thanks! Planning on drying the flowers in my dehydrator.
Thank you Peter, though our wisdom is different because we have natural inclination towards various topics and skills. We all have something to learn from each other :)
My grandma made the most delicious salad dressing with it with dill chives onions sour cream vinegar
Chopped the leaves up when they are fresh even they are prickly sitting in the salad dressing you will not notice and it makes it amazing
Borage for courage!! (According to Pliny the Elder) Roman soldiers drank a tea of Borage before they were sent to battle. …. Borage is an underrated anti-depressant in tea form. I have had it work wonders for myself. It gives heart and fortitude. Blessings to you. 💗
Thanks for this info!
I love your informational video and the fact that you are all natural (I am too, essential oils and flowers, etc., no dyes or artificial products ever). I love the idea of making soap from borage. Thank you again for sharing this wonderful video.
I started growing borage two years ago and I am amazed at how beautiful the flowers are. I grew it for medicinal purposes but they haven’t used any yet. I love that it comes back year after year and each year it’s gotten larger. I plan on harvesting the flowers and leaves this week or next.
I'm slowly making my way through all your extremely informative videos and found this one a few weeks ago. I ordered Borage seeds, planted them indoors and hallelujah, they're sprouting. Yippy, I'm on my way. Thank you for all your inspiration. God Bless your beautiful soul.
Thank you JoJo!
What some do to lessen the prickly effect is to roll the leaves tightly (also used for nettle!) and when you unroll them the prickles are mostly gone. Not really necessary for cooking, mostly for in salads.
❤
Borage is so easy to grow, I sowed some seeds in August in my garden in Hungary, went back to England and returned in October where I found lots of fully grown Borage, it had just got on with growing without any help from me.
this is a link to my video ua-cam.com/video/RzAGOKsnEb8/v-deo.html
@Jupiter Calling I love your name!🌌
@@sherryk30 thank you
I love your channel! My borage reseeds itself every year and the comfrey regrows on the opposite end of that raised bed. Happy bees!🐝
Good morning Heidi. Nice video. Since Borage and Comfrey are in the same plant family, that is probably why some people believe it to be toxic. Just about an hour ago I chopped and dropped my Borage. Putting it on my Malabar Spinach to give it a BOOST of vitamins. Soooooooooo pretty. Can't be without Borage. Thank you for taking time from your very busy day to educate and inspire others to use herbs. You are a kind Spirit.
Thank you! I really appreciate that!
I was growing this years ago, but I didn’t know back then it was medicinal! I wish I had known. I just planted it because the flowers were so unique and beautiful.❤
I luv going back in time to review. I've been watching you for years.
I planted borage this year because I heard it keeps the big worms off of tomato plants. I didn’t realize they come up prickly, but they are sooo easy to grow and very hard to kill off. They are almost like a weed in how fast they grow. I have some planted in truly clay soil, and they are coming up even better there. You can’t go wrong with this stuff. Came here so I know what to even do with it!
I live in Tucson and my Borage is just getting ready to bloom. We still have honey bees visiting the garden so I'm hoping the blooms will help keep them happy and coming back. I'm new to gardening in the Southwest moving here from Missouri, quite the learning curve. I will be harvesting some leaves to put in the dehydrator this week now that I know what to do with them! LOL I look forward to binge watching your videos, great information. Thank you.
My borage here in the Sierra Nevada foothills in Northern California self seed and I have put it all over my gardens and it really does love to hang out with my tomatoes, squash and even strawberries...
I planted borage for the first time this year. Glad I did! Also, my first year beekeeping. I'm going to plant more
I plant it all over in different areas around my gardens to attract the bees. I eat it raw, and I do cook some like spinach.
I just got some borage in a seed swap that I did. i’ve been wanting to grow borage for years but never got to it! I sent out 150 packets and I got 150 packets back of different seeds! I’m so excited for the growing season!!! Great video as always! Have a great day!😊🌱
I would love to do a seed swap like that.
I have a bad habit of cutting away plants that grow out of control, and then once I have a pile of it composting, I think "I should check if that was actually good keeper".... I did that today, came inside and now finding these videos of uses of borage. .... Ai!
Thank you anyway though!! Now I know :)
we have also used borage in place of cucumber in a yogurt sauce. I am now thinking it might be amazing in a homemade ranch!
Very good application of more cucumber tasting than cukes themselves, in a Tzadziki recipe. Thanks. Will add cukes too, when available. I suppose I could freeze cucumbers, for that purpose anyway, tho have never tried.
New to growing Borage and I love it. It has such a light flavor. Thanks for encouraging others to grow it.
I boil the dried flowers and drink that hot drink, it’s very helpful if you have flu or high temperature
It's blooming right now in my garden. I grew it for the pollinators but I think I'll pick some leaves tomorrow! Thanks for all the info.
I have borage in my garden. I pick the blue borage flowers, pansies, daisies, clover, and nasturtium flowers and leaves, and make salad with them.
Yes, I do the same with various flowers: ua-cam.com/video/zzapyZ4UB-w/v-deo.html
Wonderful news for me! I planted Borage and let it seed itself around my garden and yard to serve the pollinators...and last year we got some honeybees...I knew they'd love it. This year, we let our chickens loose in our old garden space that has comphrey and borage both it it. They have free choice whether to eat it or not and are eating both. We have a couple of rescued, really old hens that are looking like spring chickens again...LOL. I purposely searched your channel to find some food/soap/cream/ medicinal use for it as I'd seen it in some of your other videos! I'm thrilled to see so many uses for it. I'd just stomped some down to stop it shading out other plants and now I have more uses than my usual "stomp and drop". God is good, and so is Heidi!
Stomp and drop! Love it! I actually do that sometimes too! haha
I love mint borage tea!
Ohh, I've dried mint, so this added makes a good tea ?
Gotta watch your older borage video, again.... see what I missed! Since the borage comes up way before my cucumbers I love to put leaves into my salads. An oil vinegar dressing is all I use and plenty of olive oil makes even big leaves ripped up very palatable! A yogurt dressing would do the same. I don't cook so much when it's hot out, but I want to try a "spinach mix" with lambsquarter and borage, spinach always bolts on me so I quit growing it and use lambsquarter instead!
The blossoms I nibble on when I'm in the garden, add a few early ones to salads for looks but mostly leave them for the bees. Now I have to try some "tea" with the blossoms, may be with mint and lemon balm?
Adding them to my green mix I thought about.... so many things to try!!!
And yes, they selfseed!!!!! Foolishly I also put new seeds out😁 and the Japanese beetles seem to like borage as well as comfrey!
I actually planted a few seeds myself this year because I was not sure if the chickens may have eaten all the fallen borage seed because they love it so much....that was silly of me! haha
@@RainCountryHomestead Yeah, just keeps popping back up in our garden year after year in zone 5.
once again, you are right in my head!! I was just outside thinking my borage needs pruning......
Great skin lady....
I just got a borage plant and now I’m excited to grow it!,, Tks .!!!
This is great! Looking forwards to start growing this plant. Thank you.
That’s very helpful thank you I was wondering about the spikes on the leaves and you are the first person to mention that.
Love that I have found you on here Heidi, thank you for all your wonderful teachings - so very informative! I am newish to using herbs etc for a better way of living and the way God intended them to be used - im absolutely loving this journey, and something I will be able to pass down to my kids. And yes, God is good all the time ❤
First video, and im ready to watch them all! 😻 thank you!
Oh Heidi, I love all this info you share about different herbs and what you can do with them. I don’t grow borage but I am going to see if this is something that I can get to grow in Central Texas. Thanks so much for the inspiration!! Love, Mary ❤️😘❤️
It is possible it could be too dry there but I really do not know, it is certainly worth a try! :D
I'm in east tx and I bought some seeds from Heidi this year......the borage, calendula, and marshmallow all came up! I put them in pots for now but will be moving to the ground this fall. Beautiful plants!
Udder Charms Farm - Thank you SO much. I will give them a try!! ❤️😘❤️
Love, Love, Love Borage! ♥️ 'It Gladdens the heart' ♥️
I eat the flowers straight up while in the garden, dry them for making floral teas pretty and colourful, and all the stuff you mentioned!
Bees love blue and star shaped flowers the most - go figure! :)
Love your work Heidi ♥️🙏
That's why when I put some dried borage away for teas last year I labeled it as "exciting borage!" I also love permaculture, tho i do feel we need a full switch to Regenerative Ag, albeit the rest of the bases ought be covered by Permanent Agri-Culture. Clearly we need to regenerate topsoil lost & denuded since like 1945, rationalizing petro-chem use, which must also come to abrupt end or very swift transition off.
Beautiful flowers!
try it in your compost as well- it does wonders at speeding up the composting process
Thanks, just planted them. Looking for how to use all the planets I'm growing
Thanks for this video, i haven't grew Borage, bought seeds last year but because of illness didn't get anything planted this year, but hope to next year blessings
Great info! I just placed an order for borage seeds.
That was helpful; thanks Heidi. Maybe it's just where it was growing that made it taste like stale pond water smells. I'll try it somewhere else next year but thanks for all the other suggestions! God bless!
Sad (but, true) to say ... I don't have any experience with borage as of yet, BUT, many thanks to YOU, Heidi, I am growing my first batch using the seeds I purchased from you. You (& Mr. Rain) ROCK! Keep up the good work!!! :-D
Love & prayers
Yay! :D Thank you Kathleen :D
3:04 DUDE. Ive been looking EVERYWHERE for this bit of info! Sheesh. Thank you! Lol
Dang, you're just good! Love the video. Thank you so much for sharing. Subscriber from NW Florida.
Humming birds also love Pineapple sage. It requires a fairly large area though.
I'm right behind Kathleen, Heidi, I planted seeds two years ago in my garden knowing that I wanted to learn how to make soap however; not yet! Sad, I know the feeling Kathleen. I get going in a hundred ways an "Keep kicking the Can Down" the road. I will this year make some Borage and Grapeoil soap.
It took me a couple of years from my decision to learn how to make soap and to finally doing it. Part of it for me was getting over the initial fear of it. Once I made that first batch, I was hooked and made several batches in one week. haha
Thank you Heidi, for all the things you can use with Borage. I am going to try and grow some next year.
oooooh so excited to do some of these! happy new subscriber!
The leaves on mine are massive. I wasn't sure what they were when they were growing, I thought they were sunflower plants the miniature ones. Them it flowerd this morning and I found the photo on the internet and then I looked up the seed packet I planted and sure enough it is in Mrs fothergills beneficial bee and insect mix sold here in australia
Yes, when they first start growing the leaves will be huge but as it starts flowering the leaves towards the top, just like most annuals, will come in smaller.
I might decorate my friends birthday cake at the end of the month with nasturtium and borage flowers.
Just know that nasturtiums have a radish flavor so you may want to consider pansies instead, they are colorful and have a mild flavor
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you. I was just going to rest the flowers on top of the icing, and disguard them when I serve the cake. If I have enough pansies in bloom on the day, I can use them instead.
So far Strawberry mint water kefir is our favorite.
My borage is at least 4ft round and covered in bees!
GOD IS GOOD!! 🙏🏼✝️ Loved this video
God bless you and thank you very much .
I am from Denmark and i look on you videoes allmost every Day to laern someting new 😍
Thank you Lene!
I have extreme cracked hands. Borage oil is the ONLY thing that helps my skin feel smooth. I'm growing some for that.
When I purchased the plant they told me it was Borage, My Plant is Large and multiplies a lot.
...the flowers are more purple. Is it Borage? Might it be a different variety. I just found you and I am amazed how many things you KNOW about. WOW. Will be following you for sure.
Some flowers on the plant turn purple or even pink but most should be blue. There is also a white borage.
Can't do kefir but do make a blueberry fermentation starter added to blood oranges + lime Ade thinking this would be good addition.
👍🏻I like this first hand information.
Very informative, Thank you!
I have some planted, with the intention of attracting pollinators (I have tons of flowers, but, the more the merrier!), eating the leaves (I am a "greens" man!), and making tea out of the flowers (Ok, out of all flowers possible! LOL). I think I have some sprouted! (Unless they are volunteers of some other plant. LOL
They look a lot like cucumbers or squash when they first come up
@@RainCountryHomestead I have some up and thriving! No flowers, yet, but, the pokies on the leaves, and the distinct cucumber taste, and i am sure that they are Borage! Yippie!
I love borage however here in my desert garden I have to work for it those big leaves soak up the sun thanks Heidi
I think I will order some seed. Great info thanks again heidi
Thank you
I always find myself coming back to your videos again, and again! Have you ever tried fermenting, stinging nettle for plant food? It makes my plants, triple in growth.! It smells so bad though.!😹
I literally just finished editing a video on small space homesteading and in there I talk about how comfrey and nettle are great compost material but no, I do not ferment either one, I simply do a chop and drop
Thank you for your informative videos. I really enjoy all the tips you share n learning from your experience. I’m new to growing edibles n finally got started bc of the ease of growing in a GreenStalk garden tower. I’m learning as I go. One thing is to research how a plant n its root system grows. I planted borage. In my GS bc I heard it’s a great companion plant for tomatoes n strawberries both of which I’m growing in my garden tower. However I didn’t realize borage gets so huge n is a “trap” plant for pests. It leaves quickly got covered in little black pest n eggs If I was leaves really well can I still use them? What would u do. I soaked in water w some raw apple cider. N raised several times. They look clean
I have never had that issue with mine so I cannot say
Is borage flowers safe to eat when they contain pyrrolizdine alkaloids? I'm confused because online it says edible but this compound is very toxic to your liver?
I have been eating them for the many years I have been growing them and am still alive. I am pretty sure I noted in this old video that I add them to salads. Now, I am sure like with anything, one can get too much, but one can even drink too much water at once and it can be deadly, it is very rare that happens but it has happened. There will always be those scaring people away from helpful herbs and oils. If one simply practices moderation and does not make a whole diet out of any one food, they should be safe. It is just a matter of common sense
Do you use poke weed for food and fries greens? I'm going to dry some this year. I have the boiled leaves in the freezer. If you don't have any in your area I can send you some seeds this fall. ;-)
I am not sure poke weed grows around here but from what I understand you have to boil and rinse it several times.
Some people in the south say the young green leaves are ok to use without boiling. I've found some blogs that use the berries juice with apple juice to make jelly. One of my friends ate a couple fresh leaves last year and he's still alive. :-) I haven't tried it yet.
It was awhile ago I had learned about it, I cannot remember what it is that is "toxic" but I am guessing it is likely the same thing we are often taught to be afraid of in many other plants. It is likely that one simply should not eat it raw in large quantities
Rose Jafari Hello! I love Polk shallots (it’s true name) Polk weed, P. Salad, P berry. I let it grow wherever it wants to n my yard, have u tried it n scrambled eggs? Delicious!!! Have a good day
Awesome 👏 thx.
I read that it is the pyrrolizidine alkaloids in borage, that cause liver issues or propensity towards cancer. I have also read where it was suggested to buy borage that has had this alkaloid removed, so that it won’t cause that problem. Question; How do they remove the pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and is it a simple process that we can do at home? I was wondering if it was something as simple as when steaming spinach removes a lot of the oxylates. Just wondered if it was something along those lines?
I have tried searching online for the answer to this, but no luck.
Does anyone know?
I do not how or if they even remove them but I am not at all concerned. Kale is high in oxalates, as are very many greens, but I still eat them. Just like most things, it is about moderation and balance. One can actually die from drinking too much water but that does not stop us from consuming it because we need it. I each peach kernels and apple seeds too.
Good Info. Thanks!
Can you explain how sugar in kefir is good for the gut. I have candida and am afraid to use sugar. I was using water kefir but the sugar really affected my gut, or maybe I was just paranoid! Thanks... sending your book today! Blessings!
The sugar is digested by the bacteria and yeast converting it into something that is more gut friendly, The longer you let it ferment, the less sugar content is there.
Thanks Heidi! Maybe I will purchase some more water kefir. I so need the good bacteria! But was confused how sugar causes bad gut health, but fermented foods with sugar are suppose to be good for you!
Can you try the leaves and flowers to make tea. 🤔
So you can use it as a medical infused oil does it matter what type of oil . 🤔
So the whole plant is edible .
And also medical. 🤔
How do you identify it. 🤔
Thank you so much. 🙂
Yes, you can dry it for teas and infusing in oils, adding to meals and even use in soap making.
I always use avocado oil because it is one of the least likely to go rancid and never has for me.
My borage opened its first flower today. Really tempted on eating it. But looking online it says the plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic. It deters me from trying it. 🙃 whats your opinion on it?
Hey David, you must live in a warm place, we are still in the middle of winter here so no boarge plants to be seen for a few more months. If you watch the video, I explain how I use it and yes, I eat the flowers and the leaves
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you for the reply. Its reassuring. No i dont its winter here also. Sorry I should of mentioned im growing it indoors. My borage plant only a foot tall. It still gets chilly in the house, thats probably the reason it started flowering so early i also have it in a 2 gallon pot.
@@davidchavez9036 Ah, I see!
@@RainCountryHomestead as you have experience with the flower. When is it best to eat it as in flavor. The first one that opened yesterday has already fully turned blue and is sticking something out which might be the stigma. And the petals are starting to go inwards not extended out no more
@@davidchavez9036 As soon as they bloom. the flowers do not last long.
I was just waiting for that borage salad 😀
Does borage need a lot of sun and water? I have some plants but they are tiny and growing between my tomato plants. How do I get them to make more blossoms?
I really do not do anything special with my borage, it just grows and does its own thing. The ones that get a lot of sun do the best though.
Is borage a cut and grow plant? Similar to collards and Swiss chard and other greens like that? Will they keep growing if I cut off the outer leaves?
Not really. While it will often get some new growth, it usually dies off quickly but you can get another batch of plants coming up in the same year from the seed that falls from the first ones that seed
Is this pkant good for the liver
Great video as always, smiles... Now onto the Borage health & garden benefits, so I can learn more, just wish I could grow so many medicinal plants etc... But is what it is & I move on, wink, smiles & hugs Heidi... ~"1 & all please take care of you & yours as well as the children, elderly, animals etc."~ 😘 🌹🌈💞🎵🌷🌺🌸😆👏👍💫🌟💛 ☘️
~"Love, Hope, Peace, Kindness, Dream, Inspire, Laughter, Joy, Give, Live & Let Live"~
Hello Rain Country,
I just wanted to ask can you eat the 'Borage Flower' as it is ?
Or do you need to pick anything of the flower your not meant to eat, like the black stems in the middle of the flower?
You can eat the whole flower
Hello! I like to know if I can make tee from fresh lives?
yes, you can make tea from fresh leaves
What kind of facial oil do u recommend for me to buy ?
Though I cannot say what is best for you as everyone will have a preference, I make my on skin cream and it works great for me and many people that have bought it from me love it. I have a recipe video on how I make it using my own herb infused avocado oil that I also have a video on. Here is the skin cream video:
ua-cam.com/video/M9e5J6Vs1V0/v-deo.html
I can’t wait for mine to get bigger! ♥️
How big are they now? Sometimes it seems it takes forever for them to start growing and getting substance to them, then suddenly they go crazy! At least here it does because it takes so long for us to get decent enough weather
Rain Country They’re a couple inches. I keep eyeballing the others too. The chamomile isn’t growing great either or so “I” think. Honestly I’m not being picky about any of them. It’s my first time actually growing them so I don’t know enough. Plus I’ve never grown anything at all in the area they’re planted. Kind of a big giant petri dish over there only with dirt! LOL 😂
Haha! I know what you mean! I am guessing they will start taking off at any time and then you will not know what to do with all the foliage! :D
Did your Borage flower turn the water blue?
No, only very light green, and barely that
How do I find your recipe for infused oils? What is the community page site address
I do not believe I have any written recipes for the infused oils but have several videos such as this one: ua-cam.com/video/ThmPdJV9xZA/v-deo.html
and this one: ua-cam.com/video/BUVlOUewYJE/v-deo.htmlua-cam.com/video/SSdRhU2akiY/v-deo.html
and this one:
Is borage an annual or perennial?
Thanks for asking as I forgot to say that here (though I am pretty sure I do in the video I linked in this one one the health and garden benefits of borage). It is an annual but it self seeds like crazy. You only need to plant it once.
How do you dehydrate borage?
I do it the same way I dry any of my other herbs, just put it on my dehydrator and let it run until it is dry. The heat setting should not ever be set higher than 115 and even lower is best
@@RainCountryHomestead Do the essential oils evaporate out using this method? Why isn't just hanging it up until dry used?
@@gloriaslater8433 Three reasons: I dehydrate a great amount of herbs of all varieties and would have to have them hanging ALL over the house, also for the sake of time, because of the great amount of herbs and the many other chores and jobs I have, I do not have the time to worry about hanging bunches all over when I can simply put them on the two or three dehyrators I run off my solar power all at once and have them done in a day or two. Third reason is it gets too humid here for the herbs to dry thoroughly this way at this time of year. In the winter, I can do this on racks Patrick built for me to set on or near my wood stove which creates a dry, not humid, heat that will properly dry everything in a day or two
@@RainCountryHomestead I see. Thank you.
Can you use the leaves for an oil infusion?
Yes but they need to be dried first as with anything going into an oil infusion
@@RainCountryHomestead I did that for an acne soap I made, thank you :) I'll just chop the leaves a little smaller
Which parts are okay to use? Like are the stems and roots edible?
If I remember correctly, I believe I did say in the video that all parts can be used but I just use leaves and flowers
@@RainCountryHomestead Sorry I was half asleep trying to research it for my lil sis so I'm fairly certain I missed more information than just that. Thanks!
I only use the flowers, as the plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, some of which are hepatotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic. But I still grow a lot in the garden, as it is a great favorite for bees !
Many plants contain those that people regularly consume. It is about moderation not excess. Same goes with kale or comfrey. I was afraid of consuming comfrey tea for a long time because of all the fear mongering and mixed information out there but finally started making tea from the leaves while it was coming if fresh and love how it makes me feel. However, I do not consume it in large quantities either. Just like how peach, nectarine, or apricot kernels constantly get a bad rap because of the amygdalin that turns to cyanide in the digestive process after consuming. However, it is all very natural and when consumed in small amounts can be very healthy. I have eaten them many times. A good gauge is to eat one kernel per every whole fruit one eats and you would not get too much.
@@RainCountryHomestead many thanks for the explanation. In moderation, is what I was told as well ! Great videos by the way, I found your channel this weekend, looking for ideas for deshydrating fruits from the garden... Lots to catch up !
Hmmm. Got to add this to Baker creek wish list. Ty💞
I will also be selling seed again in the fall, maybe sooner. I had a lot last year but sold out.
Rain Country Awesome. looking forward
Can I get your borage soap recipe please?
It is not a specific recipe just for boarge, it is just my regular soap recipe and sometimes I would add dried borage, sometimes I would add any number of other herbs. Here is the basic recipe in this old video: ua-cam.com/video/rPckDJP9GLY/v-deo.html
What oils do you use for infusions ?
ua-cam.com/video/ThmPdJV9xZA/v-deo.html
my borage flowers are smelling bad as I am storing them in a jar when I dry them ... is this normal ??
It is possible you are not getting them fully dry and they are spoiling
Where I can buy these soup, and borage tea?
If you mean soap, I sell it on my Etsy store, only a couple of my soaps to I use borage in: Etsy.com/shop/raincountryhomestead. I do not sell the herbs for tea but I do sell the seeds to grow your own when they are available. I am currently sold out but will have more available in a few months
Sorry, always mistake with soup and soap.
@@helenismail6241 No problem it happens :)
Do you do classes online?
My videos are my online classes
Where did the I cards go?????
They are still showing for me, did I leave one out?
Rain Country I was looking for the old borage one and the is no I card coming up on my phone - noticed that on other channels too.
never mind, on the computer the I cards are right where they are supposed to be!!!
and here is a little disclaimer on Borage (which is probably in your first video too, since you are a very thorough wealth of information!!!)
Borage/Starflower Herb Notes / Side Effects
It is not recommended that Borage be taken long term internally because of the concentration of alkaloids in Borage that can damage the liver. *Do not take Borage if you are taking anti-coagulants without discussing it with your doctor first.* Nausea, cramping, bloating and headache are side effects that Borage can cause, although they are relatively mild.
I had only recently learned of any issues with borage, I tend to focus on the postive and forget to pay attention to warnings, which are important, but it seems that with most such things, the issues typically arise with those on medications and what is their definition of long term and high quantities? Seems they are never quite clear on that. Like with horseradish - it can be toxic consumed raw in high quantities, but who the heck does that?! haha
Rain Country I think that warning tends to be geared toward prepared products, such as borage oil in capsules, but yes, people on pharma meds should be aware. I forget too that a lot of people take that chemical stuff..
Hi Heidi, do you only harvest the blue petals or do you just pull the entire bud off at the stem? Thanks! Planning on drying the flowers in my dehydrator.
The whole flower :)
The wisdom of women is different than the wisdom of men because their is so much to know and learn! Thankful for your wisdom mam!
Thank you Peter, though our wisdom is different because we have natural inclination towards various topics and skills. We all have something to learn from each other :)
Borage is very hard to find
I will be selling more seeds on my store come fall so be watching for them if you cannot find them elsewhere
Jane Heichel - I found some at Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They are local to me, but they ship as well.
Apparently, you need to be careful because of the liver.
Anything is going to have a fear factor to it but not as much as any synthetic pharmaceutical.