Sorrel (Rumex) is a subshrub or herbaceous plant that can be an annual or perennial; it is a member of the Buckwheat family. The Russian name of this genus comes from the Proto-Slavic language, and it has the same root as the word “shchi.” In the homeland of cabbage soup, this crop is called kislitsa, kislichka, kislushka, kislenitsa, kislyatka, kisledyu. Representatives of this genus can be found on various continents where there are at least some plants, but the main areola of this culture covers the temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, namely: forest edges, slopes of ravines, banks of swamps, lakes, rivers and meadows. Sorrel also grows as a weed near a person’s home, and it is unpretentious to the composition of the soil. This genus unites more than 150 species, but the most popular species is sour or common sorrel.
Choosing a place to plant sorrel
Sorrel
- a perennial plant, capable of growing in one place for 5-6 years. The best site for planting sorrel in the garden will be a place in partial shade, illuminated by soft sun in the evening. The soil must be fertile, prefers to grow on loam, and is not afraid of acidic soil. It is unacceptable for water to stagnate in the sorrel growing area.
How to prepare sorrel seeds before planting
Seed material must be prepared in advance. In order for them to germinate, the seeds are soaked in water, wrapped in cloth or gauze and left for a couple of days. Seeds that have absorbed moisture germinate much faster. Nutrient fertilizers can be added to the water to strengthen the plant’s resistance to adverse conditions and diseases. By completing this procedure, you can obtain 100% seed germination. You can plant seed without preparation; the plant will sprout well, but in the future it may turn out to be less strong and tall.
Sorrel sowing time
Sowing sorrel seeds
in the ground can be carried out from early spring to late autumn. The soil must be cleared of weeds before sowing.
Sorrel in spring
sow in mid-April, at this time there is enough moisture for seed germination. In summer, leaves will grow that can be cut to prepare your favorite dishes. The crop can be harvested once per sowing year.
In summer, sorrel is sown
in July, after harvesting lettuce, radishes, and onions for greens. A high yield of sorrel can only be expected in the spring of next year.
Late autumn sowing sorrel seeds
carried out in October-November, in such a way that the seeds do not germinate before the onset of stable frosts. Sowing sorrel before winter will yield a harvest next year. Such sowing is advisable on sandy soils with a temperate climate (Belarus, Latvia, Estonia).
Preparation
When is the best time to sow?
Sorrel can be planted at three optimal times. These are: early spring, summer and late autumn.
- the spring, it is planted in open ground immediately after the soil can be dug up, but it is advisable to plant the soil after the seeds are planted in the ground and watered, and covered with some kind of covering material. You will taste the harvest this same year.
- In summer, sowing is done after harvesting early vegetables, this is in June - July. In this case, you will try sorrel in early spring next year.
- In autumn, sowing occurs at the end of October - beginning of November so that the planted seeds do not grow before the onset of permanent frosts. The harvest, in this case, will grow next year in the spring, but a little later than when planted in the summer.
Where?
It is advisable to plant sorrel in light soil , for example, sandy loam or loamy soil. It is good to grow sorrel on peat soil. Sorrel loves lighted places, but not all day, so it is better to choose places with partial shade. It is good to place sorrel in partial shade near a fence or behind the house.
We invite you to watch a video about where it is better to plant sorrel:
What's next to it in the garden?
It is very good to sow sorrel between bushes of berry crops, gooseberries and black currants. The bushes only benefit from such proximity: the berries grow with a more pleasant taste, the foliage becomes healthier. Sorrel gets along well with strawberries and raspberries. Some vegetable crops also like to grow next to sorrel. It can be planted next to carrots, cabbage or radishes. Sorrel, mint or lemon balm grow wonderfully nearby in the garden.
Then?
The predecessors of sorrel in open ground can be:
beet;
- cabbage;
- carrot;
- celery;
- parsley.
As well as early ripening crops:
- early potatoes;
- early white cabbage or cauliflower;
- salad;
- spinach;
- radish.
After harvesting them, you can sow sorrel.
Sowing sorrel seeds in the ground
Sorrel does not need a large bed; up to 2 m2 of land is enough for a good harvest. Transverse rows are formed on the site with a distance of 20 cm between them, seeds are often poured to a depth of 1.5 cm.
To speed up the emergence of seedlings, before sowing, sorrel seeds are soaked in a damp cloth for 2 days. When sowing dry seeds, shoots appear after 2 weeks, but by covering the bed with film, the first shoots appear after 5 days. Planting sorrel, after the formation of 3-4 leaves, is thinned out, leaving a distance between plants of 10 cm.
Video - Sowing sorrel seeds. Planting and growing sorrel
Features of sorrel
Sorrel is a herbaceous dioecious plant with a branched short taproot. The erect, ribbed stem is a meter high, and at the base it is colored dark purple. At the top of the stem there is a paniculate inflorescence. The entire sour basal leaf plates are long-petioled and reach a length of 15 to 20 centimeters. Their base shape is arrow-shaped, while the midrib is clearly pronounced. Almost sessile, alternately arranged stem leaf plates have an ovate-oblong shape and an arrow-shaped base. Polygamous cylindrical panicle-shaped inflorescences consist of pink or pale red flowers. Female and male flowers differ in structure. Flowering occurs in June and July. The fruit is a pointed, smooth achene of a brownish-black color; they reach a length of 1.7 cm and have sharp ribs and convex edges.
Sorrel. Sowing and cultivation. What you need to know + sorrel recipe. Video review.
Sorrel care
Sorrel needs watering, especially in summer at high temperatures. Without sufficient watering
Small leaves are formed, and the plant soon blooms, forming flower stalks.
In the spring, loosen the rows, adding ash and humus. To make leaves appear faster, water the sorrel well and cover with film.
Sorrel leaves
collect in the morning, they are juicier, cut with a knife or pluck with your hands, at a distance of 5 cm from the soil surface. Leave the small leaves and let them grow further. During the summer, the sorrel crop is cut 4-5 times.
After you have cut the leaves, feed the plants with organic fertilizers - infusion of nettle, mullein or grass diluted with water 1 x 10 and water generously.
When flower shoots form en masse, stop cutting off the leaves and cut off the flower stalks so as not to weaken the plants.
A month before the onset of frost, they stop cutting off the leaves so that the plants get stronger and overwinter well. It is better to cover the sorrel roots for the winter with compost, rotted sawdust, and humus.
Properties of sorrel - benefits and harms
Medicinal properties
The greatest value of sorrel as a garden crop is that it produces greenery in the spring, when there are very few fresh vegetables. Sorrel greens contain proteins, carbohydrates, organic acids, fiber, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), E (tocopherol), A beta-carotene), K (phylloquinone), H (biotin), PP (niacin) and B vitamins: thiamine , riboflavin, pantothenic and folic acid, pyridoxine. In addition, sorrel is a source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium, fluorine, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and iodine.
Horse sorrel root contains vitamin K, essential oil, resins, iron, tannins, flavonoids, organic acids, such as caffeic and oxalic acid, and other substances necessary or important for the human body. In terms of its chemical composition, horse sorrel is close to such a valuable plant as rhubarb.
- Sanvitalia: growing from seeds, types and varieties
Young sorrel leaves, which contain malic and citric acid, are more nutritious and beneficial. Common sorrel leaves have wound healing, analgesic, antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory, antitoxic, astringent effects and improve digestion.
A decoction of the leaves treats indigestion. Having a choleretic effect and antiallergic effect, it improves liver function and helps cope with acne and itchy skin.
Sorrel is used for menopause and painful periods: 1 tablespoon of dry leaves is brewed with a glass of boiling water, left for an hour and drunk 1/3 glass three times a day half an hour before meals.
For infertility: 1 tablespoon of sorrel is poured into a glass of boiling water, boiled over low heat for 1 minute and left until the broth cools. Take the infusion in the same way as for menopause, but if you add mumiyo and knotweed to the sorrel herb, the effect will be stronger.
In the photo: Sorrel is a useful plant
A decoction of sorrel leaves stimulates the formation of bile, improves liver function, and stops bleeding. For liver diseases, uterine and pulmonary bleeding, hemorrhoids, constipation, anal fissures, as well as externally for burns, gingivitis, stomatitis, wounds and skin diseases, horse sorrel root preparations are used. Traditional medicine uses this plant as an antitumor agent. A decoction of horse sorrel leaves is used to treat colds, colitis, diarrhea, hemo- and enterocolitis.
Contraindications
It is not recommended to consume common sorrel for a long time or in large quantities, since it contains a high content of oxalic acid, which can disrupt mineral metabolism in the body and impair kidney function. Sorrel is contraindicated for gastritis with high acidity, stomach and duodenal ulcers, gout, kidney disease, and also during pregnancy.
Reproduction of sorrel
Sorrel is propagated by seeds and vegetatively.
. To get your sorrel seeds, leave flower stalks on 5-6 plants of the second year of life. Leaves on plants left for seeds are not cut off. This amount is enough to renew plantings with sorrel.
Flowering of sorrel begins in May, the seeds ripen in July. The panicles with seeds turn brown, they are cut off, dried and the seeds are collected by rubbing them with hands. You can store your seeds for 4 years in a dry place.
3-4 year old plants are used for forcing.
To do this, in the fall, they dig up the sorrel along with a lump of earth and transfer it to a storage facility with a temperature of 0-2 degrees. At the end of February, dig the plants into the greenhouse, water them well, and in 20-25 days you will receive the first harvest of succulent leaves.
If the space in the greenhouse allows, you can immediately dig the sorrel into the ground in the fall, which will allow you to harvest the sorrel crop all winter.
Planting a plant in open ground
The choice of place for growing sorrel should be taken very seriously. This plant loves moisture, a little shade and lack of wind, so the planting area should be just like that. The soil must be fertile, otherwise there will be problems with obtaining a good harvest. The best soil for growing sorrel is peat, sandy loam and loam with a small content of humus.
Although sorrel is traditionally planted in early spring, the soil must be prepared in the fall. Be sure to dig up the area chosen for planting.
Sorrel seeds
Then add a nutrient mixture of humus (5-7 kg), superphosphate (25 g) and potassium chloride (25 g) to the soil. All figures are given per square meter.
In the spring, almost before sowing, the soil is fertilized again, but with a slightly different composition: potassium salt (2 g), urea (40 g), superphosphate (3 g) and a slightly different amount of humus - 4-5 kg. All figures are also given per square meter.
To plant seeds, we prepare wide beds (about 1 meter) in an ordinary way, leaving a free space of 30 cm between them. Seeds can be sprinkled quite often.
Advice. In order to get a rich harvest of sorrel, you do not need a large amount of space - a couple of square meters is enough.
Pests and diseases of sorrel
Taking sufficient care, sorrel is rarely affected by diseases, do not start planting and promptly change the place where sorrel grows.
Sorrel aphid
– sucks juices from sorrel leaves. Aphids do not like dusting leaves with ash. It is impossible to treat with drugs, since the leaves can then be eaten.
Carry out the main treatment against aphids in the fall, after cutting the sorrel, with infusions of bitter and pungent herbs
– dandelions, potato or tomato tops, garlic. Also in the fall, you can treat sorrel with the biological product Fitoverm.
Using sorrel
Young sorrel leaves have a high concentration of citric and malic acid, contain vitamin C, potassium, iron and other useful components. That is why sorrel is recommended to be consumed raw. But many chefs also use it in cooking. Green borscht, filling for pies and pies, green puree or an element of salads - sorrel can be used everywhere. In addition, many can preserve sorrel, because it is able to retain its beneficial properties even during heat treatment. Sorrel is also used in medicine. It is used as a choleretic and hemostatic agent.
The best varieties of sorrel
The main differences between the varieties are the shape and color of the leaves, acidity and early ripening.
Common sorrel
A common variety with spear-shaped, dark green leaves on a long and thin petiole. Winter-hardy and very productive variety.
Large-leaved sorrel
An early ripening variety with large, light green, oval-shaped leaves. Leaves of good taste, high-yielding and winter-hardy variety.
Broadleaf sorrel
Productive, drought-resistant variety. Thin large leaves with a pleasant slightly acidic taste. Tolerates winter well.
Altai sorrel
Plants with smooth, pointed leaves. In spring, the leaves are green, eventually turning reddish along with the petiole. Leaves have a medium sour taste. The variety tolerates frost well.
Belleville sorrel
An early-yielding variety with delicate leaves of pleasant taste. This common variety is highly resistant to frost.
Sorrel Lyons
A high-yielding variety with thick, large, ovoid leaves. The petioles are thick and low. The variety has excellent taste, but can freeze slightly.
Agricultural technology for growing sorrel
After planting, you should promptly water and weed the beds. It is recommended to mulch the area and fertilize it three times with mullein taken in a ratio of 1:6. For greater effect, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers can be used as additives.
Regular watering of the beds should be carried out in order to exclude the possibility of early flowering. In this case, all the energy and nutrients will be spent on the growth and development of leaves. During the dry summer months, this procedure should be treated with special attention. Any flower rosettes that appear should be removed.
Before wintering, the leaves of the plant are cut off and the soil is mulched, and humus or compost is added between the rows.
Description of broadleaf sorrel
Sorrel is a herbaceous dioecious crop that can be either annual or perennial. The plant belongs to the Buckwheat family.
As for varietal diversity, there are more than 150 species. Broad-leaved sorrel, which is distinguished by its oblong leaf plate with an arrow-shaped base, is especially popular among Russian summer residents.
The root system is well branched and fleshy. The stems of an adult plant can reach a height of one meter. Most often the shoots are colored lilac.
Disease and pest control
Sorrel can be susceptible to attacks by pests, and delicate leaves are sometimes affected by various diseases:
- Powdery mildew (downy mildew). The disease is in the form of a gray coating, similar to mold. Preventive seed treatment is needed. Fitosporin will cure the culture. It is safe for humans.
- Sorrel leaf beetle. The pest can destroy most seedlings. Fight it with a weak solution of garlic. Some sprinkle ash on time. Tobacco dust also helps.
- Rust. It often attacks sorrel in spring and summer. The fungus changes the color of the plant to brown, and it gradually dries out. Fungicides will help destroy fungal colonies.
- Leafcutter and sawfly love to eat juicy greens. If there are too many of them, it is better to use nightshade tincture diluted in water or garlic solution.
It is good to use home remedies to treat greens. They are safer and more accessible. These are wood ash, pepper, dry mustard. Such an explosive mixture will repel any pests, even beetles. It is only necessary to “powder” the leaves of the crop.
To protect the crop from harm, it is important to destroy weeds, loosen and water the soil in a timely manner.
