Flax as green manure for the soil: when to sow, reviews

Content

1 Is it possible to use flax as green manure?
2 Advantages and disadvantages of flax as green manure
3 For which crops is it suitable?
4 When to sow flax as green manure
5 Landing technology
6 Care instructions
7 Mowing and embedding into the soil
8 Conclusion
9 Reviews on the use of flax as green manure

Flax is a plant cultivated by mankind for a long time. It is known mainly as a raw material for oil, textiles and seeds. However, relatively recently they began to use flax as green manure. At first glance, it seems that the culture does not quite meet the criteria for these plants, but it copes with the functions with such non-standard use.

Is it possible to use flax as green manure?

The use of oilseed flax as green manure is a non-standard solution, which in practice is not familiar to all gardeners. Indeed, it does not meet the requirements for crops in this category: first of all, it is the ability to quickly form large volumes of green mass and the minimum requirements for the planting site and care.

However, experience shows that flax green manure successfully performs all tasks. The list includes:

restoration of looseness, soil structuring;
increasing its fertility due to saturation with macro- and microelements contained in greens;
repelling pests;
weed control.

There are annual and perennial varieties of flax; Only the former are used as green manure

Advantages and disadvantages of flax as green manure

The growing demand for flax as green manure is due to its positive qualities:

Possibility of improving any soil, with the exception of highly acidified, saline and waterlogged soils.
High cold resistance. Flax seeds as green manure can be sown as early as early April, when the average daily temperature is 7-8 °C. The seedlings do not suffer from return frosts down to -3 °C. And 2-5 °C for them is a completely normal temperature for development.
Suitable for planting throughout the season.
The release of tannins into the soil - specific alkaloids that the Colorado potato beetle and wireworm cannot tolerate.
Developed root system that successfully loosens even heavy soils.
Dense structure of green mass. Despite the relatively small volume, the greens successfully prevent the growth of weeds in the beds.

Flax as a green manure demonstrates equal effectiveness during spring and winter planting

Flax used as green manure also has certain disadvantages:

High cost of seeds. It varies markedly by region, but still flax seeds on average are more expensive than other green manures.
Relatively small volume of green mass. This is unusual for gardeners, but, in fact, it is not a disadvantage: flax greens are quite enough to perform the functions of green manure.
Need for maintenance during the season. The plant definitely needs fertilizer. It is especially important to add them before flowering to saturate the greenery before embedding it in the soil with useful substances.
Unsuitable for planting in deep shade. With a lack of sunlight, the crop is practically useless: the development of the above-ground part slows down greatly, and a continuous carpet of green mass cannot be obtained.

Important! If you are late with mowing flax, it is better to use its greens not as green manure, but as mulch. When they become coarse, they do not completely rot in the soil for a long time, but continue to retain moisture well.

For which crops is it suitable?

Considering that flax effectively repels the Colorado potato beetle and wireworm, it is a particularly valuable green manure for potatoes and other Solanaceae (tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers). The Colorado potato beetle can also cause great damage to them: contrary to popular belief, its sphere of interest is not limited to potatoes.

Linen between rows - effective protection of potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle

In addition, flax is a suitable green manure for carrots. The experience of growing it on personal plots and on an industrial scale proves that in soil saturated with tannins, root crops develop more actively and their quality improves.

Important! Flax cannot be planted in one place for more than 2-3 seasons in a row. Otherwise, its performance as a green manure will begin to decline sharply.

When to sow flax as green manure

Flax as green manure can be sown both in spring and autumn. Less commonly practiced is gradual seeding and mowing several times during the summer. Specific dates are determined depending on the local climate.

In the spring it is sown quite early - the frost resistance of the crop allows this. You just need to wait until the required average daily temperature is 7-8 °C.

In autumn, the time is calculated so that the seeds have time to germinate before the first frost.

Important! In the spring, it is advisable not to delay sowing. It is moisture-loving and develops better and faster in soil saturated with melt water.

Landing technology

When choosing a site for sowing, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of the crop for the place of growth.Be sure to pay attention to the illumination of the bed and the quality of the substrate.

The soil is always prepared in advance. If flax as green manure is planned to be sown in the spring, the necessary work is carried out in the fall of last year. For planting during the current season, the bed is prepared in 2.5-3 weeks.

If possible, the selected area is dug up or well loosened, and a complex fertilizer containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (5-7 g/m²) is applied. Immediately before sowing during the summer or autumn, it is advisable to water the soil well.

Flax as green manure is sown scattered or in furrows up to 2 cm deep with a row spacing of 15-20 cm. In both cases, after this the seeds must be covered with earth.

If flax seeds are left in the light after sowing, their germination rate drops noticeably, and seedlings take longer to appear

Important! Approximate seed consumption when sowing flax as green manure, allowing to form a green carpet of the required density - 300 g per 100 m².

Care instructions

Compared to other green manures, flax is considered a rather demanding crop, but caring for it will still not take a gardener a lot of time and effort. Agricultural technology includes:

Watering. In principle, flax tolerates drought quite well, but it is still not recommended to regularly overdry green manure plantings. From the end of May, when the soil dries out after meltwater, it is recommended to water them every 7-12 days, if there is no rain.
Feeding. Fertilizers are applied twice: mineral nitrogen and complex, containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Flax, grown as green manure, also responds well to organic fertilizers - infusions of bird droppings, manure, green tea from weeds, and purchased products based on humates.
Prevention of diseases.If symptoms of fungal diseases that are potentially dangerous for flax are observed on other garden crops, it is recommended to treat the planting of green manure and the soil in the garden bed with a fungicide solution for prevention.

Mowing and embedding into the soil

It takes 10-15 days for flax seeds to sprout. After another 5-6 weeks, the mass budding phase begins - the most favorable time for mowing green manure. If you are too late, the greenery becomes unsuitable for embedding in the ground. Flax stems that become rough after flowering rot slowly and reluctantly, instead of becoming a source of useful substances, they become potential spreaders of fungi that cause mold and rot.

The mowing procedure itself is standard. Using a hoe, flat cutter or cultivator, the greens are cut almost flush with the soil and immediately embedded in the surface layer of the most fertile top soil (10-15 cm).

Some gardeners leave the greens in the garden for 3-4 days, letting them wither, but this is rarely practiced.

Important! When mowing flax and incorporating green manure into the soil, it is necessary to take into account that you will have to wait at least two weeks before planting any cultivated plants in this area.

Flax planted before winter is not mowed: the greenery is simply allowed to go under the snow so as not to lose its beneficial properties

Conclusion

Flax as a green manure has been promoted relatively little so far. However, its proper use undoubtedly brings great benefits to the garden. In addition to the standard functions of increasing fertility and improving soil quality, it also successfully copes with the expulsion of dangerous pests. In agricultural technology, flax is a little more demanding than other green manures, but it cannot be said that its planting and further care will take a lot of time and effort from the gardener.

Reviews on the use of flax as green manure

Irina Korotkova, Orel

At first I looked at flax as green manure with great distrust: it has practically zero green mass. However, even this volume of organic matter, if done correctly, is quite enough to structure the soil and restore its fertility. The only caveat is the high cost of the seeds, but I get them almost free.

Mikhail Smetanin, Rzhev

Flax is the best green manure for potatoes, repelling the Colorado potato beetle. It can be guaranteed that he will bypass the plantings he protects, even during massive attacks on neighbors’ gardens. I care for it like any other green manure; the mowing procedure is also standard.

Olesya Samokhvalova, Vladivostok

The most important thing is that when growing flax as green manure, when planting before winter, do not plant it in the ground. Such an error ensures a loss of up to 80% of the benefit. Just leave them in the beds - in the spring the substrate will be surprisingly loose and airy. I plant potatoes, tomatoes, peppers on them, and am always pleased with the absence of pests.