I don't know where are you are located but I find borage likes cooler, moister locations better than hot,dry ones - and that is in my already cool and moist (relatively speaking compared to much of the US) growing conditions. I suspect pot culture is just the wrong growing conditions for it because pots tend to be hotter and drier on average. Can you grow it direct in a garden bed at school? Most schools have neglected garden areas from eras long past that can be renovated and used.

FataMorgana

Thanks FataMorgana, the SoCal heat and dryness isn't helping. I bet the pots I see at the garden center and meant for eventual transplant. I spearheaded our first school garden last year and did it all without raised beds. We have a small greenhouse and I used burlap sacks, hydroponic grow bags and bottle towers for the rest. We planted kale, potatoes, amaranth, tatsoi, mizuna and more. This year I'm determined to make some raised beds and will have a plant sale near the first of the year to raise money. If I get really wild and crazy I'm going to make a traveling herb garden that I can wheel around to the classrooms for a scratch n' sniff experience :)

Borage has a longer taproot and isn't always happy in pots, especially smaller ones. I do have my white borage in a large 15" square pot this year, and it's quite content, but part of your problem may be a lack of root space for it. I also bought a hoop support for mine, the type with three stilts to hold it up, then a ring with a grid in between to help support the flowers, as I was concerned they wouldn't be as strong in a pot.

Try a larger pot--you'll have to put it on a dolly or something to move it around, but it can be done. My 4 year old loves eating borage flowers.

I have found borage will wilt severly when transplanted BUT give it up to a week or 2 and see if it doesn't come right back. I have potted up many borage plants this way and tell people to wait and not throw it out and every time they do come back even when you are so sure it is dead or just about. Just try one plant, I think you will be surprised.

Thank you for the advice bluespiritartist and balloonfower! I'll get out my large grow bags (poly hydroponic kind I use with soil) and will make sure the roots have room. And it's funny how I've given up on a few in pots that looked like they were about to die - I'll hang in there a bit longer next time.

I just noticed tons of healthy borage seedlings popping up at the edge of my raised bed - the seeds must have been washed to the side with the hose. I'm going to try and transplant those. Appreciate it!

Borage is usually quite tough, so I would guess that it is getting extreemly stressed, probably from lack of water. Always remember: garden soil dries out from the top down; but pots dry out from the bottom up. Water every day, at least, and all should be well. A great overall discussion of Borage can be found at the following link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alan Chadwick

Thanks! It doesn't help that we tried growing it in containers on top of tar at school and I can imagine it got tortured. I'm going to try again at home first with my water and see also how it responds at school again now that I have some good advice to go by :)