In Russia, sorrel has come a long way from the usual weed to the "king of spring." He earned the title for his early appearance and help in the fight against vitamin deficiency.
But we need vitamins all year round, so it is important to keep it fresh as long as possible and properly collected for harvesting. After all, in the winter such preparation will become an indispensable ingredient for the preparation of various dishes.
This article describes in detail when harvested sorrel and how to properly save it at home in the form of a logging.
When can I cut?
If you sowed sorrel in the spring, then about 60 days after the emergence of shoots there is a chance to harvest the first crop. Do not wait for the full maturity of the plant. Determine that the leaves are ready to be cut along their length. It should be around 7-10 cm. It is important to have time before the emergence of flowering shoots, since with their formation the concentration of oxalic acid harmful to humans will increase dramatically.
In its natural environment, the “king of spring” grows in fields and floodplain meadows, in forests, along rivers and lakes. Wild sorrel bears fruit from May until autumn. Its shoots are easy to find as soon as the snow melts. And after 3 weeks there will be leaves suitable for human consumption.
What is the best time to collect? It is better to collect useful greens in the morning or in the evening. Especially good to choose the time after watering or rain. During this period, it is juicier, as the maximum saturated with moisture.
How to carry out the preparation?
Leaves
How to cut from the garden? Sorrel leaves with stalks should be carefully cut with scissors, a sharp knife or shears. You need to start with the extreme. In case you decided to collect with your hands, do not pull the sheets: this way you can pull out the plant from the root. Take care not to damage the growth buds. It is better not to touch the small leaves: let them grow further. Choose the largest, most beautiful and crunchy ones, and leave the old ones for food to the plant.
When collecting sorrel entirely, do not pull it. He is a perennial, and the buds are on the roots. It is better to cut it as the leaves grow at a height of 3-4 cm from the ground. Collect greens stop a month before the onset of frost.
Seeds
To harvest seeds, do not cut the leaves from 2-3 sorrel bushes. They should bloom. This usually occurs in mid-May. By the second half of July, the inflorescences will darken and turn brown. Then it's time to start harvesting.
- Cut off panicles of inflorescences.
- Tie into bundles and dry for 10 days.
- Rub the dried inflorescences between your palms.
Seeds remain suitable for germination for 4 years.. If the material is collected from hybrid sorrel, the quality of the parent plant will not be preserved.
For drying
For drying the leaves are collected in the same way as for the use of fresh. Then they need to sort out. Remove spoiled, wilted and yellowed leaves, tear off the stems.
If you plan to use an electric dryer, then rinse the greens thoroughly. Then it is necessary to drain the water. To do this, simply lay sorrel on a towel.
When the plant is air dried, no prewash is required.. Just form bunches and place them under a canopy in a ventilated place. Avoid direct sunlight - from them the green will lose color.
Features of the collection in the forest
Wild sorrel contains about 4 times more ascorbic acid than cultivated. The main difficulty in collecting it is that it grows most often single-handedly. Therefore, the process of "hunting" can be very long.
Also, do not expect from the wild form of large leaves and do not postpone the campaign on nature for a long time. After all the most delicious wild sorrel happens in the spring.
To make your search a success, consider the species of wild sorrel, and where each of them lives.
| Sort | Description | Where grows |
|---|---|---|
| Common Sorrel | It has spear-shaped leaves and red-green buds. In height can reach 60 cm. | It inhabits meadows, forest edges and glades. |
| Small sorrel | It has small leaves that look like spears. They grow at right angles. Inflorescences are red. | Prefers open spaces: meadows and fields. |
| Sorrel curly | Differs in "curliness" due to shriveled edges of leaves. It has annular green inflorescences. | It grows on the banks of ponds and the edges of crops. |
| Horse sorrel | Its leaves are ovate-triangular. Can grow up to 120 cm. | Selects floodplain meadows, places along roads, river banks and lakes. |
| Coastal sorrel | It has sharp large leaves, slightly wavy at the edges. It can reach 2 meters in height. | He likes wet soil on the banks of reservoirs. |
Unfortunately, to collect wild varieties you will have to leave as far as possible from civilization, otherwise the plant may do more harm than good.
Harvest frequency
Provided that the sorrel was planted in early spring, before the fall it will yield 3-5 times. In this case, the collection interval is only 20-25 days. If the planting was done in the summer months or in winter, then the greenery should be expected only for the next year. To constantly have the "king of spring" on your table, plant it several times: in early spring, summer and late autumn.
To sorrel gave more tasty leaves, remove the flower stalks. You can still thin out the bushes, reducing the number of female plants. However, they can not get rid of completely.
Also, if you want to harvest a good harvest, change the planting location every 4 years.
In room conditions it is easy to grow sorrel all year round. In this case, it is not necessary to initially breed it on the windowsill. In early September, carefully dig up the plant, cut the leaves and store in the basement, sprinkled with earth. At the beginning of winter, plant it in a pot.
How to keep cut?
Sorrel leaves are not intended for long storage.. Therefore, try to either eat them immediately or recycle them. So you can save more nutrients.
To extend the life of fresh sorrel, you need to prepare the plant accordingly.
In a glass container
Features storage in a glass container:
- Rinse the leaves in a container with water.
- Blot them with a paper towel.
- Leave for 15-20 minutes.
- Put the sorrel in a glass container with a plastic lid.
- Keep the sorrel necessary on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
In the package
- Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. Do not wash at all.
- Blot with a towel and leave for 15 minutes.
- Fold the leaves in a plastic bag.
- Make several holes in it to allow air to circulate.
- Package put on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
These simple steps will keep your herbs fresh for several weeks.
Options for the use of sorrel throughout the year a lot. Not surprisingly, many gardeners love this plant. The main thing - do not miss the time of collection and make blanks.
