Sorrel: Diseases and Remedies (Explained for Beginners)

NOTE: The terms Sorrel and Rumex acestosa are identical in this text; in reality, Rumex acestosa is Sorrel’s biological word.

Sorrel is a leafy green vegetable that has a pleasant lemon flavor. The plants have leaves that are smooth and arrow-shaped. As the temperature warms, it’s best to remove the flower stalks to promote leaf growth for a better harvest. The whorled spikes are just as insignificant as the red flowers.

Why does my Rumex acestosa roots have rot?

Root rot on your Sorrel (Rumex acestosa) can be fatal if not treated with care. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow our guide to keep your plant alive if the symptoms occur: Root soft and blackened.
Sorrel

Why does my Sorrel have gray mold spots?

Gray mold spots are a specific fungus that regularly harms flowers and spreads swiftly. If you notice any brown (or gray) spots, this fungus is probably to cause. You risk your plant dying if you ignore these warning indications.

Our Solution

The answer is obvious once you recognize the cause of the problem. Most frequently, it results from the Rumex acestosa being overwatered. We strongly advise you to remove the damaged plant parts, cut off the diseased roots and leaves, and then repot your plant in a new container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my Sorrel have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Sorrel owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Sorrel leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing leaves are arguably the most prevalent issue in the gardening world. Overwatering or a lack of nutrients are the 2 main causes of this issue.

When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:

Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Rumex acestosa in question:

  • Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
  • Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
  • Sulfur shortage first affects the youngest leaves, turning them entirely yellow.
  • Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
  • A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.

Our Solution

You only need to respond to the signs mentioned above. A gardening store expert will be able to provide you advice on how to purchase a specific soil to treat a potassium or nitrogen deficiency. Additionally, you can reduce how often you water your plants.

Is my Sorrel sunburned?

You can easily tell if your Sorrel (your Rumex acestosa) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

As we saw above, if your Sorrel receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.

However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.

Why are my Sorrel leaves turning brown?

Most of the time, leaves of a Sorrel that turn brown is a sign that your plant has been sunburned, it has probably been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Don’t panic, your plant probably won’t die from this, but its growth will take a hit.

Should I leave my Rumex acestosa in direct sunlight?

No! If your Rumex acestosa (or Sorrel) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Sorrel is in such a state!

Our Solution

As explained in the paragraph above, the solution is simple, just place your Sorrel in a place where the light does not reach it directly, in this way and with a correct watering, your plant should resume its life rather quickly.

Why are my Rumex acestosa leaves drooping or wilting ?

In most cases, this happens when your Rumex acestosa lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.

Drooping

You may quickly determine if your Rumex acestosa plant needs water by under-weighing its pot; if it seems light, the soil and roots are probably fairly dry and require water.

Our Solution

If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Sorrel right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.

This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Rumex acestosa

Water Occasionally

Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.

Touching the soil will let you know whether your plant needs water or not; if it still feels damp, it’s generally best to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It is also a good idea to keep your Rumex acestosa at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Rumex acestosa near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.

Keep your Sorrel Dust-Free

This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.

This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Sorrel.

Take a microfiber cloth and gently massage the plant’s leaves to get rid of the dust. Use a damp cloth to make dust removal easier, but avoid using corrosive materials like rubbing alcohol!

Keep drainage in mind

If you have a tendency to overwater, you should be mindful of your drainage, and if they don’t already have them, we suggest selecting a saucer and a pot with drainage holes.

In the meantime, if you don’t have holes in your pots, you can add volcanic rocks (or any rocks with holes) at the bottom of your pot, this way it will create a channel so that the water doesn’t stay in your skin too much (to avoid that roots start to rot!)