Phacelia siderat

The horticultural sphere is gradually moving forward, and all this is not only thanks to the activities of breeders, but also thanks to the active work of gardeners and gardeners. Completely new varieties of plants appear, devices for processing plots and crops are being improved. Also, completely new subspecies of fertilizers appear, which are becoming even more in demand due to the fact that gardeners understand their convenience and ease of use.

This article is devoted to the consideration of such an organic fertilizer, which is called phacelia. We will describe in more detail the features and properties of this green manure, as well as how to properly use it in order to revitalize the soil, make it more fertile, and also improve the general condition of plants that are planted in places where phacelia is used and grows. This article carries information that will be very useful for both novice gardeners and those who already have experience in planting siderates and their use, but they would like to know about other crops that are suitable for the role of such an organic fertilizer.

The value of green manure and the place of phacelia among them

Of course, in order to fully appreciate the full value and features of green manure, it is necessary first of all to understand what it is, what these phenomena are, and where did they come from in gardening. So, green cultivated plantings, plants that are planted immediately before the main crop are planted, are usually called green manure. Siderata are planted on the site in order to make the soil more enriched, saturated, fertile, in order to generally improve its general condition. Thanks to the siderates, the soil is quickly saturated with all the necessary elements, making the plants feel much more comfortable and lighter.

It's not a secret for anyone that there are such fruitful crops that can deplete the soil to a noticeable extent, drawing out all the useful and nutritious components from it. As a result, the amount of nutrients in it is significantly reduced, which has a very negative effect on the condition and level of the future harvest. In order for the soil to retain its useful and mineral components, and in order to continuously replenish them in the soil composition, experienced gardeners recommend using green manure. They perfectly enrich the topmost layer of the soil, and are also able to favorably affect the composition of the soil, its structure, and general condition.

The value of green manure can be described by several main characteristics:

- these landings are completely unpretentious when it comes to leaving. They also have a high level of resistance to cold and frost, which is also an undoubted advantage. At the same time, planting can be carried out both in early spring and in the late autumn period - the plants will feel equally comfortable, there will be no discomfort, and from the gardener himself, the most minimal efforts are required in planting and subsequent care

- the soil due to green manure is perfectly enriched, filled with all the necessary substances and microelements. In general, some green manures are much more effective than organic matter (manure, humus, compost)

- if the soil was initially characterized by high acidity, then phacelia can perfectly reduce this level, and the soil will become more comfortable for planting a huge number of plants and crops

- siderates also play a very important role in protecting plants from weeds, so the weed begins to grow much slower than it usually happens, which plays into the hands of many gardeners

- many microbiological processes that occur in the soil are simply catalyzed, and due to this, the soil becomes more favorable for many crops to grow in it

- siderates perfectly protect the future harvest of absolutely any crops from pests, as well as from attacks of some especially dangerous insects that can cause irreparable harm to plants and crops

- if suddenly the soil has survived erosion, then green manure helps the soil to recover much faster to the soil. They heal the most damaged parts, making them more resistant to any other negative external influences.

A wide variety of plants and crops can turn out to be siderata. Among them, the most prominent are oats and lupines, rye, white mustard, phacelia. These crops are very unpretentious, and due to what they can be planted absolutely at any time of the year. It will be enough to focus on what kind of crop these green manures are intended for, and in this case it will already be necessary to regulate the planting periods, time intervals, seasons (spring or autumn). But nevertheless, it is also worth paying attention to the fact that not every green manure can be absolutely universal. There are such siderates that absolutely cannot be planted next to any specific crops, as they can, on the contrary, cause irreparable harm. And for this reason, it is worth paying attention to the choice of sowing materials and what the green manure will be intended for, and whether they will be enough to get along with crops, fruits, vegetables or flowers.

Phacelia - This is a green manure, which belongs to the family of aquatic plants. Today it is impossible to find any analogs of phacelia among other crops that are planted in personal plots. And for this reason, it can be planted both before and after absolutely all crops. In this article, we will just outline the features and characteristics of the phacelia, its most basic features, and also talk about some of the agrotechnical subtleties in planting the phacelia with other plants, before or after them.

Phacelia can be called a relatively versatile plant, which is used almost everywhere to enrich the soil, create the most comfortable and fertile conditions for crops. Almost any crops and plants can be planted both before and after phacelia, they will feel comfortable, receive the largest amount of nutrients, and be saturated with those microelements that are usually obtained from organic and mineral fertilizers. Many gardeners believe that phacelia is a completely ideal crop, since it has a large number of positive characteristics, due to which it really stands out from all other siderates. The advantages of phacelia include the following features:

• - phytosanitary properties of the plant. They are focused on healing the soil, making it enriched with minerals and vitamins, which are very beneficial for crops and plants. Due to the fact that the phacelia is a truly unique plant, and also due to the fact that it is not at all like any other green manure, it can also counteract many other pests that are not at all opposed to settling in the soil and feasting on other crops. The plant can once and for all save crops from attacks from moths and locusts, as well as flower beetles and nematodes. In addition to the fact that phacelia has a sanitary and disinfecting effect, it can also prevent any signs and symptoms of rot, eliminates the drying out of the fruits and the plant itself.Very often, phacelia is used as a plant that is planted next to potatoes, since it is he who most often suffers from such symptoms, so it is so important to get rid of them with the help of non-chemical substances and components
• - Phacelia attracts bees. This plant, among other things, is a very popular and powerful honey plant. Large flowers bloom as early as the fifth week after the phacelia has been planted, and they bloom every two days, so that flowering can stretch for quite a long time. Due to the incredible aroma emanating from the flowers, they can attract pollinating insects - bees or bumblebees. For this reason, beekeepers are very fond of phacelia and strive to plant this green manure as often as possible in their area, since it is very multifunctional.
• - Phacelia is an unpretentious plant that can also perfectly enrich the soil in which it is located. At the same time, in general, the phacelia itself is completely unpretentious when it comes to the composition of the soil, since it can easily grow both on stony and clay soils, besides, swampy or overdriedness is also not some kind of obstacle for it. For this reason, if you plant phacelia on such soils, then even on them it will be possible to get an excellent result from the cultivated plants themselves. But nevertheless, if the soil is already distinguished by particular depletion and poverty, then one should not expect any outstanding results after a single planting of green manure. It is necessary to sow phacelia throughout the season for the result to be truly worthy and meaningful and, most importantly, obvious.

Phacelia also does an excellent job with weeds. Due to the fact that it affects soils with an increased level of acidity, phacelia makes such soils completely unsuitable for weed growth. At the same time, the soil becomes incredibly clean and saturated so that excellent cultivated plants grow in it, which will also bear fruit abundantly. And this is already the crown of all dreams of absolutely any gardener, for which they love phacelia so much. In addition, phacelia looks great on the site, as it has an attractive appearance and decorative characteristics, so it does not look like a weed or an accidental plant on the site, which is also its huge advantage. The culture grows very quickly and ripens very quickly. Phacelia reaches its full growth (and this is a height of about thirty centimeters) within the first 30 days after planting in open ground. In about four weeks, its weight can reach 300 kilograms per hectare. In fact, in terms of its valuable components, this equates to 300 kilograms of manure. Agree, this is an incredible and excellent indicator for green manure, which, moreover, is also universal. Phacelia is resistant to severe frosts, and also tolerates droughts or high temperatures. Also, it is practically not exposed to strong winds and can grow well without losing its beneficial properties and qualities in the shade or partial shade. If the plant is not mowed until the seeds are fully formed, then this green manure will also have every chance of self-sowing, and this in the future can significantly save the gardener's time for planting green manure.

In general, we examined the merits and positive features of such a green manure as phacelia. As for the shortcomings, in general this variety does not have them. Although some agronomists admit that phacelia has several negative qualities that can cause some inconvenience to many. Firstly, this is an annual plant, and therefore, in order for the soil to be continuously enriched with all useful components and substances, it is simply necessary to sow green manure every year.Sometimes, for especially depleted soils, sowing must be carried out several times in one season, and a lot of physical strength and time can be spent on this, which may not always be convenient for a gardener. Secondly, you should turn your gaze to the fact that green manure must be cut before planting the main crops, since dense plants can create too much shade for the main crop, and this will not benefit it at all. Therefore, the cut can also become an obstacle and a real challenge for some.

Nevertheless, even though agronomists and experienced gardeners still identify some minor flaws in phacelia, it is worth mentioning that it is still one of the most popular and sought-after green manures in modern horticulture and on an agronomic scale, so that in In principle, the versatility and a huge number of advantages of phacelia make it an excellent plant for saturating and restoring the soil, as well as maintaining some crops in excellent condition and in the fruiting stage, increasing productivity.

The question always arises as to which crops the phacelia is most suitable for. In principle, this is a universal green manure, but most of all it brings benefits to potatoes and carrots, beets and other plants, the fruits of which reach their ripening directly in the soil itself. Phacelia protects them from attacks from parasites, and also destroys weeds, pests, bacteria that can provoke dangerous diseases. If we talk about other cultures, then phacelia can play a significant role for them too. First of all,. It enriches the soil and increases the productivity of garden crops. And also phacelia protects them from bacteria and pests, a variety of diseases that can cause destruction and deprive the gardener of a normal harvest. There are many videos on how to use phacelia correctly, as well as on what are the main agrotechnical conditions and subtleties in growing phacelia. In the next part of the article, we will try to dwell on them in more detail to show how you can grow this plant and make it an indispensable part of every personal plot, both on a personal scale and on an industrial scale.

Agrotechnical conditions for growing phacelia

In general, if the gardener has decided to grow phacelia as a green manure, then he should know that this process will definitely not take much of his time. In addition, no special adaptations are required, which are necessary for some other cultures in order to grow and develop correctly. But still, experienced gardeners say that there are several specific recommendations that must be followed in order to plant the crop correctly and get the maximum possible benefit from it.

Usually phacelia is planted not once a year, but twice - in early spring, and then in autumn, when the entire crop has already been harvested. If the soil is completely depleted and impoverished, then the planting should be increased almost four times so that the soil recovers as quickly as possible. In the spring, green manures are necessary in order to enrich the soil before planting the crop, which will be obtained in the same season, and therefore, care should be taken about the number of plantings so that there is a visible and very operational effect. If the planting is scheduled for autumn, then this will prevent the soil from drying out too much, and the soil will freeze much less during periods of too strong frosts. In spring, phacelia is best planted after the first snow has melted, and even if the temperature is still below zero degrees, then planting is already acceptable.It should be borne in mind that the phacelia does not need too much time to grow and ripen - they mow it about 14 days before the most basic plants and crops were planted, which, in fact, are also enriched and saturated from the side of the phacelia. ...

If the gardener has an idea to attract pollinating insects (bees or bumblebees), then planting is carried out in late spring or at the very beginning of the summer period. In this case, the phacelia must be planted directly between the beds on which the most basic crops are located. Na is an excellent melliferous plant that still remains incredibly attractive to pollinators, so the chances are high that the yields of some crops that directly depend on it will be much higher and tastier. In the case of an autumn planting - here the gardener decides for himself when to plant the green manure. In general, phacelia can be sown immediately after the main crop of crops has been harvested from the plots, and it can also be planted after the gardener has already dug up the entire household plot. The most important condition is that the culture must be planted before the very first snow appears. After that, there is already a low probability that this siderat will be filled with the necessary energy and significant components, which means that there will not be so much benefit from it. Therefore, of course, in this case, some peculiarities and conditions should be taken into account in order to get maximum efficiency from green manure, because it can really have a very positive effect on the general condition of the soil and on the condition and fruiting of individual vegetable and fruit and berry crops.

It is important to emphasize something. If the gardener has completely harvested the potato crop, then the green manure must be sown immediately. Otherwise, it will turn out that the soil is completely depleted, and it can also crumble, and in the future, one planting of phacelia green manure will be completely insufficient to return the soil to its fertile and fresh state.

Of course, many are wondering how it is generally worth sowing phacelia green manure. There are indeed a few basic rules when planting this plant. If you stick to them, you can get amazingly great results. So, the rules include the following:

- there are certain planting norms - no more than two hundred grams of phacelia seeds should be planted per hectare of land

- the soil during planting should not be caked or excessively dry. If it is a dry season or period, then before planting the phacelia, it is still recommended to lightly water the soil. But this is provided that the planting of green manure occurs in the summer. If planting is carried out in the spring or autumn, then in general the soil can not be watered, enough moisture has been accumulated in it for the green manure seeds to take root in it.

- before sowing, you do not need to dig up the soil and do not have any mechanical effect on it. But still, in order for the green manure to take root faster and give results, the soil can be slightly loosened, while you should not do it too deeply - it is enough to loosen the first 8-10 centimeters of soil

- the seeds are pressed into the ground to a depth of no more than two centimeters. Then, in a strong wind, they will not fly anywhere. At the same time, it should not be deeply buried, otherwise the green manure will germinate rather slowly, which is completely unprofitable for the gardener himself, because he expects very fast shoots, as stated in the characteristics of the phacelia.

If you follow all the rules, then the phacelia will quickly and very easily ascend on the site. In this case, the seeds should not be pretreated or soaked, since they are already completely ready for planting and without any additional processing. You can stock up on seeds in advance so that they are on hand in case you need to re-plant the plant.For this, the culture can be planted a little further from the main personal plot so that the seeds do not scatter around the plot and do not mix with the seeds of other crops and plants. Further, the gardener waits for the green manure to fully ripen, without performing any mechanical actions with it. The full maturation of the green manure occurs approximately 6-7 weeks after the green manure has been planted in open ground. After the phacelia has completely faded, the stems must be carefully trimmed and then dried well. It is in them that the seeds are located. Further, after drying, the green manure is crushed and seeds are obtained, which are excellent for sowing in plots.

In general, breeders were very interested in phacelia and sought to expand the varietal species of this plant. Today, gardeners are aware of more than 75 species of phacelia as a full-fledged horticultural culture. But in fact, only three types of phacelia are used - bell-shaped, twisted and tansy. This is due to the fact that it is these species that are the most unpretentious, they grow well and quickly and are suitable for growing in larger, large-scale areas.

Another advantage of phacelia is that it is completely unpretentious. No special agrotechnical or maintenance measures are required in order to get an effective result. Also, phacelia can grow on completely different soils, and it also does not need to be protected from wind or precipitation. Watering is also not needed here - the natural moisture of the soil will be enough for the phacelia seeds to germinate. About 20 days after the phacelia has been planted, the grower can plant the main crops that will continue to grow and bear fruit. Strawberries and peppers, raspberries and tomato crops can be planted between green manure crops - crops do not compete for space or nutrients, they feel equally comfortable and are ready to grow. Thus, phacelia can also protect very young plants from the effects of wind or intense heat, as well as from drying out, since in some regions this is completely commonplace. But nevertheless, if the gardener decided to plant potatoes or onions, as well as celery on the site, then before planting them, it is recommended to first mow or cut the siderates, and then plant the main crops.

As for the time of harvesting the green manure, it all depends on the purpose for which the phacelia was sown on the plots. If the phacelia is planted in order to attract bees and other pollinating insects, then it must be mowed and then sown again as the flowering ceases. If the siderates are sown at the end of the summer period and before the start of the cool autumn days, then the phacelia should be cut off exactly before the winter crops are planted. It will already play its role in equipping and nourishing the soil, and then there will be no such vivid need for it. If a gardener plants phacelia in winter, then he means that the very first shoots of green manure will appear in early spring. In this case, it should be cut only at exactly the moment when the crops of the main order are ready to plant on the personal plot.

In order for not only the topsoil to be renewed and enriched, it is necessary to shift the green mass of green manure to the level of full immersion of the shovel. So the gardener digs the soil much deeper, and at the same time laying the green mass enhances the effect of soil fertility, it becomes excellent for planting crops, and also thanks to this, the soil becomes looser, ventilated, and therefore the risks of developing diseases and fungal spores that can cause irreparable harm to some of the main crops.Since phacelia is a versatile green manure, which is completely undemanding neither in planting nor in grooming measures, while it is incredibly nutritious, and contains a huge amount of useful and effective substances in its composition. If the phacelia grows on the site, then in general, no additional organic or mineral substances can be laid in the soil, since they are all already present in the phacelia. In addition, in general, if you plant phacelia three or four times per season, then it will make the soil incredibly saturated in reality, and there will be no need to plant any other siderates or crops. Saturation tends to accumulate, but at the same time, green manures cannot cause any harm to either the soil or the main crops. They are environmentally friendly, natural, safe, and just perfectly fit into the site as well as very decorative and attractive plantings.