Sorrel . Sounds like something you ’d expect to find in a chivalric kitchen , veracious ? But trust me , this plant is far more modern than you think — and altogether underrated . If you ’ve never tasted it , imagine if rhubarb and lemon had a love child that grew wild in your garden . Tangy , slightly saturnine , and refreshful , dock is the perfect path to add a fiddling kick to your salads , soups , or even your favorite summer drink .

It ’s soft to grow , too . Sorrel ’s happy in nerveless weather condition , thriving in the spring and former summertime before the heat energy make it bolt . And the best part ? you’re able to get down picking those leaves in just a few months . It ’s a degraded - agriculturalist , so you wo n’t have to wait long to add together that zesty savour to your meal .

Do n’t expect it to be fussy — Jamaica sorrel ’s pretty low - sustentation . Just give it well - drained soil and some sunlight , and it ’ll happily take care of the rest . And if you ’re feeling fancy , the leaves are loaded withvitamins and antioxidants . Nature ’s little health boost , right there .

Oh , and did I mention it go around like crazy ? Once you ’ve got it go , you ’ll be wondering what to do with all that fresh common sorrel . But no complaint here — it ’s as various as it is pleasant-tasting .

How to Grow Sorrel

Growing Hibiscus sabdariffa is relatively gentle , and it ’s a great accession to your garden , specially if you enjoy leafy greens with a tangy , lemony flavor . Below is a comprehensive guidebook to grow sorrel .

Planting Sorrel

Growing Sorrel

Harvesting Sorrel

Tips

Sorrel Growing Zone

Sorrel ( Rumex acetosa ) is a unfearing recurrent herbaceous plant that can thrive in various get zones . It loosely grows dependable in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 7 .

This means it can manage dusty wintertime down to about -40 ° F ( -40 ° C ) and can tolerate warm temperatures in the summer .

Sorrel choose full sunlight to partial shade and well - drained soil . It can be grown in many regions with moderate climates , making it a various herb for different garden scope .

Growing Sorrel FAQ

Sorrel can be planted in early spring or late summertime . In regions with meek wintertime , it can also be planted in the fall . For best effect , inseminate come forthwith in the garden or start them indoors 4 - 6 weeks before the last Robert Frost .

Sow sorrel seeds 1/4 inch deep and 12 inches apart in wrangle that are 18 - 24 inches aside . Thin seedlings to 12 inches apart once they are about 2 inch tall . Sorrel can also be grow from divisions or transplants .

Mulch around the works to retain wet and suppress weeds . Fertilize with a balanced constituent fertilizer in the spring and again in mid - summer if needed . Sorrel is relatively low - care but may want protective covering from slugs and escargot .

Sorrel leaves can be harvested when they are 4 - 6 inches tenacious , usually about 8 - 10 weeks after plant . Regular harvesting encourages fresh growth . Be sure to pull up stakes some leaves on the plant to allow it to continue uprise .

Yes , sorrel can be grown in container . Choose a pot that is at least 12 inch rich with unspoilt drain . Use a gamey - quality potting mixture , and water regularly .

Sorrel can be acquire indoors in a sunny smirch , such as a windowsill , or under grow lights . check the plants receive at least 6 hours of light daily .

Sorrel can be circularise by carve up the root cluster in early spring or dip . hollow up the flora , sort out the roots , and replant them at the same astuteness .

Sorrel is a repeated industrial plant , meaning it will amount back year after year if decent like for . In colder clime , the leaves may die back in wintertime , but the industrial plant will regrow in the spring .

Some species of common sorrel , in particular the common sorrel , can be invasive if not managed properly . Regular harvest and remove prime stem can help forestall the plant from diffuse uncontrollably .