Conditions for the care of decorative flax: planting, reproduction, watering

general description

Flax is an unpretentious plant. It belongs to the herbaceous family, so the bush does not grow taller than 50 cm. Thin, but very strong stems are involved in its formation. At the time of flowering, small or large inflorescences appear on them (it all depends on the variety) of a delicate blue or pink color. Decorative flax is the most common type of 200 existing ones. It is ideal for decorating garden paths and flower walls.

The blue islets, beautifully framing the paths, are decorative linen

Ordinary or sowing

The genus of flax includes more than a hundred species, of which the most important is common or sown flax. This is an annual grass, practically without hairs, about 60 cm high, and even higher in warm countries. Branches at the top. The leaves are alternate, narrow. The flowers form a false umbrella, the sepals are pointed; petals are ashen-azure, sometimes snow-white, the fruit is spherical, the seeds are shiny. Wild cultivated cultivated flax is unknown. It is believed that, most likely, it originated from narrow-leaved flax, which was cultivated in the Mediterranean in ancient times.

Modern cultural sowing flax is divided into three groups: fiber flax, curly flax and flax-flax. All of them are annual plants, differ in size and purpose. Fiber flax is grown for fiber, curly flax as an oil plant, flax-flax is used for both purposes. In fiber flax, the stems are erect, up to 60 cm high, in curls - up to 30 cm, sometimes creeping. Fiber flax leaves are sessile, the lower ones are opposite, the upper ones are alternate, linear, with solid edges. Near the base of the leaves, instead of stipules, glands are located. The flowers are predominantly aquamarine, sometimes white, less often pearlescent, five-petal, collected in branchy thyroid inflorescences. The fruit is an ovoid spherical capsule with 6-10 seeds. Seeds are shiny, smooth, flattened, light brown, without endosperm. The plant blooms in June-July, the seeds ripen in August-September.

Landing features

There is no need for special conditions for growing the plant: perennial decorative flax grows within the noma only in open, non-shaded areas, so it cannot be planted under the roof of a house, in the shade of tall trees or next to a spreading shrub.

The grass grows well only in open sunny areas Source i2.

The soil for planting should be light, not swampy. If the groundwater comes close to the soil, flax will not grow. It is helpful to add some organic compost and potash fertilizer before planting in the soil. In the fall, it is useful to dig up the site, remove the roots of the weeds to the maximum. In the spring, before sowing, the soil is leveled and simply harrowed.

Preparing the land for planting ornamental grass seeds Source semena-

The plant can be planted in hilly areas. Sowing is best done first in boxes placed in a warm, well-lit room. At the bottom of the container for planting, you must first form a drainage layer 10 cm thick. To do this, it is best to pour expanded clay on the bottom of the box, and then fill the container to the top with the prepared soil mixture. It is easy to prepare it yourself by mixing ordinary soil from the garden with humus and potash fertilizers.

Drainage layer in tanks for planting Source stroy-

Seeds will take root in the open field, if +20 degrees are stable outside. They do not need to be immersed in the ground, it is enough just to scatter the seeds over the surface of the earth and pour abundantly from a watering can. This can be done both in spring and early autumn. It is important to be in time before the arrival of cold weather and choose a good sunny day for this. This will allow you to get very early shoots, flax planted in the fall, and bloom earlier.

Surface sowing of seeds in the ground Source www.topsoilwestsussex.co.uk

See also: Popular plots in the Moscow region for the construction of a country house

In order for crops to survive the winter, they will have to be covered and insulated in the same way as other garden perennial flowers are insulated: with a layer of soil, straw or dry leaves. After the seedlings rise and rise to a height of 5 cm, they need to be thinned: leave a distance between each of at least 20 cm.To ensure long flowering, experienced gardeners plant flax seeds twice: the second after three weeks after the first.

Double planting ensures long-lasting flowering of ornamental grass Source

Fight against possible pests and diseases in garden flax cultivation

Weeds are a big problem in the cultivation of flax, for which there are three stages.

1st.

Post-sowing treatment is carried out using herbicides, for example, Linurex 50 WP (1.3–1.5 kg of the product is used per 1 ha) or Afalon 50 WP + (0.7 kg is needed per 1 ha).

2nd.

At the stage of seed growth, it is recommended to use the following products:

1. When flax sprouts reach 6–8 cm - Chwastox Extra 300SL, which is taken 1.3–1.7 liters per hectare, or Chwastox Super 450SL (0.75 liters are used per hectare).
2. When seedlings reach 6–12 cm in height, Basagran 480SL can be used at the rate of 2.5–2.7 liters per hectare, or Basagran 600SL at a dosage of 1.8–2.2 liters per hectare.

3rd.

When budding begins, treatment with Fusilade Super at a concentration of 1.7–2 liters per hectare or Super 5EC (2 liters is used for the same area).

When growing flax in the garden, you should also not forget about measures to combat pests and diseases. So, thrips, butterflies and flax fleas (they are also called flax jumpers) cause harm to flax plantings. For this, it is recommended to spray with insecticidal agents, for example, Karate 0.25 EC, of ​​which no more than 0.3 liters is taken per 1 hectare.

Since mainly when growing flax (such popular varieties as oilseed and fiber flax), then all problems can arise due to violations of the rules of agricultural technology, they recommend:

1. Do not grow flax on one plot more than once every 6-7 years.
2. Seed material must be disinfected with fungicides before being placed in the ground.
3. Soil fertilization is carried out strictly according to the recommendations, since a large amount of nitrogen can lead to a decrease in resistance to diseases, a lack of potassium entails a decrease in the quality of flax fibers and contributes to the development of diseases.
4. In order for flax plantations to resist diseases, the soil must have a sufficient amount of drugs such as boron and copper, zinc and manganese.
5. It is better to use selected flax varieties that are disease resistant.

Read more about pest and disease control in lunar garden cultivation.

Care

In order for a beautifully flowering ornamental grass to be able to please the eye, it is important to pay attention to it and monitor its development. She does not feel well in the ground, which is constantly in the water. Stagnation is detrimental to flax: the plant survives drought just as badly. The irrigation regime is built taking into account these factors. Experts advise to water the grass no more than twice a week and use only warm water for this.

Flax needs to be watered twice a week.

Experienced gardeners prefer to use rainwater for these purposes. It is softer and more comfortable for all types of plants. It can be collected in large plastic drums. If you put them under the gutters, the accumulation process will noticeably accelerate. The main thing is to close the barrel with a lid afterwards. It will prevent the ingress of debris, dirt, insect larvae.

Walking around the garden, you need to constantly look under the bush and check the soil. If the time has come, and it continues to be slightly moistened, it is better to refuse watering.

It is better to water flax with rainwater Source grist.files.

See also: Specializing in the design and installation of greenhouses and winter gardens

It is correct to water the flax in the morning, then the excess moisture will evaporate during the day. Watering overnight can provoke stagnant water, and these are ideal conditions for the development of fungus. When a lesion occurs, the leaves of the grass and its stems are covered with unattractive brown spots. In the fall, the frequency of watering must be reduced, and in the winter it must be completely stopped.

It is important to constantly deal with weeds growing around the bush and weed them in time. If this is not done, the decorative effect of the bush will deteriorate: it will not be lush and spreading enough. Weed grass is a source of disease.

In order for a flax bush to bloom longer than usual, you need to constantly tear off wilted stems and inflorescences. This procedure will help prevent unwanted self seeding. If this is not done, soon the grass will spread over the site and cover most of the territory.

If decorative flax is not weeded, it quickly grows overgrown with weeds Source i1.

Flax does not need feeding. And this greatly facilitates the process of caring for the plant. If you want the grass to bloom thicker and more intensely, you can pour liquid dressings under the bush twice during the flowering season. It is more correct to do this immediately after abundant watering of the soil.

Flax feeding system Source

Perennial

Perennial flax is a plant up to 80 cm high. Stems are glabrous, thin, usually branched from above. The leaves are small, linear, alternate, green or bluish. Perennial flax pleases with cornflower-blue flowers, about 2 cm in diameter, collected in a fleshy panicle. Sepals are rounded, easily falling off. The capsule is spherical, 8 mm in diameter, the seeds are brown, flat, 5 mm in length. Perennial flax tolerates light shading, but it grows better and blooms more abundantly in open places well warmed by the sun.

Reproduction

The easiest way to grow flax on the site is to buy and plant seeds. They are sold in a specialist store. When choosing bags, it is important to look at the expiration date. Since flax is an ornamental perennial plant, it will bloom only in the second year after planting the planting material.

Flax propagation can be done by dividing an adult bush. It is used extremely rarely: the root system of the grass is very delicate, it is easy to damage it, therefore the grass often dies when dividing. To prevent this, you need to use three-year-old bushes for reproduction in this way.

Reproduction by dividing the bush Source

It is necessary to dig them out extremely carefully, carefully and carefully, after watering the plant abundantly. It is better to divide the bush only into two parts, and immediately plant the renegades in a pre-prepared place. After planting, until the grass is well established, it should be protected from direct sunlight.

A known method of propagation of flax cuttings. They are harvested in early August. The strongest shoots are selected, those that have a length of 8-10 cm are cut off. Then the inflorescence is cut off from the shoot (if any). The bottom of the cut is soaked in a stimulant solution. It is sold in specialized stores.

How to Make a Grass Cutting Source

For rooting, a mixture of equal proportions of peat and sand is prepared.From above, the planting is closed with plastic wrap (you need to create greenhouse conditions for the plant). In order for the stalk to take root well, it is important to monitor the level of humidity, to prevent excess of it. For this, experienced gardeners constantly eliminate condensation that accumulates on the inside of the shelter.

Sowing seeds in the ground

This method also has a right to exist and is simple. You can sow seeds in early spring (April-May) or late autumn, which is called before winter. Prepare the soil in advance, in the manner already mentioned above. Then make neat grooves at a distance of 10-15 cm, 4-5 cm deep. Pour them thoroughly with water. Do not press the seeds, but only spread them in an even layer and sprinkle on top with a small amount of soil. When shoots appear, they must be thinned out, leave a distance of 5-8 cm between the plants.

Diseases

Flax has excellent immunity, it has a high resistance to pests. However, a flea likes to settle on it. It looks like a black or dark green beetle with a 2 mm body. The pest loves to eat the contents of the seed pods, and when it runs out, it eats the stems and leaves. A flea gets on flax through weeds, one colony is able to completely destroy an adult bush in just a couple of months.

Flaxseed thrips are another common pest to be wary of. It sucks out the juice from the plant, after which the leaves wither, the flowers crumble ahead of time, the grass simply stops growing.

Linseed thrips pest Source industry.nzavocado.co.nz

Fighting such insects with folk remedies, as practice shows, is ineffective. Therefore, you immediately need to treat the bush with chemicals (and septic agents).

Collection and procurement

Flax is harvested in its entirety when the bolls have begun to turn brown, and the seeds have become brownish-brown, and they can be easily separated from the partition elements. It is required to pull it out by the roots, this procedure is called “pulling flax”. It is necessary to carry out this procedure before August 28. And during the flowering period, flowers, leaves and stems are harvested. Flax is dried, collected in bunches, and then threshed. Seeds are harvested in August and September. Only fully ripe seeds filled with mucus can be used. And linseed oil is also made from incompletely ripe seeds.

Combinations with other plants

Today, linen is rarely used in landscape design, but compositions made with "his participation" always look very impressive. In order for the plant to take root well, crops with similar growing conditions need to be planted next to it. It can be any light-loving flowers and cereals, whose height does not exceed the height of the grass.

Flax as part of a mixborder Source i.

The most ideal combination is flax and a large garden chamomile, tandem with marigolds or cornflowers. The meadows look good when they were formed using flax mixed with clover. Often flax seeds are present in the planting material that is used to create a Moorish lawn.

Linen as part of the Mauritanian lawn Source

Curious notes about the flax plant and its uses

When flax growing flourished on the territory of Ancient Egypt, and this period dates back to the 4th century BC, Egyptian textile masters were famous for making the finest linen fabrics, the price of which in ancient times was comparable to gold. Until now, scientists have not figured out the secret of this technology for producing thin threads.

Linen yarns are characterized by perfectly round bast fibers and high strength. At their ends there is a strong sharpening, reaching a length of about 4 cm or more.In culture, it is customary to breed two varieties of flax, which are used to obtain seeds (flax curl) and for the spinning industry (flax fiber).

When flax seed is immersed in water, mucus that has no color appears on the surface of the seeds very soon. It is derived from skin cells that spread out when exposed to fluid. This mucus consists of bassorin, a mucous substance of plant origin. If we talk about such a valuable product as flaxseed oil, then it is contained in the cell tissue of the embryo and the refined nutritive cover surrounding it. The oil contains oily linolenic acid. It is because of this substance that it is so in demand in medicine and the technical industry.

Flax seeds contain up to 46% of vitamin F, which is fat-soluble and has an anti-cholesterol effect on the human body. This is due to the fact that it contains some unsaturated fatty acids, such as Omega-3, 6, 9. Flaxseed oil helps to remove cholesterol from blood vessels and strengthen their walls, helps to normalize blood pressure, pulse and improves blood circulation. It is prescribed for the following diseases:

• diabetes;
• atherosclerosis;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• increased weight;
• impaired metabolism;
• hypertension;
• bronchial asthma.

Also, taking flax seed oil, you can perform the prevention of cancer, immunodeficiency, rheumatoid manifestations and osteochondrosis. Doctors recommend the adoption of such an oil product to get rid of problems on the skin: dermatitis, eczema, allergic reactions, and also has a general anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

Flaxseed oil is also prescribed for its following properties:

• laxatives and cleansing for the gastrointestinal tract;
• removing cholesterol plaques from blood vessels;
• the ability to envelop the mucous membranes;
• regenerating and wound healing;
• bactericidal and anti-inflammatory.

The use of microgreens from flax

The area of ​​use of flax is quite wide. The resulting microgreens can be used:

• as a food additive;

• as a cosmetic;

• for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

The most popular application method is to add sprouts to your diet. White flax tastes more like nuts, and brown flax more like green peas. Microgreens are used in salads, sandwiches, various drinks and cocktails. Flax sprouts should not be mixed with hot dishes, as they quickly lose their appearance and turn into an unpleasant porridge on the eye.

Try some flax greens recipes.

Vitamin jelly

Ingredients:

• pumpkin - 100-150 g;

• water - 1 l;

• starch - 1-2 tbsp. l;

• flax microgreens - 2-3 tbsp. l.

Dissolve the starch in a little warm water. Grind pumpkin and herbs in a blender. First add pumpkin and flax to boiling water, then starch. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Cool down. Drink one glass a day half an hour before meals.

Flax sprouts salad

Ingredients:

• half a cucumber and bell pepper;

• half an avocado;

• 2-3 tablespoons of flax sprouts;

• olive or sunflower oil;

• a quarter of a lemon.

Cut vegetables into small strips. In a separate bowl, mix oil, lemon juice and salt. In a bowl, combine vegetables, flax sprouts, oil dressing. Pepper, ginger, coriander and other spices can be added to taste.

Refreshing cocktail

Ingredients:

• a glass of low-fat kefir;

• 1-2 tablespoons of flax sprouts.

Grind flax with a blender, add kefir and beat again. If desired, you can add salt, your favorite spices.

This cocktail refreshes well in the heat. In addition, it tones the body and helps to cope with physical activity.For a greater effect, it is recommended to drink a course for a month, gradually increasing the amount of herbs to 5-6 tablespoons.

In cosmetology, ground flax sprouts can be used as a component for masks. Water, infused with flax sprouts, wipe the skin in the morning and in the evening, use after a makeup remover. This solution cleanses and soothes the skin while saturating it with beneficial trace elements.

Flax seeds, sprouts and oil are widely used in folk medicine. The substances contained in this plant have a beneficial effect on almost all organs and systems of the body. To avoid complications during treatment, you must first consult with your doctor.