The sorrel is a plant valued in many countries as a food and medicinal plant. However, in addition to self-sowing, it is also capable of vegetative root propagation, which can quickly become a plague if the site conditions are suitable.

Combating sorrel with chemical agents

In the past, farmers have often tended to destroy the sorrel with chemical means, as the plant is not actually eaten by livestock. If you want to destroy the sorrel with the chemical club yourself, you should only do this while observing all the safety instructions for the respective agent. Although chemical countermeasures against sorrel promise to make work easier, they can also have a toxic effect on vegetables from your own garden or get into the respiratory tract when used.

Killing two birds with one stone with mechanical combat

The mechanical cutting out of sorrel is relatively exhausting due to the relatively deep roots, but there are also special digging forks available in specialist shops to make work easier. The mechanical and thus also purely biological removal of the plants also means that every plant that has been cut out can also be used in the kitchen. If possible, remove the sorrel in spring if you are using it for consumption at the same time, as the fresh green leaves are easier to digest than the already red leaves in summer.

Contain the multiplication and work consistently

If the sorrel persists in your garden bed or lawn, you should use the following strategies to destroy it:

  • do not let the flowers bear fruit
  • remove emerging plants for a few years
  • Whenever possible, dig up plants with their entire roots

By removing the flowers before seed maturity, you can curb sorrel self-seeding. The removal of emerging young plants must be carried out consistently for a few years, as the sorrel is a true survivor. If possible, prick the roots completely out of the ground, as injured parts of the sorrel roots can sprout again.

tips and tricks

The growth of sorrel can also be regulated via the supply of nutrients. This plant usually only thrives very sparsely on rather barren soil without fertilizer supply.

WK

Category:

Herbs