by Lee Pengilly, Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission

Use this field test to determine to what degree your straw has retted.

1. Take a small handful of straw from the field.
2. Hold it in both hands and break the stalks between your hands, using a rotating motion.
3. You will notice the shives falling off and the long strands of fiber become visible.
4. Smooth your fingers down the fiber strands (as if “combing”) to clean them of shives.
5. Check the strength of the fiber by wrapping the strands around each of your pointer fingers and pulling your hands apart. The fiber should be strong enough (and not too brittle) to give some resistance to breaking.

For more information, see Beneficial Management Practises for Flax Straw onwww.saskflax.com/flaxstraw_BMPs.html, or contact SaskFlax head office for a print copy:

Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
Tel. 306-664-1901
Fax. 306-664-4404
Email: saskflax@saskflax.com

Determining Degree of Retting

Top straw - Yellow straw
Second from top - Weathered straw
Third from top - Partially retted
Second from bottom - OPTIMALLY RETTED
Bottom - Over-retted.