Sorrel is a permanent plant, often found wild in Europe and Western Asia. It has been used as a vegetable plant since the Middle Ages. The edible part is leaves with an interesting sour taste, which are great for soup, but you can also make delicious vegetable sauces.Sorrel leaves are fleshy, full-border, sagittal or lanceolate.They contain nearly 4% protein, 5-8 mg% iron, 60-70 mg% calcium and about 30-40 mg% vitamin C.
Like any leaf vegetable, it tends to accumulate nitrates when the soil is fertilized too intensively.Moreover, similarly to rhubarb, it also contains oxalic acid, which consumption may lead to decalcification of the body - therefore pregnant and lactating women should not reach for it.
The most important care treatments for this species are soil weeding and removal of inflorescence shoots that appear in May, because they weaken the growth of leaves and reduce the yield in the next growing year. In the first year of cultivation, sorrel leaves are harvested two or three months after sowing, when the plants will produce a minimum of five leaves.In the following years, due to the relatively quick resumption of plant vegetation, harvesting can be carried out at the end of April and MayLeaves can be harvested by collecting the outermost leaves or cutting entire rosettes.
There are two varieties of sorrel on the market: 'Lyoński' and 'Wielki Belwilski'. The first one is characterized by greater fertility and frost resistance, creates smaller leaves, but larger rosettes, and kicks out into inflorescence shoots faster. The second, however, is slower growing, so it later forms inflorescence shoots, is moderately resistant to frost, its leaves are larger than that of 'Lyoński's' sorrel, and the rosettes are smaller.
Sun and water are the basis
The requirements of this species are not very high, both in terms of temperature and soil fertilization. However, it should be remembered that sorrel has high water requirements - it grows best and yields best on moist, but not wet soils.Its cultivation is successful on most soils, but it develops best on humus soils, moderately rich in nutrients. alimentary.
A sunny position is favorable for this species, but it also tolerates slight partial shade.Sorrel begins its vegetation in early spring and hibernates without any cover.
Sow sorrel seeds
Sorrel reproduces from seeds that retain their germination for 3-4 years.They are sown in early spring or possibly in August, but the plants obtained from summer sowing have worse growth and may partially freeze up.
Seeds are sown in rows every 30-40 cm, and after emergence, the seeds are interrupted and the plants are left in a row every 10-15 cm.Sorrel is most often used for a period of 3 to 4 years - after this time, it is best to renew the cultivation by sowing seeds or possible division of 2-3-year-old plants.
