Be sure to plant and take care of sorrel in the open field
Sorrel is an unpretentious summer cottage plant, which contains many vitamins and minerals that a person needs. So that you can be sure what a bountiful crop sorrel can give, planting and caring for it in the open field must be timely and correct. However, the plant takes root well in the wild.
Choosing a place for planting sorrel
Crop rotation with annual planting gives excellent results - plant sorrel where other greens used to grow, bow or pumpkin plants.
It is better to decide on the future sowing site in the fall in order to prepare the site in advance. It is necessary to dig up a bed and remove weeds, and into the soil as organic fertilizer add compost and ash. 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 loosened and leveled again.
You should not take up a lot of space for sorrel - 1-2 square meters of beds are enough for a family.
When to sow sorrel in open ground: in spring, summer or autumn?
Depending on when you want to get the crop, the sowing time is selected:
- So that the crop can be harvested by 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 the early vegetable plantings are harvested (winter garlic and onions, lettuce or radish). At the same time, the sorrel will take root in the garden by the fall and will tolerate wintering well. The main condition for caring for sorrel planted in summer is frequent watering.
- Planting and caring for sorrel in the open field in the fall (in October-November) is carried out in order to prevent the seeds from sprouting by winter and remain 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 strip on sandy soils.
Sorrel care secrets
After the planting has passed, caring for sorrel in the open field consists in periodic watering and weeding of the site. A bed with young shoots mulch and fertilized three times with mullein (in proportions with water 1: 6). For best results, you can add purchased phosphate or potash supplements.
So that the sorrel does not bloom ahead of time, and all the strength of the plant was spent on feeding the succulent leaves, and not on the flower outlet, it is necessary to regularly water the garden bed. On hot days, you need to especially monitor this, since the peduncles develop quickly, and the quality of the leaves may deteriorate. If flower rosettes have already appeared, they must be removed.
Before wintering, cut off the remaining leaves and mulch the soil by adding humus or compost to the aisles.
In the same place, sorrel grows well for 3-4 years, then the yield deteriorates sharply.
You can cut off adult leaves 4-5 times per summer. It is advisable to do this in the morning, after weeding the garden bed. After harvesting, it is necessary to loosen the aisles and lightly water the garden bed.
Sorrel in the open field: diseases and pests
In order not to lose the harvest, you need to know what pests can infect sorrel, and how to deal with them:
- Rust. It manifests itself in the form of yellow-brown specks on the leaves with spores visible to the naked eye.
- Sorrel leaf gnaw and sawfly caterpillar. If bugs or larvae are 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-bought poisons, so as not to get poisoned during harvesting. Try sprinkling ashes on the plant or pouring an infusion of garlic, dandelion, or any other stinging herb on top.
- Downy mildew. It looks like a grayish bloom on the back of the leaves. A drug that is safe for the human body, but destructive for sorrel disease is phytosporin. Apply it according to the instructions on the package.
With proper planting and caring for sorrel in the open field, pests appear very, very rarely.
Let's summarize:
- For sorrel, choose partial shade under the trees, but not a low wetland. The soil is suitable for any acidity, preferably loamy.
- Before planting, the site is mulched, ash and humus are added.
- To keep the leaves juicy throughout the summer, the sorrel is watered regularly, and the emerging flower stalks are regularly pruned.
- After planting, caring for sorrel in the open field - weeding, fertilizing and watering.
- Infusions of burning herbs will help from pests, but not store-bought ones.