Cucumber herb or borage: cultivation, beneficial properties, use

Grassy annual plant with oval, strongly pubescent leaves and small blue inflorescences is known to every European. The people of borage for the outgoing aroma of cucumbers are called borage or cucumber herb. And in scientific literature the name borage is found, since the culture is from the Burachnikov family. Some are glad to see some kind of shaggy decoration in their garden, others consider the plant nutritious and use it in salads. But there are those who consider it a weed. What actually is a borage, than the borage herb is valuable and what useful properties it has - let's try to figure it out.

Beneficial features

Borago has not yet been recognized as official medicine, but the composition of the plant has been investigated under laboratory conditions. In him detected carotene, saponin, silicic and ascorbic acids, as well as resinous and tannins. The stems and foliage of a crop are 30 percent composed of mucus and essential oil.It is these components that traditional healers have evaluated for enveloping, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, diuretic and softening properties. Grass is used together with flax seeds and althea.

In folk medicine, borage treatment is practiced for rheumatism, sore throats and colds, skin rashes and diseases of the bladder. There are many medicinal recipes using borage for stimulating metabolic processes in the human body, improving appetite, cleansing the blood system.

It is believed that the annual consumption of borage salads protects the internal organs from inflammation, contributing to their full functioning.

Cultivation

Borage does not require much effort for its existence. He adapts well to any conditions. In its natural form, it can be found on the roadsides, wastelands and even in the gardens. But only cultivated specimens have excellent taste and nutritional composition,which in a timely manner receive moisture and fertilizing. Home annuals need to be monitored. Otherwise, it will spread to the entire site, displacing other cultures. We will understand the details of planting borage, the ways to always have fresh cucumber grass and the intricacies of its cultivation.

Landing

Borage planting plan in the first decade of April. The main thing is that the earth is well warmed up, otherwise the seeds may not ascend. Rows of 3 cm depth are made in the soil and grains are dropped into them at intervals of 10 cm. The row spacing is about 25 cm. With steadily warm weather, the first shoots will appear in a week. When the crops in the rows begin to thicken, they must be thinned and, of course, cleaned of weeds.

The feature of the borage is that it is used only in fresh, and do not allow the collected raw material to lie long. Benefit from it will be if you eat freshly picked leaves and stems. Therefore, many gardeners share the experience of conveyor sowing of seeds every 15 days. Thus, borage will be in your diet throughout the summer season.

Care

For development borage does not need to create additional conditions. In the protracted heat, it is necessary to water it and at least occasionally loosen the land between the rows. At the beginning of the growing season, the grass will gratefully accept a nitrogen-containing supplement from a solution of chicken manure infusion. As the bushes grow, the crops need to thin out and collect seeds in time. Otherwise, a thicket of shaggy borage is formed on the site.

Collecting leaves and seeds

For therapeutic and culinary purposes use only young leaves with tender fleshy pulp. Older specimens are no longer suitable for this, because every day their surface becomes hard and bristly. Therefore, it is advisable to collect the foliage in the first 2-3 weeks of the plant. The period of collecting flowers and seeds more stretched. Borage blooms in early July and blooms until autumn. This is how much the continuous maturation of the seed lasts, and ripe specimens do not linger long in the seed box and spill out into the ground.Thus, self-seeding is obtained, which will ensure the growth of the crop for the next year, but at the same time, going out of control, will turn the planting into prickly weed thickets up to 1 meter high.

Based on these features of borago, the harvesting of seed materials should be handled carefully and in a timely manner throughout July, August and September. To do this, gardeners use paper caps, which are shaken ripe seeds daily. And in order to avoid arbitrary semen getting into the ground, pristvolnye holes are covered with cellophane. The flowers are cut off in the measure of their full disclosure.

Cooking Application

Cucumber herb has found its use in the kitchen due to its fresh-cucumber-like aroma and subtle taste of a mixture of young onion feathers and cucumber pulp. For culinary preparations use fresh foliage, which is not more than a week. The pulp cleaned from hairy peel is added to various salads, drinks, soups, sauces, side dishes, borscht, okroshka.

Meat and fish dishes are sometimes spiced with borage roots to add flavor. Also, the roots of the plants are an excellent raw material for the manufacture of green oil. It is added to cheese, sour-milk products and cold drinks.

Many use borage as a greenery. For example, chopped leaves are generously sprinkled on boiled potatoes, which are seasoned with sour cream or another sauce.

Blue inflorescences in cooking play the role of not only beautiful decoration of dishes, but also a useful ingredient. They are used fresh, dried and candied. Often housewives use flowers for domestic wines, liqueurs and liqueurs. Very aromatic tea is obtained from them.

Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology

In cosmetology, the annual has also played an important role.Many beauties prefer cosmetic products based on borage oil, which have rejuvenating and toning properties.

Its advantages are also in the beneficial effects on dry, dehydrated, fading and sensitive skin. The drug is suitable for everyone, getting into the epidermis, it promotes cell regeneration, smoothes fine wrinkles, gives the skin a healthy look. Such a component is simply necessary for recovery after aggressive cosmetological procedures of the type of dermabrasion, chemical peelings.

Borage oil in cosmetology used to treat hair, nails, dermatitis, as well as dandruff. The tool can be found in any pharmacy, it is recommended both in pure form and in mixtures with other essential oils. By the way, Omega-3, Omega-6 and phytohormones are found in borage oil.

For example, to normalize the work of the sebaceous glands of the head and face, a mask is made of 1 tsp of borage oil, 4 drops of tea tree oil, 5 drops of lemon juice.All ingredients are well mixed and applied on the face or on the hair roots. An hour later, all you need to wash off with warm water.

Watered skin will save a mixture of 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon borage oil and 3 drops of orange oil. The mask is applied for half an hour, then washed off with water. The skin of the hands will soften and rejuvenate the product made from equal parts of borage, coconut, and jojoba oils. It is applied at night and not washed off.

For the treatment of damaged hair and hair dye, a mask of equal parts of borage oil and sea buckthorn is simply necessary.

Both components are mixed and heated in a water bath. Then a warm remedy is applied on the scalp and wrapped in cellophane. Top wrapped with a towel. After 2 hours, wash off with regular shampoo.

Contraindications

Folk healers recommend raw material for borage herbs both externally and internally. But warned that a long reception can not only get rid of health problems, but also provoke serious diseases. Such a load can not withstand the liver. Therefore, it is not recommended to use borago for more than 30 days. In addition, individual intolerance to the components of the plant, a violation of the dosage, improperly prepared drug is fraught with serious complications.

Do not experiment with your body. It is better to consult about the feasibility of using borage with your doctor.

Borage can simply be diluted in its own area, because it is within its power to save people from many diseases and rejuvenate their organisms. But in all the main thing - to respect the measure.