A Detailed Guide to Planting and Propagating Blue Flax
SummarySoil requirements: For planting blue flax, it is best to choose loose, fertile soil with strong water retention and good drainage. Sowing: Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water for about 6 hours to promote germination. The soil needs to be disinfected with potassium permanganate. After broadcasting the seeds, cover them with fine sandy soil. Planting out: Half a month after sowing, choose weather with a temperature of 10-20°C for planting out, and pay attention to weeding and fertilizing. Later care: Water only after the soil has dried out completely, then water thoroughly. Each fertilization should be accompanied by watering.
I. Planting Methods for Blue Flax
1. Soil
(1) Try to choose loose, fertile soil; soil with good water retention and drainage is best.
(2) Choose soil with a high humus content, and it can also be combined with some garden soil, peat soil, etc.
(3) Before planting, the soil needs to be raked fine and leveled, and at the same time watered thoroughly.
2. Sowing
(1) Before sowing, the seeds need to be soaked, generally in warm water for about 6 hours, which can promote germination.
(1) Before sowing, water thoroughly, then water thoroughly with a 1500-fold potassium permanganate solution to disinfect the soil. After the water has seeped in, evenly broadcast the seeds.
(2) After sowing, cover the seeds with fine sandy soil to a thickness of about 2 cm.
(3) After sowing, pay attention to temperature changes and keep warm and moist. Seedlings will emerge in about a week.
3. Planting Out
(1) About half a month after sowing, planting out can be done. Choose weather with a temperature between 10-20°C, and the row spacing for planting out is about 25-30 cm.
(2) Because the seedlings are relatively small, after planting out pay attention to weeding and applying a small amount of light fertilizer.
4. Care
(1) Watering should follow the principle of watering when dry; water thoroughly after the soil has dried out.
(2) From the stage when the seedlings begin to form buds, they especially need fertilizer, and at this time fertilizer should be increased.
(3) When fertilizing, it must be done together with watering, fertilizing while watering.
II. Propagation Methods for Blue Flax
1. Propagation by Sowing
(1) Propagation is mainly by sowing, and it can be done in both spring and autumn.
(2) When sowing, try to choose weather with a temperature between 15-20°C.
(3) Before sowing, the seeds need to be soaked in warm water; only in this way can germination be well promoted and the germination rate increased.
(4) After sowing, water thoroughly and keep the soil moist at all times.
(5) After the seedlings emerge, thin them appropriately, keep the good seedlings, remove diseased and weak seedlings, and also maintain growing space between the seedlings.
(6) When they grow to about 8 cm, they need to be pinched back. The interval between the first pinching and the second should be about one month.
2. Propagation by Cuttings
(1) Propagation by cuttings needs to be carried out before flowering.
(2) When taking cuttings, do not choose branches that are too tender; branches that are too tender are not adequate in absorbing nutrients and cannot ensure later nutrient absorption.
(3) The temperature during cutting is best at around 18°C; if it is too high, the wound is prone to bacterial infection, and if it is too low, rooting is relatively difficult.
(4) When taking cuttings, disinfect the wound, and also apply rooting hormone.
(5) After cutting, water promptly to keep the soil moist.