Introducing Phacelia
Day 1 of of my Sustainable Horticulture Course in 2009 and I am shown a garden of scraggly looking weeds that is mine for the year. I felt more than ripped off as I looked about at the other perfect beds with tidy, bare soil. Little did I know…
My garden was full of Phacelia which had been planted intentionally by my tutor to create a living soil cover and provide food for beneficial insects. The idea of planting a non-edible plant in a food garden was so foreign to me. How is this in any way helping me to grow my own food I thought? My tutor Nathan explained how my bed was one of the best and to look and see what was really going on.
Working with Nature
Upon inspection, I noticed bees and other cute, skinny looking flies darting back and forth then hanging in mid air amongst the plants. I consulted my new favorite bug ID book and identified the little darting insects as Hoverflies. Hoverflies are fasinating little insects and an organic gardeners best friend. With the right environment, they will gladly come into your garden and feast on aphids and clean up pest infestations. Working with nature has its benefits! The messing looking plants in my garden bed were attracting them near and far.
This was my first lesson in my introduction to Sustainable Horticulture. I was blessed to learn straight away the importance of providing food for beneficial insects aswell as myself.
Bees Love Phacelia
The delicate purple flower of Phacelia is not only attractive to hoverflies but an absolute favorite among the bees. If you plant it in the Autumn, it will provide them with a great source of food in the cooler months when they need it the most. Hours of entertainment can be had watching the hoards of bees flock to the nectar in your Phacelia patch.
Plant Phacelia if you are looking for natural ways to control pests in your garden and create a mini ecosystem thriving with beneficial life. Plant a few (or a whole bed) in your own garden especially if you have any bare soil that you are not planning to plant crops in. Their straggly habit means they can take over garden beds so be ready to tie them up, or plant them underneath your fruit trees.
Check out my video below for more tips on growing this beneficial crop. Have fun!
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Ladybug eating black Aphid