Do Bees Like Phacelia Tanacetifolia (Fiddleneck)

Are you thinking about buying Fiddleneck (phacelia tanacetifolia) for your garden? Have you ever wondered “do bees like phacelia tanacetifolia”?

If so, you’re in luck! This is one of the best wildflowers for bees. It is part of the borage family, and many types of bees love it. It is used all over the place as a way of feeding insects, and it looks very beautiful too, so if you want to grow it in your garden, go right ahead!

What Is Phacelia Tanacetifolia?

This is a very beautiful annual flower that produces small blue-purple blossoms. It can grow to nearly 40 inches tall, and it is native to the Southwestern United States. It is often planted near crop fields, and if you are looking to create a bee-friendly garden, this is a perfect flower to choose.

This plant has a long flowering season and many types of bumblebees and solitary bees love it. It provides plenty of nectar for them. Coupled with some cute bee hotels, you will have an insect friendly garden before you know it.

You may want to add a few beebombs too, because although phacelia tanacetifolia has a long flowering period, it only starts in March (or later, depending on the climate in which it is grown) so to provide some early food for bees, it’s a good idea to have some other flowers going.

You may also want to provide food that will last after the end of its flowering season (September) to ensure your insect friends are fed all year round.

One of the best things about this plant is that it is attractive to solitary bees, which are particularly under threat at present. Many attempts to create wildflower mixes that are suitable for bees have resulted in an increase in the number of bumblebees and honey bees, but they haven’t had the same results for solitary bees. That makes this flower even more important.

How To Grow Phacelia Tanacetifolia

If you’re wondering how to grow phacelia tanacetifolia, it’s fortunately fairly easy, and this plant is grown widely alongside vineyards and crop fields. It is good for improving soil structure, and tends to be resistant to slugs and snails.

You can grow this plant from seed very easily, and if you’re wondering where to buy phacelia tanacetifolia, you will find packs of 25 seeds available here. You can sow it in March through to May, or wait through the summer and sow some in September or October.

You should protect the early seedlings in a greenhouse or under a cold frame to keep them safe from frosts. If you are planting in the autumn, you can simply plant them directly into well prepared beds, as long as they are in a reasonable amount of sunlight throughout the day. If frosts set in early, you can protect the seedlings with cloches or wool.

Fiddleneck is a great green manure that will enrich the ground, and because it’s only an annual, it won’t get in your way and cause problems with things that you want to plant in the following years.

Once the plant has started to establish itself, it’s a good idea to pinch out the growing tips, as this encourages bushier, denser growth. If you have grown your plants in the greenhouse, harden them off for a few days before transferring them outside.

Summary

It’s easy to grow Fiddleneck for your bees, and you can make your garden a haven for flying insects by planting this. It also improves your soil and protects it during the winter, and because it’s an annual, it has minimal effect on your overall planting plan! Buy a seed packet today and help the bees.