The scientific name of flax plant is Linum
Usitatissimum and growing the plant in containers requires usual care and
proper knowledge about the plant.
Flax Plant Info
USDA hardiness zones: Four through
ten
Difficulty: Very easy
The Soil pH: the soil pH is Neutral
The Flax plant actually belongs to
the family Linaceae. The scientific name of Flax plant is Linum Usitatissimum.
The Flax plant is primarily grown for its seeds and also for its fiber. The Flax
plant is the primary source of Omega-3 fatty acids, also it is widely used in
the textile industry to make popular linen clothes. As a gardener you can also
grow Flax in your garden and also use it in combination with other annual or
perennial plants and ornamental grasses.
Growing Flax in Containers
Flax propagation: Sow the Flax plant seeds
directly in the desired container. If you are growing them in the garden, it actually
needs a well-loosened ground cleared from weeds. You can also sow the Flax plant
seeds in seed tray indoors five weeks before last frost date and then transplant
later to the containers or in the garden if you have a short summer season. The
germination of flax seeds is quite easy, it occurs in three weeks and does not
require extra care but little watering.
Planting Flax seeds: The plant grows
in well drained, light soil. In clay soil, mix the sand. You can also add aged
manure or compost, as soil that is rich in organic matter is required for
optimum growth. If you are growing flax in pots you need to choose a soilless
potting mix.
Choose a pot: Make sure you choose a
pot that is at least ten inches deep and it must have sufficient drainage
holes. Try and find a short varieties as flax plant can grow between twelve to
thirty-six inches tall, depending on the variety and growing conditions.
Requirements for Growing Flax Plant
The position: The Flax need to be
planted in a sunny position in a well-drained soil.
Soil requirement: Actually the common
flax plant requires slightly moist substrate and it does not like water logging
soil.
Water requirement: Watering the flax
plants should be regular but light after planting until flowering.
Plant spacing: Once the Flax seedlings
have germinated and it has grown a few inches tall, you can thin them, leaving
the space of about ten inches between each plant. In a standard pot of about
ten inches circumference, you can grow two to three plants.
How to Care for Flax Plant
Fertilizer requirement: The application
of a general purpose fertilizer is sufficient for the flax plant that is growing
in the home garden on the ground or in a pot.
Pests and Disease Control
The Flax plant is actually prone to
fungal diseases and rusts. You can actually prevent these diseases by providing
good air circulation around the Flax plants and also care in watering. For the Flax
plant in containers, you don’t really need to care much about pests, just keep
an eye on cutworms, aphids, wireworms, and grasshopper, they may feed on your
plant.
Harvesting Flax plant
The Flax plant will be ready for
harvest generally after thirty days of flowering. You can easily harvest it
when the stalks are turning yellow, and the seed pods begin to swell and
mature, ready to open. Generally, the Flax plant is ready for harvest in 100
days after seed sowing.
Post a Comment