How to Grow Green Sorrel

Sow green sorrel seeds indoors about three weeks before the last frost. Bury them 1/2 inch deep in damp compost and keep them on a bright windowsill at a temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also sow green sorrel seed directly into the garden once the last frost has passed.

Plant out your green sorrel seedlings once they are large enough to handle. Pick a sunny spot with rich, free-draining soil. Leave between 6 inches and a foot between plants.

Water your green sorrel plants as soon as the surface of their soil starts to dry out, aiming to keep it evenly moist at all times. Fertilize your plants with a balanced fertilizer when new growth emerges during the spring and again in midsummer. Apply balanced, granular or liquid fertilizer at the rate of 1/4 cup per 10 feet of row.

Remove flower spikes as soon as they appear unless you want to collect the seeds. Cut back any plants that emerge on suckers from the parent with plant shears, as these can spread and take over your garden bed.

Harvest the leaves during the late summer, once their lemony flavor has fully developed. Pick smaller leaves as needed for salads and sandwiches and harvest the larger leaves at the end of the summer for cooking. Sorrel leaves are best stored in the freezer in puree form, but lose their flavor if dried.