Rumex Scutatus - French Sorrel

Growing Information: Plant sorrel in moist, fertile soil, spacing plants 12 inches apart. Fertilize in spring with a balanced organic fertilizer and mulch with compost. Water to keep the soil evenly moist. Cut off flower stems as they emerge, unless you want to use them later for dried flower arrangements. If you do let the seed develop, remove the flower stalks before the seeds can self-sow and become invasive. Uproot excess plants that emerge on runners.

Propagation: You can easily divide existing plants in spring or fall. Or sow seed outdoors in early spring or start it even earlier indoors.

Possible Problems: Catch slugs with beer traps, tubs of beer set in the soil so slugs can crawl in but won't come out.

Harvesting and Using: The tart, lemony-flavored leaves are most tender early in spring but can be good if cooked any time of the growing season. You can steam them with other greens and use them to make sorrel soup or sorrel sauce. The leaves are high in oxalates; avoid them if you're prone to kidney stones.