Sorrel
Sorrel leaves contain a lot of vitamin C and A and iron. Due to the content of oxalates, it is not recommended for consumption in larger amounts. Sorrel emerges early in spring and can be rushed in inspection for harvesting in winter and early spring. In one place it can be left through 3-4 years. It winters well under snow cover and grows back in early spring. It is also insensitive to lack of light and grows well in shade. On the other hand, it does not tolerate drought well. It grows well in any soil, except the sandy ones, but preferably fertile, wet. The soil for sorrel should be deeply and carefully tilled and fertilized with manure (3-4 kg/m2) and mineral fertilizers in quantity: 20-30 g of calcium ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulphate, 20-25 g of superphosphate and the same 40% potassium salt.
It is best to sow sorrel as catch crop after early manure vegetables, in rows distant from each other by 30-35 cm or in the beds, in rows what 20 cm. On 1 m2 required 0,4-0,5 g nasion. After emergence, the sorrel weeds and stops, leaving plants co 8-12 cm. The emerging flower shoots should be cut, so that they do not weaken the plants. In June and August, the amount of nitrate is used 10-20 g/m2.
Harvesting usually starts with sorrel 2-3 months after sowing, when the rosettes have several leaves. WITH 1 m2 can be obtained approx. 1-1,5 kg of leaves.
Sorrel can be rushed. For this purpose, a glazed box is placed on the bed or the stumps are dug out in the autumn, stored in a frost-free place, and in the spring it is planted in boxes with soil and provides temperature 12-1 6°C.
Only two varieties of sorrel are cultivated in Poland: Lyoński and Belwilski. The first one is a fertile variety, it grows fast, therefore it is used for early field cultivation and for forcing. It branches out strongly, It is frost-resistant and tolerates dry summers well. Large leaf rosette, with lots of broad ovaries, greenish yellow leaves. It knocks out seed shoots early. Belwilski grows slowly and then breaks out into seed shoots. Average fertility and frost resistance, po 3 ends vegetation in years. Frequent harvesting weakens the plant and shortens the lifetime of the plantation. Large leaf rosette, with an average amount of large, oval, elongated, fleshy, light green leaves.