Companion Plant Guide
Tomato
Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects.
Flower · Borage family
Borage companion plants
Borago officinalis
What to plant beside borage, what to keep apart, and how to grow it — sun, spacing, soil and the pairings used in this guide.
Photo: Andrew on Unsplash
Overview
Growing borage beside the right neighbour
Borage (Borago officinalis) is a flower in the Borage family. Hairy herb with blue flowers that attract pollinators.
Borage beside strawberries is the oldest recorded companion pairing in English gardens.
Give plants 12–18 in in sun or part shade. Aim for well-draining, poor to moderate fertility. In most gardens the crop sits in USDA zones 2-11 and is ready in about 40-50 days.
Grows well with
What to plant with borage
The strongest companions for borage in this guide are Tomato, Strawberry, and Squash. Each pairing below is a reason to share a bed — pest masking, roots that do not compete, or insects that hunt the pests borage attracts.
Strawberry
Attracts pollinators for better fruit set.
Squash
Pollinator attractor for vining crops.
In the bed
How to grow borage
| Sun | Sun or part shade |
|---|---|
| Spacing | 12–18 in |
| Soil | Well-draining, poor to moderate fertility |
| Hardiness | Zones 2-11 |
| Days to maturity | 40-50 |
These notes sit beside the companion lists — they are how borage actually occupies the bed, not a substitute for local climate.
- Excellent pollinator attractor
- Edible flowers with mild cucumber flavor
- Self-seeds readily
- Deep taproot, tolerates drought
Questions
Borage companion planting FAQ
What can I plant next to borage?
Plant Tomato, Strawberry, and Squash beside borage. Tomato: Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects. Strawberry: Attracts pollinators for better fruit set. Squash: Pollinator attractor for vining crops.
What should I not plant with borage?
Borage has no recorded antagonists in this guide.
How much sun does borage need?
Borage wants sun or part shade. Space plants 12–18 in apart in well-draining, poor to moderate fertility.
How long does borage take to mature?
Most borage crops in this guide mature in 40-50 days, in hardiness zones 2-11.
Compare every pairing at a glance
Open the guide, pick borage, and see what thrives alongside it — and what quietly holds it back.
Open the pairing guide