Sherck fibre flax
$4.00 – $8.00
(Linum usitatissimum)
Flax is not a grain; but it is grown similarly to the spring grains. One of the oldest domesticated plants from the Middle East, flax has long been used both for fibre (harvested from its stems) and for its nutritious seeds. This variety from John Sherck of Indiana is technically a fibre flax, but it is really a good dual-purpose variety. Long, straight stems topped by beautiful blue flowers always make me feel like I’m swimming through a miniature grove of giant kelp as I harvest it! Somewhat indeterminate, so harvest when a majority of the seedpods are mature. Brown seed, 110 days to maturity. 1tsp/packet.
Plant about a month before the frost-free date. Plant a fairly dense stand for fibre flax (to suppress weeds and make less-branched stems), or a more open stand for seed flax (to increase yield per plant). Fibre can be in rows with 3-4” between them, or broadcast. Harvest by pulling, about 30 days after the main flush of flowering; you may also be able to get fibre when the seed is mature, but it may be lower quality. To process for spinning, flax needs to be retted, either by soaking in water or letting it lie on dewy grass for several weeks.