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Phacelia, planting guide and care work
Published on: March 15, 2022 Modified on: 25 April 2024
Lacy phacelia (Phacelia tenacetifolia) is an annual plant species native to North America, belonging to the botanical genus Phacelia. It is cultivated on a large scale for beekeeping purposes, the phacelia honey being more and more appreciated and popular. In addition, the lacy phacelia is cultivated as an ornamental plant in yards, gardens and parks, respectively as fodder or as a green fertilizer. Being a plant that covers the soil well and overwhelms weeds, it is often sown for biological control of unwanted vegetation, as well as in order to improve soil quality. According to recent studies, the nematode population in the soil can be reduced by setting up phacelia crops.
Description
Lacy phacelia is an annual herbaceous plant with a relatively short vegetative growth period , with heights between 0.5 – 1 m. It usually has a single stem, but it can be branched at different heights. The stems of Phacelia tenacetifolia are pubescent. The leaves are alternatively or oppositely arranged on the stem and are deeply lobed, like a fern. The flowers form throughout the summer, are hermaphroditic, placed in elongated inflorescences (like spikes), the anthers and the pistil come out of the flower, and are blue-purple. The seeds are brownish-black, small in size, up to 2-3 mm in diameter.
Phacelia species
There are approx. 150 species of phacelia (Phacelia sp.), of which Phacelia tenacetifolia is more popular. We will also mention species such as:
- Phacelia humilis, with heights of up to 20 cm;
- Phacelia cicutaria and Phacelia campanularia, with high drought resistance;
- Phacelia grandiflora, with big flowers;
- Phacelia fimbriata, with white flowers;
- Phacelia linearis, with entire leaves, linear and tolerant to sandy soils;
- Phacelia sericea, with hairs on all organs of the plant.
Occurrence
Phacelia is native to North America. Being a species with a lot of pollen and nectar, it is widely cultivated for beekeeping purposes in many regions of the globe. In Western Europe it is frequently cultivated, both for beekeeping purposes and as a green fertilizer. Due to the purple flowers, it is often grown for ornamental purposes in gardens, courtyards, sometimes even on terraces, in flower pots.
Characteristics and biological requirements
Light. It grows vigorously and blooms abundantly in direct sunlight or in partial shade (between rows of vines or fruit trees).
Temperature. The optimum temperature for the vegetative growth period is 18-25 ℃, and flowering is stimulated in conditions of high temperatures, over 28 ℃. The lower limit which Phacelia can withstand is approx. -8 ℃.
Soil. Phacelia is tolerant to soil conditions and can withstand most soil types. It prefers slightly sandy or slightly clayey soils, well drained and fertile, slightly acidic or neutral.
Water. It grows well on soils with moderate humidity, but it tolerates short-term drought.
Cultivation technology
The place in the crop rotation. Phacelia is usually grown as pure crop, as it can overwhelm other plants. However, for green fertilizer purposes, it can be grown with other species, such as pea or oats. Due to the short vegetative growth period, it can be easily introduced in the crop rotation, in different periods, between different crops or after the crops that are removed from the land early (wheat, rapeseed, barley, etc.).
Soil preparation. In case of setting up a phacelia crop, it is recommended to clean the land of plant debris, followed, as the case may be, by leveling the soil and deep plowing, shredding the land, shaping the soil, respectively applying fertilizers, if necessary.
Propagation. It is propagated by germination, through seeds.
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Sowing
It is done in the field, starting from February-March, depending on the recorded temperatures. Sowing can be done in stages, depending on the purpose of the crop, until the beginning of August. Often, beekeepers sow the plots alternately with phacelia seeds, at intervals of 2-3 weeks, so that the flowering is staggered for as long as possible.
The seeds can be sown by scattering or in rows, with distances of 10-30 cm or 40-50 cm between them. The sowing norm is 5-10 kg / ha. Due to the small size of the seeds and the need for light for germination, sowing is done at depths of less than 1 cm or at the soil surface. Germination takes place at temperatures of min. 5 ℃ and optimum humidity, at approx. one week after sowing. Flowering begins after 6-7 weeks, depending on the weather and soil conditions.
To ensure early flowering, sowing can be done in autumn, with a double amount of seeds (10-20 kg / ha). Thus, an optimal density of the crop can be obtained, even after the losses recorded due to frost.
Fertilization. For abundant flowering and vigor, specific fertilizers can be applied, according to the instructions on the labels of the approved products.
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Maintenance works. They consist, as the case may be, in the thinning of the crop (if considered necessary), manual weeding (when the Phacelia is still small), the fertilization of the crop and carrying out preventive and control treatments with specific fungicides and insecticides.
Diseases and pests. The plant can be affected by various pathogens, against which preventive and control treatments are applied, with specific products. When choosing the fungicides and insecticides to be used, their effect on bees will be taken into account.
Harvesting
The optimal period and the appropriate methodology for harvesting depends largely on the purpose of the crop. Thus, if the Phacelia is cultivated as fodder, it is recommended to harvest it at the beginning of flowering, when the content in digestible elements (for animals) is maximum. Instead, if the plant material will be used as green fertilizer, then the harvest will be carried out preferably at the time of maximum flowering. The technology of harvesting Phacelia seeds for propagation purposes requires special caution and a well-developed technology, so it is recommended to consult specialists.
Additionally:
- The nectar content of the flowers is approx. 25-28%;
- In order to increase the nitrogen concentration on the soil, you should incorporate the Phacelia crop in it;
- Due to the hairs on the stem, sometimes the animals refuse to consume the plants. As a result, they are often combined with other types of fodder.
