Borage as green manure?

[Bluejane]

Hi all

Part of one of my veg beds was colonised by self-sown borage plants this 'summer'. I let them have free rein as I reckoned the bees would need all the help they could get! But thinking ahead to the autumn I wonder if I cut off the flowers and chop the stems up a bit with a spade, would digging the remnants in act as a green manure? Or should I just dig up the lot?

Any advice welcome!

[Bluejane]

[goodlife]

Oh yes..chop and dig them in...they might not give much bulk value but even little bit is better than nothing. Worms are still active for few months yet..and they will happily lunch with your borage... ;)

[caroline7758]

I have a love/hate relationship with borage- I love the flowers and I love that the bees love the flowers, and that it makes great compost and green manure, but it doesn't half self-seed and take over if you're not careful!

[Bluejane]

Thanks for the advice - I think I'll go with it. My soil needs as much TLC as I can give it. And borage is a real thug, isn't it? Mind you, the gales have pretty much done for it in the last couple of days - along with loads of other things I'd much rather had survived!

[gazza1960]

After seeing Borage elsewhere I thought it would add some colour to the plot this season,and we were
well pleased with its Bee attracting flowers and blue petals that I mixed in light salads,although Jude didnt know what to make of it and it found its way onto the plate edge uneaten.





Like you caroline,ive since cut them down and composted em but by christ they have left their mark as the
spores have infiltrated my winter Kohlrabi corner,and im not sure which is going to grow on first.
My monies on the Borage if the frost doesnt knock it back,I may just leave it to see what it does over the winter
now that ive read that others use it as a green compost.

Gazza1960

[goodlife]

Winter will kill any plants that may germinate now.. being annuals they don't cope with frost.
They are very good seeders..so it is the seeds that will survive in soil and start it all over again next spring... ;)

[delboy]

My borage is a real pest, so it may not be borage after all... It has the same leaves and has blue flowers like borage but has pernicious roots.

It certainly self seeds but a little bit of root left in the ground  means that within a short while it comes roaring back.

What is it if it isn't borage?