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How to Grow French Sorrels UK | Regional Planting Calendar
Move through the SoilCommander growing library like a course: keep the navigation in place, open the next lesson, and build your garden plan step by step.
In the UK, french sorrels go in the ground mid March to early June.
French sorrels (Rumex scutatus) — Low-growing, mat-forming herbaceous perennial.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional sowing windows, ranging from mid March in Southern England to late March in Scotland.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
RHS states seed is sown outdoors mid-spring to early summer, or indoors earlier in spring.
Midlands - detail & sources
Same spring-to-early-summer sowing window as elsewhere in the UK -- RHS rates French sorrel H6, hardy across the whole of the UK.
Northern England - detail & sources
Sowing window shifted about a week later than southern England for a cooler spring start -- RHS's H6 rating means winter cold is not a limiting factor even this far north.
Scotland - detail & sources
Sowing window shifted about two weeks later than southern England for Scotland's cooler, later spring -- RHS's H6 rating still applies, so cold is not the limiting factor.
RHS: sow seed indoors in spring or outdoors mid-spring to early summer, about 1cm deep, germinating in 1-2 weeks at 15C; plant out young stock 20-30cm apart. NC State: seed sown in the garden in early spring, about 1in deep; the plant self-seeds readily.
Establishment
3
RHS: water newly planted stock through dry spells until well-rooted; container plants need regular moisture checks; apply an annual mulch in late winter or early spring.
Leaf production
3
RHS and NC State both advise removing flower stems promptly to keep the plant channelling energy into fresh leaf growth rather than seed.
Harvest and division
8
RHS: harvest young leaves spring through autumn, picking regularly to keep growth tender; divide established clumps every four to five years to maintain productivity.
When to pick: RHS: gather young leaves from spring through autumn; regular harvesting promotes tender new growth. NC State: young leaves taste better than older ones.
Storage
Best used fresh; leaves owe their tart flavour to oxalic acid, so NC State flags moderating quantities eaten (concern noted specifically for pets/livestock).
RHS: occasional visitor to young foliage, rarely needing treatment. NC State reports no known pest problems.
Snails
low
Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)
RHS: occasional visitor to young foliage, rarely needing treatment.
Slugs
low
Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)
RHS: occasional visitor to young foliage, rarely needing treatment. NC State reports no known pest problems -- a mild disagreement kept honest rather than merged.
The grey-green, shield-shaped leaves are the clearest way to tell French sorrel apart from the taller, arrow-leaved common sorrel already in this database.
NC State gives a native range stretching from Europe to Southwest Siberia and south to Iran -- a wide range of dry, well-drained habitats like this one.
Light: full sun or partial shade. Soil: average, medium, well-drained, tolerates clay/loam/sand across acid-alkaline pH. Size: 1.5-2ft height, 1.3-3ft spread, low-growing clump. Hardiness: USDA zones 4a-9b. Native range: Europe to Southwest Siberia, south to Iran. Propagation: seed, self-seeds readily. Pests/diseases: none documented. Edibility: leaves used in salads, soups and sauces, tart flavour from oxalic acid; remove flowers promptly to keep leaf production going. Toxicity: flagged as a concern for cats, dogs and horses; can cause contact dermatitis. Growing notes: drought and wind tolerant once established, does not tolerate maritime salt, low maintenance, medium growth rate.
Hardiness H6 (-20 to -15C, all of UK and northern Europe). Identification: grey-green, juicy, citrus-flavoured, shield-shaped leaves with pointed or rounded tips; low-growing, mat-forming, 15-45cm tall, spreading to ~1m. Soil: rich, fertile preferred, tolerates most well-drained soil; full sun or partial shade. Planting: young plants spring to early summer, 20-30cm apart, same depth as previously grown. Containers: at least 30cm wide/20cm deep, 50:50 soil-based and multi-purpose peat-free compost. Propagation: seed sown indoors in spring or outdoors mid-spring to early summer, ~1cm deep, germinates 1-2 weeks at 15C; divide every 4-5 years. Care: water newly planted stock in dry spells, annual mulch late winter/early spring, remove flower stems to keep leaf production going. Harvest: young leaves spring through autumn, regular picking encourages tender new growth. Pests: slugs, snails, aphids on young foliage, rarely needing treatment. Diseases: generally disease-free. Safety: potentially harmful if consumed in large quantities.
2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I sow french sorrels in the UK?
In Southern England, from mid March. In Scotland, wait until late March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow french sorrels?
Sow mid March to mid June.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance
Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.
Sketch your exact plot shape, pick your UK crops, and get a spacing-accurate bed layout with companion pairings, a rotation plan and month-by-month sowing dates — every fact sourced from RHS and Garden Organic.
