Certified seed consistently outyields bin run seed. Treating flax seed with a recommended fungicide is necessary. Seed treatment reduces seed decay and seedling blights and can significantly increase stand. A thicker and more uniform stand produces higher yields. Yellow-seeded varieties are more susceptible to seed decay than brown varieties.
Treated seed stored for long periods needs to be retested for germination before use.
Flax is a crop that can be grown under fertility levels similar to small grains. Use soil testing as a guide for applying fertilizer whenever possible. Recommendations for fertilizer use in flax are presented in NDSU Extension Circular SF-717, Fertilizing Flax. Zinc deficiency has been reported on flax in North Dakota, so information on zinc levels should be requested when soil testing. Flax should be sown into firm, moist soil.