P&P (Pollinators & Predators)

Description

Ideal for orchards, awkward or under-utilised spaces in the garden or field, on edges, or incorporating into other cover crop blends.

All our legume seeds are pre-innoculated with rhizobium for nitrogen fixation.

Certified seeds from trusted suppliers.

Strategic Placement:
To maximize the effectiveness of your P&P strips, their placement must balance the biological range of the beneficial insects with the operational requirements of your farm machinery and irrigation.

The 10-Meter Rule
Most small beneficial insects, such as Parasitoid Wasps and Hoverflies, are most effective within 10 meters of their nectar source. If a vegetable bed is 50 meters away from a strip, the “patrol” density drops significantly.
Optimal Spacing: Establish a P& P strip every 20 to 30 meters across your field.

Strategic Positioning Options

A. Headland Strip (Perimeter Management)
Establish a permanent 2–3 meter wide strip along the unplanted turning areas at the ends of your rows and/or use the “awkward” unplanted areas in and around fields. These areas are often compacted and underutilized. Converting them into biodiversity zones prevents them from becoming “weed nurseries” and creates a barrier against pests migrating in from the surrounding veld.
B. The In-Field Inter-Row
For high-value crops, replace every 10th – 15th row of vegetables with a biodiversity strip. This places the predators directly in the “line of fire.” Aphids appearing in the center of a block will be discovered by hoverflies much faster than if the predators had to fly in from the perimeter.
C. The “Windward” Barrier
Identify the prevailing wind direction, then establish your primary, widest strips on the windward side of the fields. Small insects like wasps and lacewings are weak fliers. They often use wind currents to move. A windward strip allows them to “drift” naturally into your crop rows.

Implementation Guidelines for Growers

Site Preparation
Prepare the area at least 2 weeks before sowing. Allow weeds to germinate, then kill them with a shallow cultivation. This reduces competition for the slow-growing Clover and Lotus. Do not add high-nitrogen fertilizer. High nitrogen will cause the Teff and Phacelia to “bolt” and smother the beneficial legumes and herbs. The legumes have been inoculated and will provide nitrogen. A light application of Rock Phosphate or Bone Meal will support the deep root development.
Sowing Method: Broadcast and roll
This is the most common method for biodiversity strips. If broadcasting, increase the total rate by 20% to account for seed loss to birds and uneven germination. Because many of these seeds are tiny (especially Teff and Lobularia), the most critical step is rolling after sowing. This ensures proper seed-to-soil contact without burying the small seeds too deep.
Use sand when sowing
This mix contains a “heavy” seed (Phacelia) and “feather-weight” seeds (e.g. Teff, Lobularia). To ensure even distribution when hand-sowing or using a spinner, mix the seed with a carrier like slightly damp builder’s sand at a ratio of 3:1 (carrier to seed). This prevents the tiny seeds from settling at the bottom.
Timing
Can be sown from early spring to (early) Autumn. However, some moisture is required for establishment, thus match sowing times with rain if irrigation is not available.

Post-Sowing Management

Irrigation (First 21 Days)
For best results, keep the top 10 mm of soil moist but not wet. If irrigating, a light daily misting or brief dripline watering in the early morning or late afternoon is better than an intermittent heavy soak. An indicator plant is the phacelia. Once the Phacelia reaches about 10 cm in height, you can reduce irrigation.

The First “High Mow”
If you see broadleaf weeds (like Khakibos or Pigweed) overtaking the strip in the first 6 weeks. Set your mower to its highest setting (roughly 15–20 cm), or brushcut at this height. This will help recue these these weeds, without slowing down the low-growing Clover, Lotus, and Lobularia beneath. If labour is available, you can alternatively hand weed persistent problem plants.

Other guidelines:

Frost Awareness
If you experience frost, your Lobularia and Phacelia might be hit by early winter frosts in June. However, the Chicory and Clover roots will survive and re-emerge stronger in spring.

Staggered Cutting
Every 3 months, mow only half the strip. This keeps flowers available while forcing predators to move into your crop rows. Mow the strip to a height of 10-15cm. This prunes biomass and often triggers a fresh round of blooms. Leave the litter as mulch.

Winter Cover
During the dry winter (June–July), the Chicory taproots will be working deep in the soil. Leave the dried stalks standing if possible; they provide over-wintering “hotels” for beneficial solitary bees and predatory insects

No-Till Maintenance
Avoid digging up the strip. Let the Chicory and Clover roots build permanent “highways” for soil biology.

Zero-Spray Zone
Even organic sprays like Neem oil should be avoided in these strips to protect the delicate Parasitoid Wasps.