Beneficial Insect Flower Calendar
A good beneficial insect planting plan provides nectar and pollen across as much of the season as possible.
The aim is not simply to add flowers, but to create continuity of resources.
Example Flowering Calendar
| Period | Useful Plants | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early spring | Clover, early umbellifers, overwintered herbs | Supports early emerging beneficials |
| Spring | Phacelia, calendula, coriander | Good early nectar and pollen supply |
| Early summer | Sweet alyssum, buckwheat, dill | Strong support for hoverflies and parasitoids |
| Mid summer | Yarrow, fennel, cosmos | Supports predators, parasitoids and pollinators |
| Late summer | Calendula, cosmos, fennel, clover | Helps maintain beneficials later in the season |
Key Plants
- Sweet alyssum
- Phacelia
- Buckwheat
- Yarrow
- Dill
- Fennel
- Calendula
- Cosmos
- Clover
- Coriander
Practical Principles
Good flower strips should:
- Flower over a long period
- Avoid becoming pest reservoirs
- Be easy to manage
- Suit the crop layout
- Avoid interfering with crop work
- Be monitored like part of the crop system
Protected Crop Use
In tunnels and glasshouses, flowering plants may be used as:
- Refuge plants
- Banker plant systems
- Pollinator support
- Habitat strips
They must be managed carefully to avoid supporting pest populations.