Flax flowers open at dawn and drop their petals by noon. A field stays blue for about two weeks only because new buds open each day.
Why the bloom matters
Farmers watch the flowering closely. About a month after the last blooms, the stems are pulled, not cut, so the fibre runs the full length of the plant.
Dew retting
The pulled flax lies in rows on the field, where dew, sun and soil microbes loosen the fibre from the stem. It needs no tanks and no chemicals, only patience and the right weather.
What it means for your clothes
Long, evenly retted fibres spin into a smooth, strong yarn. That is the difference between linen that pills and linen that softens for a decade.