borage, borage

This mighty plant is a real protector. I have been in the habit for two years, of checking the garden each morning for squirrel holes (and filling them in), so that I still walk out there early with my coffee every day. Only now it's just to admire (or go scouting for japanese beetles- I saw the first of those in the plants yesterday. Have spotted five and smashed three, so far).

It is getting tall and unruly, as high as the tomato plants, and toppling over in an untidy heap when the days are too hot.

So I decided to cut some of it back (leaving plenty of flowers to attract the bees and still fend off the squirrels with their smell).

Thicket of it, seen from underside with the light through (how I check for bugs)

The garden is much tidier now with some of it cut back- I was getting tired of pushing past prickles to go through the paths.

Here's the spot I pictured on this day- you can see how much it has filled in! I've decided next year will grow borage mainly against the back wall where I can let it get tall-

So while cutting stuff out, I dropped all the flower heads in those areas, just in case some seed will germinate.

I am collecting seed as it dries on the plants, too. This might seem silly- after all, it self-seeds where they fall- but those don't grow up until it is plenty warm in spring, by which time squirrels are already in my garden. So it feels like insurance, to have a lot I can grow in the coldframe and set out as six-inch plants already in early spring.