🍃 Sorrel

Sorrel is a hardy perennial with arrow-shaped leaves and a sharp, lemony flavour. It is among the first greens to appear in spring, and it crops for many years, which makes it one of the most reliable perennial crops for the kitchen garden.

Broad-leaved sorrel has a strong flavour. French or buckler-leaf sorrel (Rumex scutatus) is smaller, gentler and slower-growing. Both are easy in sun or part shade and thrive in pots. The tang comes from oxalic acid, so enjoy it in moderation.

Varieties to try

Broad-leaved sorrel (large, vigorous leaves)Buckler-leaf sorrel (Rumex scutatus, mild and compact)Blood-veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus, red-veined and ornamental)Profusion (a non-flowering variety)

Sow in March to June, 1 cm deep, either indoors in modules or directly outside in rows 30 cm apart. Seedlings emerge in two to three weeks and can be thinned to 30 cm apart. Moist, fertile soil in sun or light shade gives the biggest leaves. Do not allow plants to dry out.

The easiest route is to buy a small plant or to divide an existing clump in spring, replanting the pieces 30 cm apart. Sorrel grows well in pots at least 20 cm wide. One or two plants are enough for most households, as the leaves are strong.

Top tips

• One or two plants are enough for a household.
• Divide clumps in spring every three years.
• Water pots regularly.
• Choose a non-flowering variety to save effort.

Keep plants watered in dry weather and cut off flower stems as soon as they appear, to keep the leaves coming and prevent self-seeding. A mulch of compost each spring, and a general liquid feed once or twice in summer, keep the leaves tender and productive.

Sorrel is rarely troubled by disease, though slugs, sawfly larvae and downy mildew can mark the leaves. Cut hard back after a bad attack, and fresh leaves will grow. Divide old, congested clumps every three to four years to renew them.

Top tips

• Remove flower stems promptly.
• Cut back hard if leaves look tired.
• Feed lightly once or twice in summer.
• Divide every three to four years.

Watch out for

SlugsSawfly larvaeDowny mildewRust

Pick young leaves from about eight weeks after sowing, taking a few from each plant, from the outside of the clump. Young leaves are tender and lemony; older leaves become tough and very sharp. In the first year, pick lightly to let the plants establish.

Regular picking and removing flower stems keep fresh growth coming from March to November. In mild winters, sorrel keeps growing slowly. Do not eat huge quantities, because oxalic acid can be a problem for people with kidney stones or gout.

Top tips

• Pick young leaves; they are less sharp.
• Take leaves from the outside of the clump.
• Cut back flowers to keep it productive.
• Eat in moderation.

Sorrel gives a bright lemony zing to sauces, soups and salads. Add a few young leaves to salads, or cook larger ones until they melt into a sharp purée, ideal with fish, eggs, chicken or potatoes. Classic uses include sorrel soup, French omelettes and sauce for salmon.

The leaves lose their bright green colour when cooked, turning an olive shade, which is normal. Fresh sorrel keeps for two to three days in the fridge. To keep surplus leaves, cook them to a purée and freeze in ice-cube trays, ready to add to sauces and soups.

Top tips

• Cook briefly: sorrel melts in a minute or two.
• Freeze purée in ice-cube trays.
• Pair with fish, eggs and cream.
• Use small leaves raw in salads.