(USDA NRCS)

Why do farmers grow phacelia? This plant can:

• build soil health
• sequester carbon
• reduce pest pressure
• smother weeds
• attract pollinators

However, it's important to know that cover crops aren't just for farmers! Continue on to learn why Lacy Phacelia, AKA Bee's Friend, is the best summer green manure choice for home gardens like yours.

The Role of Cover Crops in Agriculture:

→ What is a cover crop? It's a beneficial plant grown during an otherwise fallow time. Also known as "green manure," they build garden health, sequester carbon, and offer nutrients and organic matter as a sustainable land management protocol.

Before I share the benefits of this plant, it’s important to understand the benefits of cover crops:

- planted on large regenerative farms, but they can offer the same benefits to your garden.

- satisfy the two main goals of regenerative practices: carbon sequestration and soil health improvement.

- grown when the land would otherwise be bare. Bare earth sheds carbon and is more likely to suffer from erosion and nutrient loss.

- ensure that carbon sequestration continues throughout the year.

Green manures in general offer the following additional benefits to your garden:

• improve water retention
• add organic matter
• can be used as a mulch
• reduce weed pressure
• add nutrients to the land that are available for the next crop
• attract beneficial insects through habitat and food source

To kill back the cover crop, crimp it so that it breaks at the stem and then the residue remains on the ground. The residue acts as a mulch for the next crop

You can also terminate a cover crop with a fence post like this. Alternatively, trim it back to the ground with some clippers or scissors.

Introducing Lacy Phacelia: A True Friend in the Summer Garden

Fun Fact: Tanacetifolia is a reference to the shape of phacelia’s leaves, which look like the Tansy (USDA Forest Service). This is why sometimes the plant is referred to as Tansy Phacelia.

Optimal growing conditions

Bee's Friend is an annual plant that prefers to germinate in above-freezing temperatures. The Small Farm Success Project share that it will have higher rates if the temperature is under 70 degrees F.

However, if you are in a warmer region and want phacelia to grow in the winter, in my zone 7 garden I’ve had seeds germinate in the heat of late August that are still growing as I write this in January.

As a native plant to arid southwestern regions, it doesn’t germinate well if the soil is over-saturated with water.

How to grow phacelia in your garden

1. Prepare the Land:
Clear the area of weeds and debris to provide a suitable environment for planting.

2a. Sow in a Pollinator Patch:

• Choose a sunny location
• Sow after last frost
• Sow the seeds thinly
• Gently rake the soil over seeds in a thin layer. They are small and need good seed-to-ground contact for germination.
• Water the area lightly and regularly to keep the area moist until the seeds germinate and establish.

2b. Sow as a Gree Manure:

• Select an area that needs improvement or erosion control.
• Sow the seeds densely
• Ensure good seed-to-ground contact, which is essential for germination and growth.
• Water the area adequately after sowing to support establishment.

3. Post-Sowing Care:

• Monitor the area regularly to ensure consistent moisture for germination and early growth.
• Once this plant has established, it typically requires minimal maintenance and is relatively drought tolerant.
• If sown as a green manure, decide whether to mow it back or let it winter kill, based on your specific regenerative gardening goals and location
• Cut back before it sets seed if it was used to improve soil quality and structure.

(Small Farm Success Project)

When does phacelia bloom?

Usually the flowers come on and remain between late April-September in the Northern Hemisphere (USDA NRCS).

Pollinator and beneficial insect plant

Bees for pollination

→ Bonus: This plant is rare in that it produces nectar 24 hours a day, according to Hudson Valley Seed.

With a name like Bee’s Friend, it should come as no surprise that it is in the Boraginaceae family - named after the bee-favorite borage.

In fact, phacelia is rich in both nectar and pollen. It’s considered a top spring food source for honeybees, and it quickly replenishes its nectar in a way that is similar to borage.

That's why it's often called "bee's friend" - and not just honeybees. It provides a reliable food source for specialist and native bees, too.

In an experiment conducted by Siskiyou Seeds and BeeGirl in southern Oregon, it was the first plant to bloom and provided a valuable food source for bumblebees and sweat bees early in the season.

Butterfly nectar plant

Phacelia offers nectar to butterflies, too! You might find dusky-wings, or even adult Monarchs feeding on this flower.

Hoverflies for aphid control

According to Calscape, phacelia also draws in hoverflies. These beneficial insects help reduce aphid populations.

Tachinid flies for cabbage and squash pests

A resource from the University of Connecticut lists tachinid flies as another beneficial attracted to phacelia. These helpful insects feed on caterpillar pests like cabbage worm, cabbage looper, and cutworms. They also parasitize squash bugs. A great beneficial to have around vegetables like brassicas and winter squash for organic pest management!

Uprising Organics recommends companion planting phacelia with brassicas to control aphid populations.

→ Surprise! Phacelia pollen is purple in color, not yellow!

A low-water summer pick

An issue that can come up with cover crops during the summertime is that they take a lot of water resources to maintain.

Phacelia solves that problem, as it is extremely drought-resistant. Calscape recommends watering this plant just once a month once it is established!

Weed control

Phacelia has the ability to create a carpet of leaves with its fast growing habit. This helps to shade out weeds that would otherwise dominate bare garden rows.

In warmer climates, Bee's Friend can provide this benefit year-round, even in the winter.

Unlike other more persistent cover crops (or weeds, for that matter), it can be terminated easily by mowing it or cutting it back.

In zones where winter temperatures regularly drop below 20 degrees, phacelia will naturally winter-kill.

Biomass

I’ve seen in my garden how a single self-sown phacelia plant can produce a massive amount of green material.

If you want something for chop-and-drop purposes, or to beef up the greens in your compost pile, phacelia is an excellent choice. In fact, its biomass amounts are comparable to that of cereal rye.

The Science Behind How Phacelia Improves Soil Health(& you can too)

Regenerative gardeners recognize that soil health is the key to carbon sequestration and fantastic crops.

Phacelia helps us to achieve those goals in a few ways. It:

1. supports the microbiome population.
   ‍An experiment repeated three times in the mid 1990’s found that soil microbes were more abundant when compared to cereal rye or fallow plots.
   ‍
2. adds nitrogen to gardens in the form of nitrates.
   According to the USDA, it also helps prevent nitrate and calcium run-off.
   ‍
3. improves arability of the garden.
   The quality of the land after a phacelia crop is rich and loamy. Territorial Seed Company shares that in their experience, it “conditions the top few inches of soil better than almost any other cover crop.”
   
   Farmers weekly notes an experiment where phacelia provided excellent results for increasing organic matter levels when compared to 26 other options.
   
   This creates an ideal environment for your vegetable crops!
   
   4. sequesters carbon.
   The carbon-storage potential of soil is something sustainable gardeners can really maximize with a cover crop. Phacelia is no exception. A recent study calculated that it can sequester 15 t/ha of carbon in just two months. This was a high number when compared to the other green manures tested.

Phacelia does it all

The beauty and utility of Phacelia are second to none. This plant plays a pivotal role in maintaining a vibrant ecosystem.

A powerhouse for pollinators, a champion of land stewardship, and a savvy gardener's ally against weeds. All while looking gorgeous and attracting insect friends into your backyard.

Phacelia’s versatility and environmental friendliness make it a top contender for any garden seeking to flourish sustainably.