Growing sorrel in home gardens

Sorrel (Rumex scutatus, R. acetosa) is a perennial vegetable hardy enough for Minnesota gardens. It is in the buckwheat family, has a sour flavor and is among the first crops ready for harvest in spring.

Sorrel is an early spring perennial vegetable, hardy into USDA Zone 3. Its bright lemony-flavored leaves are good in mixed salads, on sandwiches and in soups. Cooking greatly reduces the tartness, so you can put large amounts of sorrel in soups.

Growing sorrel

Start sorrel seed indoors three weeks before the last frost, or direct seed in early spring. Choose a spot in full sun with good drainage. Space mature plants at least a foot apart. If the plant thrives and spreads outside its space, divide it in spring.

Like all crops, proper watering will enhance good production during the growing season. How often you need to water will depend on rainfall received and your soil type.

A soil test will provide important information.  Sandy soils drain well and dry out quickly. They can be amended with compost before or at planting time to improve your soil’s water-holding capacity.

If you have clay soils, adding compost will improve soil porosity or the air spaces in the soil. Depending on rainfall, soak the soil thoroughly when watering, to a depth of at least one inch each week.

Manage weeds  

Weeds compete with desirable plants for moisture, space, light and nutrients. Frequent, shallow cultivation or hand-weeding will reduce weed competition before it becomes a problem.

Keep your tool away from your sorrel plants when cultivating to avoid damaging their roots.

Harvest

Once the plants are established, you can harvest sorrel at any time from early spring until frost kills the growth. Pick individual leaves and use the leaves whole or chopped, fresh or cooked.

The leaves have a sour taste that can be a delicious addition to salad, soup, stir fry, etc. Note that the young leaves are much more tender than older leaves.

To keep your sorrel productive, remove seed stalks that emerge, just as you would rhubarb. While it is a perennial plant, sorrel is not as long-lived as rhubarb. You can start new plants easily from seed and many gardeners treat sorrel as an annual.