The sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is generally non-poisonous and, with a little practice and caution, should generally not be confused with poisonous plants. Nevertheless, there are a few things to keep in mind when harvesting and eating the leaves.
How do I harvest sorrel correctly?
To properly harvest sorrel, pick the green leaves in spring through June, before they turn red and are less palatable to the stomach. Harvest only a portion of the leaves to ensure the plant regrows quickly, and remove buds early for better leaf growth.
Identifying the sorrel correctly
The sorrel grows out of the ground in a rosette shape and forms elongated, lanceolate leaves with a central division. The easiest way to recognize sorrel is during flowering, when long panicles with inconspicuous, reddish flowers form up to a meter high above the ground. However, if possible, you should harvest the green leaves beforehand in spring, as the leaves turn red from the tip in summer and are then no longer as well tolerated by the stomach.
Grow sorrel specifically and harvest high yields
If you want to plant the sorrel specifically in your own garden, you should sow it in a location that has as much full sun as possible to a maximum of partial shade. For a high yield, the soil should be evenly moist, deep and as nutrient-rich as possible. You can also harvest the leaves several times from spring to June, as the sorrel produces new leaves relatively quickly if the leaves are partially harvested. Removing the inflorescences as early as possible ensures that all of the plants' energy can be put into leaf growth.
Using sorrel in the kitchen
Always harvest the sorrel as freshly as possible from the garden according to your current needs, so you can enjoy the maximum taste of this fine wild vegetable. When preparing it, you can proceed in a similar way to home-grown spinach. Popular kitchen recipes using freshly harvested sorrel include:
- Sockrop Soup
- Omelettes and sauces with sorrel pieces
- as a spicy salad with dressing
- as part of the Frankfurt Green Sauce
If you don't get the sorrel from your own garden, when collecting in nature you should choose plants that are as uncontaminated as possible from unsprayed meadows and away from dog walking paths.
Tips & Tricks
Sorrel can be used as a natural remedy for stomach problems. Although it contains a lot of iron itself, it should not be consumed if there is iron deficiency, as the oxalic acid it contains inhibits the absorption of iron in the human body.
