How to grow sorrel at home on a windowsill from seeds and rhizomes, preparation of planting material and care of the crop
Sorrel is a perennial herb that has been cultivated by humans for many centuries. Several centuries ago, sorrel was considered a weed in Russia, and as an agricultural plant it began to be grown relatively recently. Growing sorrel on the windowsill at home is quite a simple task. Sorrel is used for making green cabbage soup and diet salads.
Necessary conditions for growing
In one place, sorrel grows up to four years. Gradually, the plant begins to grow over the site, filling everything around. To prevent sorrel from becoming a weed from an agricultural crop, it must be planted regularly.
The first thing to look for when growing sorrel, Is the choice of a site for the beds. The plant prefers to grow on loamy and sandy loam soils. Grass, especially wheatgrass, should not grow near the beds. Sorrel loves wet soil. In this case, the water in the beds should not stagnate. This negatively affects the yield.
Based on this information, you can understand what growing conditions are needed for sorrel at home.
How to choose a container for planting?
Any containers are used to plant sorrel at home. It is best to make a large wooden box to make the sorrel feel comfortable. In addition, the plant is planted in flower pots, plastic containers, and other containers. The main thing is that the container for the plant is large. Drainage (expanded clay, small pebbles or crushed shells) must be placed on the bottom of the selected container.
Sorrel grows well on fertile soil with low acidity. Drained peat soil is also suitable for planting. If the soil for planting is used from the site, then before planting it must be calcined for two hours. And to simplify your work, you can purchase a ready-made potting mix.
Seed preparation and planting
In order to increase the germination of sorrel planting material, it must first be germinated.
Germination of planting material:
- You need to take a piece of gauze and moisten it in warm water.
- Place the seeds in cheesecloth and cover with the second piece of cheesecloth.
- Remove seeds to a warm place in the shade.
- After two days, the planting material will begin to germinate.
After the germination procedure, you need to start planting seeds in the soil. You can also treat the seeds with a growth activator.
Pour the prepared soil into containers. Make indentations in the ground to a depth of 1.5 cm.The distance between the rows should be from 3 to 5 cm. Then they start sowing the planting material. Cover the boxes with cling film on top. When the seeds begin to hatch, the film is removed.
Growing sorrel from seeds
It is quite possible to grow sorrel at home in urban conditions. The main thing is to find more space for the sorrel to grow comfortably. For example, it is very convenient to grow sorrel on the glazed balconies on the south side. In the house, you need to create all the necessary conditions that the plant requires.
For sorrel, you need to choose southern windows so that the seedlings have enough sunlight. If you put boxes with seedlings in the shade (for example, on the northern windows), then it will not grow well, and the leaves, together with a light green hue, will acquire yellow. If there are no south windows in the house, you need to think about additional lighting. It needs to be turned on during the day for several hours.
Despite the fact that sorrel belongs to shade-tolerant crops, it is not recommended to put boxes with seedlings in the shade. She will still grow poorly. Without lighting, the leaves begin to stretch and become small. You can leave boxes with culture on the balcony even if it's already late autumn outside.
Sorrel can grow at temperatures from +5 to +20 degrees. The cold is not afraid of him.
Forcing from the rhizome
Another way to grow sorrel at home is rhizome distillation. For forcing greenery at home, 2-4-year-old plant rhizomes are used. There should be several young buds on the rhizome. You need to dig out material for planting at home in spring or autumn.
The rhizome is divided into several parts (if it is large) and planted in boxes. Cover the rhizome with soil on top and pour it with a watering can. If the rhizome has long roots, then they are cut with sharp scissors so that they do not bend during planting.
But unlike the seed method, reproduction through forcing rhizomes is not so popular. It is believed that herbs grown using this method quickly lose their quality. Therefore, it is worth giving preference to the seed method of growing grass.
Sorrel care at home
When growing grass at home, you need to keep in mind the basic aspects of crop care. The main aspects of bush care include:
- Regular watering.
- Loosening the soil.
- Weed removal.
- Fertilizing the soil.
Outdoor shrub maintenance is not much different from home-grown shrub maintenance. The only thing is, in the fall, you do not need to cut the greens at the root and cover the rhizome.
The first thing to remember is that the culture loves abundant watering. Containers with bushes will need to be watered frequently. But the main thing is not to overdo it and not flood the soil. Plants grow poorly on waterlogged soil.
You need to water only with warm water. Ice cold water from the tap is not suitable for irrigation. If it is hot outside and the room becomes too stuffy, the number of watering boxes with grass is increased. Overdried soil contributes to the fact that the bushes throw flower stalks. This, in turn, negatively affects the quality of the crop and its quantity. In winter, the amount of watering is reduced. But if the house is hot from heating, then water the boxes based on the temperature in the room.
Another important aspect is soil loosening. Once a week, before watering, the soil in the pots must be loosened. If necessary, weeds are also removed during loosening. Even when grown at home, weeds often appear in containers.
In addition to watering and loosening, do not forget about applying top dressing. As mineral fertilizers, preference should be given to superphosphate, potassium chloride and urea. In addition, during the growth of seedlings, nitrogen-containing fertilizing is introduced into the soil.
Harvesting the first harvest
In order to understand when a plant begins to ripen, you need to remember the date of planting the seeds in the soil. 2 months are counted from this date. After two months, you can already cut the leaves for food. Such terms are suitable both for growing bushes in the open field and for home cultivation. Sorrel can be cut with a knife or simply by hand. But the first way is still preferable. This is necessary so as not to accidentally pull out the entire bush from the soil. For cutting, it is better to choose leaves that grow on the sides of the bush. It is not recommended to touch the leaves in the middle.
The most optimal time for cutting leaves is considered earlier in the morning. Leaves cut in the morning are more juicy. Freshly cut leaves are used to make green cabbage soup (along with nettles and other herbs). They are also added to salads or simply eaten fresh. But the taste of fresh sorrel is not to everyone's taste. People with high stomach acidity and gastritis need to be especially careful.
