Flax is well known when cultivated as flax (Linum usitatissimum), a plant grown for fibres used in textiles, for its seeds or oil. Flax flower is also edible and can be used to decorate salads. But flax is also a pretty, precious flower for creating floral cushions in gardens. Here’s how to sow flax seeds!

successful flax sowing, sowing flax seeds

Flax flowers are delightful, bringing lightness and pale blue tones to borders and flowering prairies

Required equipment

For sowing outdoors:

For sowing in trays:

Sowing flax seeds

Outdoors:

Sow flax seeds in full sun, sown directly in place from March in mild climates and up to May in colder areas. Flowering will occur from June to September.

  • Sow thinly in 3 mm deep furrows in well-tilled soil;
  • Cover with a fine layer of compost;
  • Firm down by hand or using back of hand hoe;
  • Water thoroughly after sowing and keep soil moist until germination (about 20 days);
  • Thin out to 15–30 cm apart.

successful flax sowing, sowing flax seeds

Indoors:

Sow flax seeds in seed trays or seed boxes, indoors at 18–23 °C, from August to September for flowering the following summer.

  • Sow flax seeds on surface of good seed compost;
  • Keep warm between 18 and 23 °C;
  • Cover seeds lightly with compost and keep in light;
  • Water regularly with fine spray until germination (about 20 days);
  • At 2–3 leaf stage, pot on young seedlings into buckets;
  • Keep them sheltered over winter in a frost-free, ventilated and bright place;
  • Pot them out the following spring into ground, pots or window boxes once last frosts have passed.

Further information

→ Discover our full range of flax seeds

→ As well as Linum perenne or perennial flax in our collection of perennials.

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