Planting and caring for perennial flax in open ground, growing from seeds

You can increasingly see wild and forest flowers in flower beds. They are able to decorate any local area due to their decorative qualities. Perennial flax looks good in a flower garden, as it is given a special charm by delicate blue flowers. In order to acquire a garden crop, you need to learn the rules for planting and caring for it in the open ground.

Botanical description and beneficial properties of flax

Perennial flax belongs to the genus Flax and the Flax family. A herbaceous plant with vertical roots and shoots reaching a height of up to 80 cm. The bushes are decorated with green leaves 5 cm long and 3 mm wide, having a pointed shape and small denticles along the edges.

The flowers of perennial flax, 2-3 cm in diameter, have a white, blue color and are located on straight peduncles, attract attention. They consist of 5 petals, which fall every day and grow overnight, blooming only on sunny days before lunch.

Pleases with flowering from July to August. After which fruits appear, which are boxes up to 7 mm long, in which small, flattened, oil-coated seeds are formed.

Blooming flax not only decorates the landscape, but is actively used in medicine and cosmetology, since its seeds have a therapeutic effect and have a rejuvenating and healing effect on the human body:

• increase the body’s resistance to the effects of all kinds of viruses and infections;
• improve blood circulation and normalize blood pressure;
• promote rapid digestion of food;
• cleanse blood vessels from cholesterol plaques;
• free the body from toxins, carcinogens and other dangerous substances;
• help cope with depression and prolonged loss of strength.

The plant is also widely used in cooking; it is added as oil when baking and preparing various dishes.

Application in landscape design

Perennial flax looks beautiful not only in single plantings, but also in group plantings. To create a magnificent composition in your garden plot, you should plant summer flowering plants next to it. It goes well with crops such as marigolds, cornflowers, daisies, and clover.

The flower is used to decorate flower beds, mixborders, alpine slides, Moorish lawns, and as a container crop in sunny corners of the garden.

What you need to grow a plant

Gardeners are planning to decorate their local area or summer cottage with garden flowers, cold-resistant and quickly flowering crops. But not everyone has the opportunity and desire to grow flower seedlings for a long time. Perennial flax can be successfully grown by sowing seeds directly into open soil. At the same time, the plants will bloom for the next season. To enjoy earlier flowering, you can sow before winter.

After 4 years, flax needs to be rejuvenated, since its decorative qualities deteriorate with age..

Therefore, for cultivation you will need high-quality planting material, when choosing which you need to take into account the following parameters: the seeds must have a shiny surface and yellow-brown color, be heavy, oblong in appearance, with sharp ends.

Deciding on the variety

Of all the species diversity, when creating landscape design, gardeners give preference to the following varieties.

Decorative

A perennial ornamental plant 50-60 cm high, it has thin shoots that become woody in autumn, and flowers 5-6 cm in diameter, colored blue.

Under favorable climatic conditions, flowering continues from May to October.

Large-flowered

Flax of this species grows 40-60 cm in height.The stems are thin, branched, and decorated with narrow leaves. The plant has beautiful flowers 5-6 cm in diameter. The color palette is varied. The species has earned popularity due to its white, pink, lilac, and purple shades of flowers.

It pleases with its flowering from the first days of June to September.

Ordinary

A tall, branched plant 40-60 cm high. The bush is decorated with five-petaled blue flowers, the diameter of which is 3-4 cm. A perennial of this species is resistant to frost and drought, and grows well in the sun.

Blooms throughout the summer.

perennial flax

The plant grows up to 50 cm. Its stems are covered with small alternate leaves. The small flowers of a delicate blue shade with a diameter of up to 2 cm attract attention.

Blooms in June-July.

Perennial Heavenly

When blooming, this flower is compared to heavenly azure. The plant has small blue flowers that cover woody shoots. Compact bush reaching 50 cm in height.

Red

A bright bush, whose height is up to 45-50 cm and width 15-20 cm, has gained popularity due to its narrow light green leaves and large saucer-shaped flowers with 5 petals. The main feature of this species is that the flowers are predominantly bright red. They are located at the top of the stem and are collected in an elegant inflorescence, the diameter of which is no more than 3 cm.

Exuberant flowering begins in early spring and continues until October.

Planting in open ground

The culture is not particularly demanding when it comes to growing conditions, but the further development and comfort of flower growth depends on proper planting.

Selecting a location

Perennial flax is unpretentious in terms of growth conditions and care, but heavy soil and lack of solar heat will negatively affect the abundance and duration of flowering. Therefore, when choosing a site, you need to give preference to the most illuminated place, protected from drafts. It is important to avoid planting the crop in wetlands.

If groundwater is located near the surface, then drainage is necessary to increase soil permeability and drainage of excess water.

The soil should be loose and nutritious. Loamy soil with increased thermal conductivity, water permeability, and natural ventilation is considered ideal for perennial flax..

Seed preparation

One of the important stages in cultivating perennial flax is preparing the seeds for sowing. Since the full growth and development of the crop and its abundant flowering directly depend on the quality of the seed material. Therefore, before planting, to prevent various diseases, the seeds must be treated using fungicides.

Timing and technology of planting work

Favorable time for sowing is April, May. It is important that the soil warms up to a temperature of 10 degrees. You can plant perennial flax in the fall before the first frost, and the average daily temperature should be at least 20 degrees.

Sowing is not recommended in rainy, damp weather..

The planting technology includes distributing the seeds over the surface at a distance of 20-25 cm. Then they need to be sprinkled on top with a thin layer of soil and moistened with a spray bottle. Shoots will appear after 2 weeks.

How to sow flax in containers

Perennial flax seeds can be planted not only in open soil, but also in containers, but not for the purpose of growing seedlings, since this method is not effective.In this case, the container will be a permanent place for the development of perennial flax. And under favorable weather conditions, it can be taken outside, placing it in a well-lit area.

Cultivation care

When growing, you need to create all the conditions for perennial flax for normal growth and abundant flowering, provide full care and attention, and then the results will exceed all expectations.

Watering

Perennial flax requires constant and moderate watering; the soil should be kept moist all the time. It is recommended to water the flowers with rainwater, and it is better to do this in the morning so that they have time to dry by the evening; shrubs that remain wet at night are susceptible to fungal diseases. The frequency of irrigation depends on the climate; generally, the plant should be moistened twice a week.

Weeding

Ornamental plants in a flower bed require regular weeding, which helps the gardener get rid of various weeds. This will create a beautiful and healthy appearance for the plantings and protect the perennial flax bushes from possible diseases and pest attacks.

Fertilizers

It is necessary to feed the crop 3 times per season: at planting, at the time of intensive growth and just before flowering. To do this, use complex mineral and organic fertilizers. You can use special mixtures for flowering ornamental species.

Do I need to cover it for the winter?

For the winter, perennial flax does not need shelter. But for better wintering, gardeners recommend covering the plant with spruce branches or fallen leaves.

Diseases and pests of flax: control and prevention

Perennial flax demonstrates disease resistance. Unless only a flax midge can take a fancy to it.

This problem cannot be solved with folk remedies, so it is recommended that if an insidious insect invades, you promptly treat the flowerbed using special chemicals.

How does a plant reproduce?

Perennial flax can be propagated using one of the following methods:

• dividing the bush;
• cuttings;
• seeds.

The most common method of propagation is by seeds, since plants obtained in this way grow stronger and bloom more profusely.

Dividing the bush

When choosing this propagation method, you need to divide the bushes into parts in April or August after the flax has faded, which are immediately planted in open ground, keeping a distance of 20 cm between them. In order for the plants to adapt faster and take root better, it is necessary to systematically water and protect from direct exposure to the sun.

Cuttings

This method of propagating perennial flax can be done from April to August. To do this, select powerful shoots, the length of which should be at least 20 cm, separate them from the bush and dig them into the ground at the level of the lower leaves. Shorten the upper part a little and put a glass cap on top. The cuttings will take root fully in the fall or with the onset of spring.

Seeds

Propagation by seeds can be carried out both in spring and autumn. To do this, scatter the seeds of perennial flax, keeping a distance of 5 cm between planting units. An alternative solution would be scatter sowing, which will allow you to make plantings that are dense and dense. Since flax has 100% germination, it is not recommended to thicken the crops.Young plant shoots are characterized by sensitivity and fragility and suffer from cold and wind, so care should be taken to provide shelter and protect the plantings in case of weather vagaries.

Perennial flax is considered a good option for garden fauna if the priority is winter hardiness, ease of care, and resistance to diseases and pests. In addition, the culture will add brightness to any compositional solutions and delight you with luxurious flowering throughout the summer season.