Blood sorrel is considered a "forgotten vegetable" in the Netherlands. That is a pity, because it's a very healthy, tasty and easy to grow leaf vegetable that also grows very fast. It's also called wood dock, bloody dock, bloodwort and red dock. The leaves are a beautiful green with red veins and veinlets. The taste of sorrel is slightly sour and the leaves are deliciously tender. It's a very healthy vegetable. Blood sorrel is a member of the knotweed family, just like buckwheat, rhubarb and sorrel. The plant produces a clump which is easy to divide, allowing one plant to make several. It's not only a delicious tasting plant, but also a beautiful asset to any garden. This plant can easily be overwintered in a cold greenhouse or cold container.
Blood sorrel is a very healthy vegetable. It contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B11 and B12, C, E, K. And the minerals: calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium, sodium, selenium and zinc. Blood sorrel can be boiled, steamed, stewed, used as a substitute for spinach in all kinds of dishes. Blood sorrel can also be used in quiches, frittata, stews, casseroles, stir-fries and added to soups, stews and salads. Boil blood sorrel briefly to prevent loss of flavour and vitamins. Blood sorrel is delicious in combination with: pork, lamb, beef, chicken, minced meat, butter, milk, cheese, eggs, cream, smoked sausage, bacon, white wine, parsley, chives, shrimps, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper and feta cheese. Blood sorrel is also delicious in combination with other vegetables such as: radishes, corn salad, cabbage lettuce, iceberg lettuce, peas, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, sauerkraut, shallots, carrots, French beans, butter beans and broad beans. It loses its leaves in the winter. Hardy perennial.
Indoor sowing: March - May
Outdoor sowing: May - June
Germination: 8 - 16 days
Germination temp.: 12 - 20 °C
Sowing depth: shallow - ½ cm
Distance between rows: 30 - 35 cm
Planting distance: 25 - 30 cm
Plant position: sunny, sheltered, good drainage - some shadow
Harvesting period: July - November
Sowing can be done indoors or in a greenhouse from early March to late May. Ensure well moist and airy sowing soil. Sow in seed trays or propegators with lids. Sow the seeds thinly and shallowly. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of sowing soil or press them carefully into the soil. Keep the trays moist and cover them with a lid to keep the moisture in. Put the seeds in a not too warm place. Blood sorrel is a light germinator. The optimal temperature for the seeds to germinate is around 15 °C. Make sure the temperature does not drop too much, especially at night. An even temperature ensures better and faster germination. Remove the lid when the seedlings emerge. As soon as the young seedlings are large enough to handle, put them in a well-fertilised sunny spot with good drainage after mid-May (after the Ice Saints). Blood sorrel needs at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, but can tolerate a little shade.
Sowing can be done outside from mid-May (after the Ice Saints) until the end of June. Sow in a pre-fertilized spot with plenty of sun and good drainage. The ideal pH for sorrel is 5.5 to 6.8. Sow in a very sunny and sheltered spot, but it can tolerate some light shade. Sow in rows 30 - 35 cm apart. Sow sparingly and shallowly. Press or rake the seeds carefully into the soil. Keep the soil moist and weed free. It is also possible to broadcast the seeds. Blood sorrel can be harvested in various ways. You can pick loose leaves as needed to use them in e.g. salads, stews and as a substitute for spinach. For this purpose, pick the youngest and smallest leaves possible, as they are more tender and taste better. It is also possible to harvest a larger quantity of sorrel. Cut or pick a larger quantity of leaves with stems. When doing so, leave about 5 - 8 cm of the plants, so that the plant can continue to grow and you can harvest from the same plants later on. Eat the harvested sorrel as soon as possible, once harvested the leaves cannot be kept for long. However, it is possible to freeze the sorrel. In this way, blood sorrel can be kept for up to 6 months. It's also possible to grow smaller quantities of blood sorrel in large pots. Sow smaller quantities in a row to extend the harvest period. By growing both indoors and outdoors in pots and greenhouses, it's possible to harvest blood sorrel all year round.
