The secrets of care for sorrelSo that you can be sure of what a bountiful harvest sorrel can give, planting and care in the open field should be timely and correct. However, the plant is well acclimatized in a wild-growing form. Choosing a place for planting sorrel
Unlike many ornamental and garden crops, sorrel does not like open sunny areas. The best place is a penumbra from trees. The acidity of the land is almost irrelevant; sorrel gives a good harvest both on neutral substrates and on acidic substrates, only prefers loamy soils.
The alternation of crops at the annual planting gives an excellent result - plant sorrel where other greens, onions or pumpkin plants used to grow.
It is better to decide on the future place of sowing in the fall in order to prepare the site in advance. It is necessary to dig a bed and remove weeds, and add compost and ash to the soil as an organic fertilizer. Top dressing for planting sorrel in open ground is nitrogen fertilizers added to the soil 1-2 weeks before sowing. Immediately before sowing, the bed is re-loosened and leveled.
A lot of space for sorrel is not worth it - a family needs 1-2 square meters of beds.
When to sow sorrel in open ground: in spring, summer or autumn?
Depending on when you want to get a crop, planting time is chosen:
- In order for the crop to be harvested by the autumn, sorrel is planted in early spring as soon as the snow melts and the threat of the last frost subsides.
- The second suitable time for sowing sorrel is from late June to early July, as soon as early vegetable plantings are harvested( winter garlic and onion, lettuce or radish).At the same time, sorrel will take root in the garden by the fall and will well endure wintering. The main condition for the care of sorrel planted in the summer - frequent watering.
- Planting and caring for sorrel in the open field in the fall( October-November) is carried out with the aim of not sprouting seeds for winter and preserved in the soil until spring. So already in the spring and summer of next year you can get a bountiful harvest. This method is suitable for growing sorrel in a temperate zone on sandy soils.
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Secrets of the care of the sorrel
After the planting has passed, the care of the sorrel in the open ground consists in periodic watering and weeding of the site. Bed with young shoots mulch and fertilize three times with mullein( in proportions with water 1: 6).For better results, you can add purchased phosphorus or potash supplements.
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In order for the sorrel to not bloom ahead of time, and all the plant’s power went to feeding on succulent leaves and not a flower outlet, you must regularly water the bed. On hot days, you need to especially follow this, as the flower stalks grow rapidly, and the quality of the leaves may deteriorate. If flower sockets have already appeared, they need to be removed.
Before hibernation, cut off the remaining leaves and mulch the soil, adding humus or compost to the aisle.
At the same place, sorrel grows well for 3-4 years, then the harvest deteriorates sharply.
You can cut off adult leaves 4-5 times in the summer. It is advisable to do this in the morning, pre-weeding the bed. After harvesting, it is necessary to pierce the aisles and lightly water the beds.
Open field sorrel: diseases and pests
In order not to lose the crop, you need to know which pests can infect sorrel, and how to fight them:
- Rust. Manifested in the form of yellow-brown specks on the leaves with spores visible to the naked eye.
- Sorrel leaf splinters and caterpillar sawfly. If bugs or larvae are sitting on the leaves, spray the plants with infusion of garlic or nightshade.
- Sorrel Aphid. In this case, you can not spray the leaves with store poisons, so as not to poison yourself when harvesting. Try sprinkling the plant with ashes or pouring the infusion of garlic, dandelion or any other burning herb.
- False mealy dew. It looks like a grayish bloom on the back of the leaves. Safe for the human body, but destructive for the disease of sorrel means - phytosporin. Apply it according to the instructions on the package.
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When properly planted and cared for sorrel in the open ground, pests appear very, very rarely.
To sum up:
- For sorrel, it is worth choosing a penumbra under the trees, but not a low wetland. The soil will suit any acidity, preferably loamy.
- Before planting the area is mulched, ash and humus are added.
- In order to keep the leaves juicy during the whole summer, sorrel is watered regularly, and the emerging flower stalks are regularly pruned.
- After planting, care for sorrel in the open field - weeding, fertilizing and watering.
- Infusions of burning herbs will help from pests, but not from stores.
All about sorrel sowing - video
