Planting and Growing Flax
Farmers grow two types of flax: one is grown for the oil and the seed and the other variety is grown for fiber. Oilseed flax is the main commercially produced flax crop in Canada. However, there is a growing trend to make products from natural fibers as industry increase production of materials that are recyclable or decomposable.
Once the snow melts and the soil warms up enough to allow seeds to sprout, (early to mid-May) the farmer places seeds into the soil about 1-1.5 inches deep.
The flax crop lifecycle from seeding to maturity is typically 90 to 125 days, depending on the environmental conditions like drought, high temperatures or crop disease. The farmer and an agronomist will help monitor the health of the flax crop as it grows. They will scout for weeds, diseases and insects that could damage the crop. Farmers can apply crop protection products to protect the flax.
Once flax seeds are planted, farmers focus on weed control to keep the crops from having too many weeds. This ensures that nutrients are available for the growing crops and not the weeds. Pesticides are substances used to manage pests by killing or repelling them. Pests can be insects, plants (weeds), rodents, or diseases.
There are 4 types of pesticides:
- Herbicides: control unwanted plants (weeds) that compete with crops and natural habitats for nutrients, space, water and sunlight.
- Fungicides: protect plants from fungi that can spread from pant to plant and destroy crops.
- Insecticides: control insects that eat crops or transmit disease.
- Rodenticides: kill rodents such as mice and rats that may carry disease.
Pollinating
Flax is a self-pollinator. Bees are not necessary for producing flaxseed, but some farmers still encourage bees to visit flax fields because of the unique flavored honey that is produced.
Plants worldwide depend on pollinators – insects, birds, and even bats – that move pollen from the male part of the flower (anther) to the female part of the flower (stigma). The transfer of pollen leads to fertilization, resulting in seed and fruit production.
Bees are Canada’s most important pollinators. The fruits, vegetables and seeds we eat are the result of pollination. Other products of pollination include cooking oil from crops like canola and alfalfa used to feed animals raised for meat, cotton for clothing production, a wide range of medicines – and so much more!
Harvesting Flax
Approximately 90-125 days after seeding, the flax will be ready to harvest.
The farmer monitors the crop for maturity and moisture content (no more than 10% seed moisture content) and will use a moisture meter to know if the crop is ready to be harvested with a combine.
A combine is the machine that is used to harvest the flax seeds. Harvesting flax seeds is very dependent on the weather, because weather can impact the quality of the flax seeds. Too much wind, rain or cold weather can damage the crop.
Once harvested in the combine, the flax seeds are transported in grain trucks to large storage bins. Farmers take samples of the flax crop and record the moisture content and quality of the flax. This is important information for the farmer to have when it comes to selling the flax crop.
Visit a Grain Farm
Source: Flax Council of Canada, FarmFood360, Agriculture In The Classroom