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Is yellow wood sorrel good or bad? #876699

Asked July 10, 2024, 3:07 PM EDT

Yellow wood sorrel is taking over my raised bed gardens. Should I remove it or leave it be?

Sussex County Delaware

Expert Response

Oxalis, yellow wood sorrel, is not clover and does not have the nitrogen fixing benefits of clover.  It is also known as sour grass and is edible in small amounts. It contains oxalic acid which is poisonous in large amounts.

I would pull it before it can set seed. The seeds ejaculate from the pod up to 20 feet and are numerous. If in a raised bed with vegetables or flowers, it is using nutrients and water that are then not available to the desirable plants.

Pull after watering or rain and the small tap root should come straight up.
Judy Pfister Replied July 10, 2024, 3:44 PM EDT

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