Phacelia Seeds – Plants for Pollinators

Sowing instructions

Sowing instructions:

Sow directly into prepared soil in March – June or August – October.
Grows best in full sun.
Flowers May-September/October.
Coverage is 1 gram/square meter.

To prepare soil for planting, first clear the site of weeds, stones and sticks. Turn the soil and break up any clods, then rake so that you have a fine crumbly surface. If your ground is heavy, or you do not want to or can’t turn the soil, then clear of weeds and add a 2-3 layer of sand, soil or compost, or a mix of these, to the surface. Rake over. Do not add fertilizer to meadows or flowerbeds.

Sowing: Sow seed in March – June or August – October. Seeds sown in spring will flower the same year, and seed sown in autumn will flower the next year. Spread the seed thinly, 1g/square meter.

Germination: Phacelia seeds need light to germinate, so there is no need to rake in the seeds after sowing. Roll or firm the soil by tapping the back of the rake on the ground. This makes sure the seed is in contact with the soil. Make sure the soil is moist to speed up germination.

The seeds may take a few weeks to germinate so make sure the soil does not dry out. Germination will be slower if the conditions are dry or cold. Seeds sown in autumn may therefore not germinate until the following spring.

If birds are digging up and eating the seed after sowing, you can rake in the seed slightly or cover them with a thin layer of sand or compost. Alternatively, cover with a garden net or horticultural fleece until they have germinated or use a scarecrow.

Flowering: Flowers May-September/October.

After flowering: Phacelia is an annual plant, which will self-seed in the autumn if the seedheads are not removed after flowering. To ensure that the plants self seed you can either leave the seedheads on the plants after flowering, or you can cut them down. Once cut down, leave the plant parts including the seed heads on the ground. The stalks and leaves will decompose and enrich the soil and the seeds will overwinter and germinate the following spring. Make sure to dig up any unwelcome weeds so that they do not take over your phacelia patch.