Borage Agronomy

Agronomy

Geographical area

Anywhere in the UK.

Soil type

Borage prefers a soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0. Avoid very acidic soils.

Sowing date

Sowing can take place from March —Early May, once soils have reached above 10°C.
Early drilling can have negative impact on oil quality due to the harvest being earlier.

Row width

As for cereals.

Seed depth

Maximum depth of 2.5-4cm deep into a warm and moist seed-bed. Rolling is beneficial to improve seed-to-soil contact.

Seed rate

Premium Crops supplies 1ha bags, which works perfectly for a target plant population of 60 plants per m2.

Weed control

There are a range of EAMUs in for weed control. See the EAMU box for product links.

PGR

Not required.

Pests

Rarely an issue, insecticides are approved on EAMU if needed. See the EAMU box for product links.

Disease

Not normally a problem. Borage is susceptible to sclerotinia and powdery mildew and there are fungicides on EAMU if required. See the EAMU box for product links.

Fertiliser

Where P & K indices are at maintenance levels none is needed.
Up to 80kg/ha N is required to be applied pre-drilling or early post-em.

Trace elements

S, Mg & trace elements
Apply if deficiencies are known.

Crop height

1.0 - 1.2 m.

Bees

2 hives per ha is essential for pollination. Premium Crops has access to a network of bee farmers nationwide. If you would like to grow but do not have access to the required hives, or the specialist harvesting equipment, please contact us so that we may assist.

Harvest date

Borage is usually harvested about 100 days after sowing e.g. a mid April sowing date will result in an early August harvest.

Harvesting

The crop must be swathed when seeds have started to drop onto the ground from the 2nd or 3rd most forward flower set then it is time to swath the crop. Cut as low to the ground as possible and keep a narrow swath to aid flow through the combine.
Leave the swathed crop at least 7-20 days before combining. Use a Draper Pick-up header and keep fan speed low. Seed size is similar to wheat. The seeds are held as clusters and need to be separated so a reasonable amount of threshing is needed. Keep drum speed high on a fairly tight setting. Check the tank contents for cracked seeds as this will cause yield losses. Lack the required equipment, but still wish to grow? Contact us so that we may assist.

Crop specification

Yield

Season dependant but can range from 200kg/ha – 600kg/ha.

Straw

Drying and storage

Cool and dry seed as soon as possible after combining, preferably with unheated air. Borage absorbs moisture from the atmosphere so seed moisture levels rise over time.
Keep seed moisture below 9% for safe storage.

Useful links

Crop Passport

EAMUS

Detailed below are the products listed by the Health and Safety Executive as having an Extension of Authorisation for a Minor Use of a Plant Protection Product. (EAMU)

It is essential that anyone who needs to use a product in accordance with an Extension of Authorisation must read the text of the Extension of Authorisation before commencing any spraying operation. Links are provided below to the Authorisation document for each of the products.
All products below were Authorised at the time they were added to this list, while Premium Crops do regularly check the validity of the products and update the list accordingly, it remains the Grower's responsibility to make sure that the Authorisation remains valid at the time any product is used.

Agrovista Reggae (Thiacloprid) - Agrovista UK Limited

Amistar Syngenta UK Limited

Balistik Arysta LifeScience Great Britain Ltd

Butisan S (metazachlor) - BASF plc

Centurion Max Arysta LifeScience Great Britain Ltd

Contest (alphcypermethrin) - BASF plc

Dow Sheild 400 (clopyralid) - Dow Agrosciences Limited

Filan (boscalid) - BASF plc

Hallmark with Zeon Technology (lambda-cyhalothrin) - Syngenta UK Limited

Kerb Flo Dow AgroSciences Limited

Markate 50 (lambda-cyhalothrin) - Agrovista UK Ltd

Mavrik (tau-fluvalinate) - Makhteshim-Agan (UK) Ltd