Phacelia

Phacelia is used in the UK as a brood rearing crop. Its purple flowers have the tremendous ability to attract a large array of insects. In the summer you can hear a crop of phacelia buzzing. In trials where it has been growing alongside or with a kale it produces an excellent cover, and although an annual, due to its high seed drop will re grow for many years by self-seeding. It’s not hardy enough to withstand frosts and therefore needs to be sown with other crops if it is being considered as part of your cover plans. Where it has been grown alongside kale, we have noticed that the problem of flea beetle is reduced. This could be due to the presence of hover flies in phacelia which feed on the flea beetle.