Flax Seeds
Linum usitatissimum, or common flax, is a useful plant that has been cultivated for thousands of years. It is grown for both its fiber and its seeds. The fiber from its stems is used to make linen cloth, while linseed oil is derived from its seeds. Flax seeds are also edible and contain important nutrients. This annual plant grows to 3 feet tall before developing short-lived sky-blue flowers. Although flax is often grown as a large-scale production crop, it can also be grown in small garden plots.
Useful gardening information
Flax plants need full sun, so it is best to have a site that is not shadowed by surrounding buildings or trees. The soil must be fertile and drain well. Flax likes moist growing conditions, but it won't grow well in soggy soil. It helps to increase the nutrient content of the planting bed by working compost into the soil prior to planting. Although flax grows best in well-worked soil, it must also be firm, so tamp down the soil before planting seeds.
This cool-weather plant likes to start while the ground is still cold. Plant the seeds as soon as possible after the last frost of the season. Flax grows best when the plants are grown close together, about 40 plants per square foot. One tablespoon of flax seed is enough for 10 square feet of garden space. Sprinkle the seeds over the prepared seedbed; the small seeds will scatter more evenly if they are first dusted with flour. After the seeds are scattered, raking the soil lightly will bury the seeds about one-quarter to one-half inch deep. The soil requires moisture after burying the seeds and until germination. The seeds will germinate and begin sending up sprouts in about 10 days.
Links to useful information on the web:
Flax seed benefits
10 tasty ways to eat flax seed
TPF277 Omega Flax ( Linum usitatissium )
Good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Golden-yellow flax seeds are used whole, roasted and ground in cooking, and for medicinal use. Multibranching variety for high seed yield. Medicinal: Ground seeds are a great source of fiber. 95-100 days to harvest.
Other Varieties of Flax
1A427 Blue Flax ( Linum lewisii )
A 2-3 foot perennial with delicate leaves and true blue sky flowers from Mar. to Sept. Native to middle to high elevations, Alaska to southern California. A good garden flower. Showy, every morning it covers itself with 1" blue flowers, hundreds per day. The leaves themselves stay at 18" or so but the flowers arise above making a total arching display 3' or so high. Use in perennial garden, rock garden, or even in a container. In areas where the snow is on the ground until March to June this plant will flower all summer.
Blue Flax was discovered by Meriwether Lewis on the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the late 1700's, thus the name. For zones 3-10.
Seedman Basic Info:
Grows about 12 to 24 inches tall, will germinate in about 15-60 days depending on soil and weather conditions, germinates best if soil temperature is in the 65-70°F range.
Cover seeds about 1/16" deep, blooms from May to September.
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