When to sow phacelia: how it helps to increase yields

Caring for a vegetable garden does not necessarily require the use of large amounts of chemicals. Some procedures can be replaced by sowing special crops, such as phacelia.

OBOZ.UA asked experienced gardeners what kind of plant is this and why is it so important? As well as techniques on how it can be used on your site.

Biologically, phacelia belongs to the water lily family. It is a melliferous flower. The plant is also used as a fodder crop and as a green fertilizer - the so-called green manure. It can enrich the soil with nitrogen and improve soil quality. It can also suppress the growth of weeds.

When to sow phacelia for green manure

Gardening experts recommend sowing the plant before you plant vegetables or berries. For a few weeks, the phacelia will saturate the soil with nutrients, and before it blooms, you will need to mow it and mix the green part with the topsoil to get the most out of it. When used in this way, the plant can replace organic fertilizers such as compost, manure, or humus.

It is also good to treat depleted areas in a similar way, as the soil will quickly become enriched with nitrogen, which is essential for plants. After fertilizing the beds with this green manure, vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, cabbage, eggplant, pumpkins, legumes, and leafy greens will grow best.

The first sowing of phacelia is recommended immediately after the snow melts. It is quite hardy and will sprout even if the spring is cold. In a month, you will need to mow all the sprouts, spread them out on the ground, and plow the area. After that, you can start planting the garden.

You can do the same after harvesting and in the fall. To sow phacelia, its seeds should be mixed with river sand and sprinkled on the loosened soil.

How to sow phacelia correctly

In order to fertilize the garden evenly, the plant must be sown according to certain standards. For example, a distance of 45-60 cm should be maintained between the rows - phacelia needs a lot of living space. The depth of the furrows should be up to 3 cm.

For 1 hectare of land, you will need 5-6 kg of seeds, in which case the plant coverage will be optimal. While the flower grows, the area will need to be periodically cleared of weeds and leaves removed from it.

Other ways to use phacelia

In addition to green manure, the flower is also grown as an ornamental plant. It is used to decorate wild-style flower beds and gardens.

It is also recommended to sow it near an apiary. Phacelia honey is extremely tasty, and it produces a lot of nectar for bees. As a honey plant, it is better to plant the plant in several waves with a difference of a couple of weeks to extend its flowering season and, accordingly, pollen collection for bees.

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