Linen (Linum)

On the plots in our country, you can find a wide variety of plants and flowers that are in demand among flower growers. However, it is not always possible to see flax there, which is a perennial plant.

This culture was grown many years ago as a decoration for plots and houses. According to legends, it was previously believed that flax protects the home from the dark forces. In addition, the plant is completely unpretentious and does not require much care, but at the same time it perfectly performs decorative functions, especially during the flowering period.

Many people mistakenly believe that the flowers of this plant have only a blue tint. This is actually not the case at all. It is important to remember that it is flax that is the basis for making a durable material, from which a large number of clothes, bed linen, towels and other accessories are made to this day.

Linen description and characteristics

As mentioned above, flax belongs to herbaceous plants and contains two hundred species that differ from each other. This plant is compact and does not exceed a height of half a meter. Flax stems are very thin, but have a strong, powerful structure. Flowers have different diameters and completely different shades. They can be red, white or blue. Most of all, the culture is in demand among gardeners in central Russia. The optimal climate in which the plant feels comfortable is a temperate climate. Most often, this plant is found in Africa, in the Northern Continent of America, as well as in Eurasia.

Varieties

Gardeners cultivate mainly three to four types of plants, which will be discussed below.

Oilseed. This plant is grown even in an apartment, and at the same time it is of decorative value. In general, the goal of growing flax is usually to obtain healthy seeds that contain a lot of nutrients. This plant has a length of only 30 cm. Also, the flowers do not differ in large diameter. Their shade can be blue and red.

Decorative. This type of plant does not require much attention and proper care, so even an inexperienced gardener can grow it.

Large-flowered. This type of plant is in demand in central Russia. The plant has been cultivated for a small amount of time, but, despite this, the type of flax is already very popular and loved. The stem height reaches about half a meter. At the same time, the flowers of the plant, according to the name, have a large diameter and can also have a wide variety of colors. This perennial will grow in the same place for up to 5 years, if you follow the necessary care rules.

Flax is a perennial. This species is most commonly used and grown by gardeners. This plant is used as landscaping and beautification of borders, flower beds, flower walls and is used in various landscape design compositions.

Linen landing

As noted above, flax is a plant that does not require any specific additional rules of care and action on the part of the gardener, it feels comfortable in any conditions, therefore it is very easy to care for it, and it is also not necessary to choose a certain, suitable one. in all respects a place.

However, in order for the plant to grow and develop well, it is better to choose an open sunny area, since all plants love light and sun. It is not necessary to plant flax under trees, as well as in the shade near any structures, structures and buildings.If there is no such area, the plant will grow in the shade for a long time and will not look as beautiful as we would like.

Any soil will work here, the only exception is swampy soil. The best place will be a place where the soil is loose, and groundwater is not located too close to the surface. A plant planted on a slope will feel comfortable.

Flax seeds must be sown in special containers at home. If you grow a plant in a region characterized by a warm climate and warm winters, then you can directly sow directly into the ground without burying the seeds too much. It is enough just to evenly scatter the planting material over the entire surface and water from above with a spray bottle. The optimal time for planting will be spring, when the soil warms up well, and during the day there will be a stable positive temperature, about 20 degrees. Autumn sowing is also allowed, but this should be done before severe cold weather has yet come. When sowing perennial flax in open ground, sowing should be done on a dry, clear day to keep the soil dry. Further, the bed with seedlings must be covered with a small layer of soil and covered with some special material.

Flax breeding

This plant is propagated in various ways, which will be described in detail below.

Reproduction using seeds. In this case, the seeds are preliminarily grown in special containers or they are sown directly into open ground, as mentioned above. Sowing is carried out in early spring or in the fall. Some varieties can be sown even in summer, such as perennials. When sowing flax in a container, it must be remembered that the seedlings are not transplanted into open soil, but they move along with the containers in which they grew on the site, since the transplantation will entail the death of the seedlings.

You can propagate this plant by dividing the bush. In this case, it is important to choose a plant that is already two years old. The best time to split a mature bush is in spring or late summer after the flowers have faded. In this case, it will be enough to divide the plant into several small bushes and immediately transplant it into open ground, observing the distance between the seedlings of about 20 cm.After that, the plants are treated with the same care, namely watering and protection from the scorching sun.

Linen care

In order for the plant to look very beautiful and grow and develop well, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of care, which will be indicated below. Firstly, in order for the plants to fully develop, it is necessary to water flax regularly, but moisture should not be allowed to stagnate in the soil.

If watering is excessive, and the water stagnates in the soil, then this will affect the plants extremely negatively. Watering is optimal once or twice a week, provided that there is a prolonged absence of rain. It is best to focus on the condition of the soil so that it is slightly moist. In the autumn, watering should be reduced, especially before the beginning of winter. Watering is not needed here at all.

In addition, like any plant, flax must be weeded and also thinned out, since weeds take nutrients and water from the plant, and also deprive the sun of its color.

Flax needs to be fed very rarely, which is undoubtedly a plus for gardeners. First, fertilizers are applied immediately before sowing, which will consist mainly of organic preparations with a small addition of potassium-containing preparations. Further, during the entire spring-summer season, you can feed about 2 more times using any liquid fertilizers. It should be remembered that you need to fertilize flax immediately after watering.

Diseases and pests

If we talk about common diseases, as well as insect pests, then this plant has a fairly high immunity to these ailments.Flax most often affects a pest such as a flax flea. It can be destroyed using folk remedies, but as it turned out, they will not bring the desired effect. It is recommended first of all to treat the plant with special insecticides.

And also in order to avoid various diseases and for prevention purposes, it is necessary to sow flax next to crops that are similar in growth and development to this plant. It is important that the plants grow and develop comfortably under the same conditions and do not require any other environmental parameters.

Linen in landscape design

The culture described above is a favorite among gardeners and has been cultivated for a long time. This plant is used as the creation of various compositions, for example, it is planted in rock gardens, in flower beds, the perimeters of plots and curbs are refined, and also used in a mixborder.

In addition, it is optimal to grow this crop next to similar crops, which, like flax, require a lot of light and are not very sensitive to excessive drought, therefore, perennial flax is grown on a Moorish lawn, as well as in combination with all known flowers such as chamomile. cornflowers, marigolds and other field beauties.

Conclusion

Flax is a perennial, which is undoubtedly worth starting to grow on your site, since this plant can decorate the most inconspicuous corners, and also help create beautiful compositions. In addition, flax does not require a special approach to itself.