Sorrel is a flavorful , tarty herbaceous perennial that ’s just not popular enough in the abode kitchen .
But it should be !
It ’s extremely easy to grow and makes a welcome accession to your cut and come again industrial plant collection .
It can be grown indoors or out and does n’t require much maintenance as it produce like a weed . Literally .
you may grow it organically for that supererogatory “ sex appeal ” in your soups or salads .
This small herb pack a punch .
You ’ll wonder why it did n’t grow earlier and where it ’s been all this fourth dimension when you study more about it .
permit ’s dive in and learn about how to arise and care for dock .
Last updated : 12/13/21 .
Guide depicted object
Quick care guide: Sorrel
What’s sorrel?
Sorrel ( articulate “ saw - ruhl ” ) is a sour , tarty recurrent herbaceous plant that ’s immensely outspoken .
It sample like chewy , minty lemongrass with ton of vitamin degree centigrade , iron , manganese and other micronutrients . It ’s not pop by any means , but it should be because of its various use scenarios .
You may have see it used to dress some cup of tea , but otherwise , most people have no idea that sorrel is even eatable !
Native to Europe and Asia , sorrel is a leafy immature perfect for salads , garnishing , or culinary recipes .
Sorrel poisoning
Note that Jamaica sorrel can be harmful in large quantities or to sore individual . Be sure to do you own research , confab with your provider in healthcare , and use caution before consuming .
What does it taste like?
Sorrel has a tarty savor that stem from the oxalic superman that ’s abundant in the leafy green .
They ’re commonly used for salads when they ’re baby greenness because they get too bitter if they grow .
You ’ll often find sorrel in salad mix , but not as the master ingredient .
They ’re more of a flavoring than a main dish , if you get what I intend .
The leave postulate to be used when they ’re small .
As they get big , they produce a sulfurous savour with a tough chewy green . This is n’t ideal .
Overall , it ’s good to use it to balance out your soups .
It can be sprinkled on rice , Irish potato , Pisces , or other intellectual nourishment . A little die a long way . Sorel is n’t to be overuse in any stunner or else you ’ll get a sour - infused soup or salad .
Is it easy to grow?
Yes , oxalis is very easy to maturate as a garden herbaceous plant , potted herbaceous plant , or indoor herb .
It ’s perfect for beginners and qualifies as what most people call a “ cut and come again ” edible .
Cut a piece off for your soup , salad , bread , or whatever else you cook . The lemony spirit is skillful for garnishing .
What is it used for?
Sorrel is used for a form of ravisher , chiefly soup or salads .
you could use the lemony look for pair with other ingredient like carrots , tater , sour cream , chicken , beef , or lamb .
It can spice up salads , be add to sauce vinaigrette , or even be used for egg dish .
Types of sorrel
If you ’re deciding which type of sorrel to flora , here are some pop ones you may desire to check out :
They each slightly differ in terminus of sapidity profile , but concern is similar . you could do some reading on each of them to see what work for you .
Annual or perennial?
Sorrel is a perennial plant that grows in USDA hardiness geographical zone 4 - 10
If you ’re in these zones , you’re able to maturate it as a cut and come again plant .
If you ’re in a cooler zona , then you may grow common sorrel as an annual plant life that you may easily grow again next time of year .
How to grow sorrel
This section of the usher cover everything you necessitate to fuck about growing sorrel . And caring for it .
While care instruction may vary depending on your cultivar , mood , hardiness zone , etc .
However , the universal guidelines should work for most gardener who are just commence out and do n’t require to get too fancy .
Propagation
circularise wood sorrel is dewy-eyed . It ’s just like most garden edibles ( thinkgreen onionorcatmint ) . No cold-blooded stratification , seed scarring , or specific this - or - that planting instruction . Woot !
So to start , you should know that you’re able to have a garden full of sorrel if you really wanted to .
Sorrel reseed easily without much intervention , so you may have wrangle of roselle in your garden for plentitude of surplus . This herbaceous perennial is excellent for initiate because of its repose of planting .
We ’ll cover both starting from source and from jacket crown division .
you’re able to also just buy a baby oxalis plant life from the baby’s room and call it a day . There ’s no incorrect room to do it .
Starting from sorrel seed
Seeding sorrel is fun .
The source are chintzy .
Buy a mail boat from your local nursery and stick to the counsel on the packet . you could seed in leaping directly into the garden .
There ’s no need to use a starter kit unless you want to get a read/write head start for the season and you ’re inseminate indoors .
Otherwise , just direct sow into the garden to foreclose unneeded transferring of seedlings afterward on . It also avoids plant electrical shock .
But if you need to seed indoors , do it about a month before the last frost date in your zone ( see mapif you do n’t know ) .
The starter outfit should be placed near a strain window and should be deal with a humidness dome . Keep it moist at all times . But not wet . The crowns should be above the soil melodic line .
Plant each seed half an in deep with 12 in of space between each one . Plant further apart if you have the space to eliminate competition for nutrients in the grime column .
Water deep for the first time around . seed will spud within 7 - 21 days .
Thin if you engraft multiple seeds together . forget at least 7 - 8 inches of space between each roselle industrial plant . Thin when at least 1 ” tall , not before .
Next comes deciding when you want to harvest them .
Do you need to eat sorrel as baby greens or do you want to exhaust them as repeated herb ?
This depends on your druthers .
It transfer how you plant the seeds . If you ’re eating those baby green , you could space them about much closer to each other .
If you want whole Sorrells , then space them at least 8 inches from each other .
From crown division
If you have a fully grown sorrel that ’s ground , you could dissever the crown into different plants and then plant them individually .
Get a pair of gardening gloves and a garden place .
It ’s time to go hunting !
grasp up around the crown until you see the very lead of the roots . This can be 8 - 10 inch deep , depending on how old your plant is .
Gently rear the crown and you ’ll see that it can be divide into 2 - 3 pieces .
Get a fix shear and then snub it into item-by-item pieces- each with its own roots , treetop , and radical .
Replant those as individual plants . That ’s it . You ’re done . They should root on their own and establish their newfangled root system over time .
Give him a good watering the first time to ramp up water system pathways .
Hardiness zone
The first thing you should know is your hardiness zone . Sorrel does well in USDA hardiness zones 4 - 10 .
If you ’re growing within these zone , you ’re gold .
While it ’s potential to uprise in a higher or miserable geographical zone , you call for to be aware of the differences in local temperature .
For example , if you ’re growing in zones 10 or higher , summertime scorching is possible due to high temperature .
Perhaps you ’ll want to arise it in a umbrageous spot .
If you ’re in a cooler zone , perhaps you desire to use row covers and constitute it in full Sunday since it ’s less prone to sear .
If your zone is in the extreme point , you’re able to engraft sorrel inside your kitchen as a houseplant rather than exposing it to the rough surround .
Soil
The soil should be slightly acidic with high constituent contentedness . It should be well - draining , well worked , with plenty of nutrients in the soil profile .
add on with organic compost , manure , or mulch to give your ground a balanced nutrient tower .
pH – acidic or basic soil?
The pH of sorrel should be between 5.5 to 6.8 .
They have intercourse organic soil with plenty of rich food , such as compost or manure for the territory tower . The stain must be well - enfeeble no matter which mashup you choose .
If your grease is too eminent in pH , you could lower it naturally with limestone .
Sorrel can do well with slightly acidic to neutral pH levels , so do n’t worry about it . It does n’t need to be gross .
It ’s well adapted to multiple soil type .
Even if you do n’t have acidulous soil , it can grow in neutral soil or even slimly basic stain ! Soil should be full-bodied in nutrient , fertile , and constituent .
Spacing
As refer earlier , each plant should be spaced according to how you plan to glean .
If you want baby greens , they do n’t need a ton of space between each plant because they wo n’t uprise that much before you harvest .
If you want to glean the fully arise folio , then provide at least 18 in between flora to minimize competition for resources .
Otherwise , that ’s it . To maximize outer space , for those that are planting a lot of rozelle , use row planting . It ’s efficient and you could fit pile in a tiny garden .
Depth
Plant seeds 0.25 ” deep if start up from seed . If starting from jacket divisions , plant each cap the same profoundness as the original crown you used to divide from .
Plant food/fertilizer
Sorrel does n’t need plant food if the substrate you establish it in has enough nutrients .
However , you could further it to prosper by providing some balanced plant fertilizer with NPK of 10 - 10 - 10 . If your sorrel seems to be wane or not growing too well , use general - purpose works food .
Organic if potential .
This is n’t necessary if you supplement with a rich alimental - dense substrate when you first planted it . This is why shelling out a few spare bucks is o.k. . It pays for itself .
Watering
Sorrel should be always damp , but never wet . Keeping the soil slimly wet will forever feed so it can grow bounteous leaves . If you let it dry out , common sorrel will show it .
Those vivid green crisp leaves will dry out out , turn brown , or crispy .
Sorrel should be moist at all multiplication . Use your finger to sense the top 3 - 4 inches of ground and make certain it ’s moist . Do n’t overwater though . This brings bug .
Use a moisture tester ( soil meter ) for easy judgement of when to water it . muddy soil can enclose mold , mould , fungus , or pesterer .
When watering , water at the fundament of the sorrel stem .
Do n’t irrigate the leave-taking . Put 1 - 2 inches of straw mulch or grass clippings to help keep wet levels consistent .
Use organic mulch , dirt , and fertilizer if potential .
Drip irrigation is perfect for wood sorrel if you have a organization setup . purpose for 1 ” of water per week . If it rains , water less . If it ’s spicy , urine 1 ” or so more than common .
Easy enough , correct ?
Sunlight
Sorrel grow in full Lord’s Day for about 6 hour per daytime , but it can also handle tone . If your garden does n’t get strong sun rays , partial shade is OK .
This will squeeze the sorrel to grow leggier , but it ’ll forbid bolting impromptu .
The leaf and taste are commonly also improved because the plant life wo n’t get scorched in the summer , unlike full Sunday planting . The drawback is that you ’ll get slower works growth because you have less sunlight day by day .
So that ’s the tradeoff .
Planting in a container has a unclouded reward here- you could move it around to always get verbatim sunlight no matter the season .
you may leave alone it in direct sun during the off - time of year , then move it to partial tint during the summertime . This way you get the best of both universe .
Seedlings can tolerate both frost and shade , so you do n’t take to keep it under too rigid of condition .
They ’re slightly broad to temperature even when small . As they get , they become more established to temperature swings .
Part tone is OK for sour grass for those that have artificial nicety environ their garden . However , for the ideal harvest , full sunshine for at least 5 hours daily is perfect .
Harvesting
Baby greens can be harvested when they ’re around 3 - 5 inches tall .
They ’re squeamish and fond , so you’re able to habituate them in salads and such . This is usually 30 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. after you inseminate .
The babe leafy vegetable are ready to be used in your culinary recipes , soups , salads , or eaten bare-assed if you ’re into that .
How to pick sorrel
Get a desex pair of your favorite garden trimmer .
Sterilize with rubbing alcohol to verify you do n’t transfer gadfly or plant life viruses .
Cut each foliage from the theme , starting on the outside . do n’t glean the inner leaves , as they ’re still sister and growing .
You reap the older leafage , which take shape the outside of the ring of leaves . Those outer greens are ready to eat . For the whole Hibiscus sabdariffa , wait until they ’re taller and fill out .
You do n’t have to use the entire folio . Just tailor what you need .
trend leave from the bottom upwards . This way of life , you get to eat the fuller leaf first .
Harvest before they get too farsighted , or else they become tough . This makes them not eatable .
If this happens to your sorrel , cut them all down to just near the diadem at the grime horizontal surface . This lets you get over .
If the second pair of leave come out , you’re able to harvest another before the winter . You ’ll get those fresh green tarty leaves in no time !
design in the lead when you pick . Sorrel need to be used the same mean solar day , if not hours before you fake . They go bad pretty quick .
If you want to store surplus because you cut a bit too much , that ’s all right . Put them in the crisper . Use a bag to keep them invigorated for up to 2 day or so .
Give them a spritz of water to keep them cockeyed . If you already lave them , do n’t store them . They ’ll spring up mould . Toss them or compost them .
you may glean as you see fit throughout the time of year whenever you need some of those lemony herbs . Spring , summertime , and even fall are all quality harvesting peaks for flavour .
But once the warm atmospheric condition makes your oxalis bolt , that ’s when you need to reduce it down to 1 - 2 inches from the pate . It ’s far too rugged to consume if it run off .
Plus , even if you care the chewiness , the flavor is nothing but pure sulfurous greens . Gross .
Next sentence , pluck your plants earlier .
Even if you jockey up and it bolts , you’re able to disregard it down and then get a 2nd harvest home in the autumn if it ’s doing well .
Temperature
Sorrel can defy fragile temperature variation .
It can tolerate a orbit between -30F to 80F , but should be above 60F for ideal growth . If it ’s too moth-eaten , you wo n’t get that lemony feeling you desire .
But it sure can tolerate the cold , huh ?
Humidity
mean to high humidity is good enough for Hibiscus sabdariffa .
This is something you do n’t tend to worry about .
Just make indisputable that the leaves do n’t grow into a jungle and crowd . This will raise the humidity and make it prone to moulding , mildew , or fungus .
Pruning/maintenance
There ’s little work to be done in terms of pruning .
You essentially just cut off the leave as you call for them .
If you ’re after baby greens , you draw the entire plant life out when it ’s just a few inches tall . If you want to do a cutting and come again , then you cut as necessary by using the older leaves first .
Of course , prune off any damaged or infested leaves as you go . Do n’t extirpate the plant by draw the leafage . Always apply unsex pruners .
If you notice weed , remove them ASAP , or else they ’ll compete for the food .
make out the seed haunt before it gets too red-hot , or else you risk bolt . It also encourages your sorrel to grow a second pair of leaves . If you never harvest on clock time , you risk getting some moderately virulent leave .
Bolting
Sorrel will bolt in the summer when it get too hot for too long .
The bolting make the plant to get acrimonious .
If you want the bill flavour , you need to harvest it before it bolts . When harvested on clip , sorrel will produce two harvest per season- one in the summer and another in gloam .
However , if you let it bolt , you forgo the second harvest in favor of bolting , which is a double damaging
This leafy green demand to be used when it ’s quick , like tokangkongorbuttercrunch greensso it does n’t become too acerb for using up .
Unless you ’re into that sort of matter .
When it does bolt , it becomes indelible . It ’s rugged , bitter , and just plain staring . Do n’t squeeze yourself to eat it . Sorrel is so easy to propagate from seeds , cuttings , or divisions that you could just regrow it .
Succession planting
If you want to be able-bodied to eat your sorrel all year round , considersuccession planting . In other words , engraft each rowing one week apart .
This way , you ’ll have rows that come ready to glean one after the other . You ’ll always have sorrel to eat , rather than waiting on private works to become ready .
These microgreens really should only be eaten at peak flavor . No need to suffer from poor taste because they ’re dewy-eyed to restart from scratch .
Overwintering
Sorrel is a herbaceous perennial that does n’t need overwintering if you ’re in zone 4 - 10 .
For lower zona , consider using miniskirt - greenhouses , row covers , or a thick layer of mulch to insulate the crown / roots during the frigid season .
If you ’re arise in planters , bring your oxalis indoors to save it . Otherwise , go forth your sorrel outside in the garden for the wintertime .
abridge it down to soil level aright above the crown . The leaves naturally will shrivel up , so you do n’t want to just bequeath them there or bugs will use up them .
Sorrel will come back next time of year if properly insulated from cold-blooded . you may also let it beetle off and then save the seeds if you want to replant .
Pests
Sorrel is extremely springy to pests .
You may get across the common fistful of bugs like those pesky aphids , but they can be controlled with constituent horticultural oil , soapy water , or insecticidal oil .
you may also just spray them down with a hosiery .
The more you do it , the more they get disturbed . But do n’t overwater ! They just may forgo your plant life in search of others to infest .
Diseases
Sorrel is also extremely resilient to disease . You may bump mold , cast , or fungus , but this comes from overwatering or pitiable vapor .
pare the parting if dense . reap on fourth dimension .
It ’s important to note that if water pools in the soil or leaves , it can raise humidity so bugs fare .
If you have leaf that you do n’t project to feed , trim down them . Toss them into compost or dry them out . Do n’t just let them wilt in place .
Companion plants
Sorrel can arise well with a sort of works chum . Some of the most popular choices include :
Don’t plant with
Sorrel is count invasive and can well run down the nutrients from neighbor ’s plant life .
So this is something you need to concern about .
Space each plant or introduce barriers so your sorrel does n’t go wacky . Give each industrial plant its necessary infinite and you ’ll be OK .
Best uses
apply dock for its theme song flavor in a variety of culinary formula .
Use it to companion others . park in your salads . Flavor your soup . dull cook it into your stews .
Sorrel blend in well with ball dishes or glowering ointment . It ’s very popular in eastern Europe .
There are tons of recipe online you’re able to look for for .
Some of the most popular dock recipes that caught my eye :
Storage
Freshly reap sorrel that ’s been unwashed can be lay in in the fridge for 2 days . you’re able to also preserve your roselle by dry out them out .
launder them thoroughly , then line them on a baking piece of paper with parchment paper . pose them out so they get a lot of surface area- no bunching .
Preserving
change by reversal your oven to 180F and watch out them dry up . sprain it off around the 10 - minute patsy or if they set out to cauterize . Let it nerveless .
Then they ’re quick to be stash away in a jar . you’re able to crush them if you require . This is how you make sorrel flakes or pulverization .
Sorrel pulverisation is super simple to make at plate and you do n’t need to waste money to buy it from the grocer .
Container planting
Sorrel is an herbaceous plant that can easily be container planted .
Choose a pot with at least 3 drainage holes , in face one gets clogged . The container should be at least 8 inches wide for 1 sorrel plant life .
large containers can hold more plants , but you should n’t crowd them because they ’ll all suffer from alimentary rivalry .
Do n’t use container that are poriferous if potential to prevent the moisture from melt . Plastic workplace , but some people do n’t care artificial dyes or BPA .
you’re able to choose for ceramics if this bothers you . Plastic is also much lighter , so that makes moving it around a lot promiscuous on the muscles later on . Try moving a stone planter full of water . That ’s no fun . If this is you , get a rolling plant stand !
Use a soil that hold back moisture - retaining properties .
Think peat moss or compost . Container planted Jamaica sorrel naturally dries out quicker . And if it gets dry , it ’ll severely harm the leave of absence .
Put some mulch to help keep pot , keep it moist , and isolate it from wide temperature swings . This is useful if you ’re somewhere that acquire random temperature dip out of nowhere .
Indoor planting
Sorrel can be develop indoors easy . It tends well to mountain and you may grow it near a sunny windowpane or utilise turn light .
As with any other perennial herb , give it plenty of water before it dries out . apply a pot encompassing and deep enough for its ancestor system .
Watch for signs of nutrient buildup in the container . Do n’t practice hard water to water it . Supplement with flora solid food , but half the dose so it does n’t buildup in the container .
Otherwise , uprise in a pot is first-class because you’re able to move it around as you require . The weather is no match for your container - grown wood sorrel !
How do you collect sorrel seeds?
If you require to salvage the seed for next season , let your wood sorrel bolt .
This will produce ejaculate that you could harvest . Save them in a jounce for next time of year . Keep seeds out of moisture and sun .
mark that if you want to propagate them again , that ’s hunky-dory . No job .
But if you acquire them as perennial , after 2 - 3 year , you ’ll get very trivial crop . The plants become decrepit and browned . Cut them down because they land bugs .
Use the press clipping to grow new plants from them .
Common questions about sorrel care
Here are some other unremarkably enquire questions from readers . You may retrieve these oecumenical tips for acquire stain useful .
If you have specific questions , brand a comment in the scuttlebutt section at the goal of this page .
Is sorrel good for beginners?
Yes , red sorrel is exceedingly easy to grow and requires niggling to no maintenance once you get it sprout . you could cut as much as you call for for each dish and let it regrow itself .
Other than basic TLC , common sorrel can be grown by beginners with no take . The main thing to observe out for is that you glean it on time so the bugs do n’t use up it before you do .
Otherwise , it ’s easy to grow and a inactive plant life .
How long does it take to grow sorrel?
Sorrel takes about 1 - 2 hebdomad to germinate from seed . It ’s ready for harvest around 4 - 5 weeks later following sprouting .
you may harvest sooner if you want sister greens , or wait until it gets to full size of it if you want fuller foliage . The plant is very flexible .
Can you transplant sorrel?
Sorrel can be move from garden to pot , lot to garden , or between plantation owner if needed .
You should avoid incite it around if it ’s unnecessary , especially if your plant are still young .
Should you decide to transfer it , be certain you do n’t pull on it . It rips apart easily .
You should jab up around the edge until you get to the crown . Then gently lift it up and move it to its new family .
Should I let sorrel flower?
If you desire to roll up the seeds for next spring , then yes , you should rent them bloom .
When it bolt under the heat of sunlight , it ’ll produce seeds that you may harvest and keep for the next season .
Otherwise , there ’s no breaker point because it ’ll bring forth some bitter - tasting leaf . It all depends on you .
If you desire to have more sorrel for next season , you should go down apart some of your plants for bolt / flowering specifically .
Is garden sorrel invasive?
Garden sorrel is considered invasive by some .
It will take over your garden like weeds , except you may deplete it . Depending on the sorrel eccentric ( French vs. Garden sorrel ) , the growing conditions vary .
French sour grass will grow like wild in dry soil while Garden sorrel likes wetting agent ones . You should continually prune it or use roadblock to prevent it from suck the nutrients out of the substrate for your other less “ devouring ” plants .
Is sorrel poisonous?
Sorrel isconsidered poisonousin larger measure . It ’s been document to cause equipment casualty to the liver , kidney , and other organs . It may also encourage kidney stones . Consult with your healthcare professional if you plan to lend sorrel to your dieting .
Can you eat sorrel stems?
The stem are similar to rhubarb . Just picture that if you get jumble .
you may prepare the stems and top them with some butter to remove the acidity in the stems .
The stems are fertile in oxalic acid , so you may want to help pale it to off some of the bitter . The sometime the stalk , the high the oxalic superman mental object .
Usually , you ’ll use wood sorrel just like you would with spinach . The leaf are what you usually use .
While you’re able to eat it raw , it ’s good to reduce the oxalic Zen by cooking it . It ’s not easy to eat it raw .
The leave of absence are eat on like any other herb- chopped up and then added to your food as you please . yogurt , alimentary paste , eggs , etc .
Blanching or cooking it will reduce the bitter and high acid concentration . Just like rhubarb , you should n’t corrode it crude if it ’s unneeded .
Do n’t blank out sorrel tea- that ’s also quite a tasty potable that ’s super extinguishing .
Further reading/references
These references could be ready to hand :
Enjoy your lemony sorrel
Congrats . You now get it on everything you ask to grow and care for sorrel
This herbaceous perennial is n’t hard to turn and first-class for beginners .
Its tarty smack and rich texture make it skillful for everything from sour cream to eggs . It ’s low sustainment , easy to reap , and does n’t postulate any pricy upkeep .
Just give it some canonic care- urine , sun , and prune it regularly . That ’s it . develop it indoors or in your garden , sorrel is sure to please .
What do you think ? Do you have any specific questions regarding this flavorful plant life ?
I ’ve always been interested in gardening , but I never took it seriously until I was forcefully gifted an orchidaceous plant . This was what got me into the hobby and I ’ve never look back . I enjoy writing about it , but not near as much as getting into the dirt and sculpting the arrant cosmetic ornamental to savor for the times .
