How to grow Chicory

INSERT PICTURE Chicory can be grown for its leaves which are used in salads. Some varieties, Witloof chicory in particular, are grown principally for their chicons. These are small tightly packed and blanched leaves which are normally forced indoors during winter.
The final use for chicory is to grind up the roots and use the resulting powder as a coffee substitute. In some parts of the world, ground chicory roots are used on their own as a rather bitter beverage.

CHICORY CALENDAR

Time Sow Plant Harvest Chicons

Early Spring        

Mid Spring      

Late Spring   Sow indoors

Early Summer Sow indoors

Mid Summer   Plant out

Late Summer    

Early Autumn      

Mid Autumn     Force

Late Autumn       Force / Harvest

Early winter       Harvest

Mid Winter       Harvest

Late Winter       Harvest

Chicory is extremely good news on the care front. It requires no care whatsoever once the seedlings have established. In the early stages, water if conditions become dry. Thereafter the plants will look after themselves. Their long tap roots will search out water in all but the driest of conditions. Chicory, wait for this, will smother all but the most troublesome weeds. That's the best recommendation you can ever get for a vegetable!

Sometimes chicory does throw up a few flowers. As soon as you notice them cut the flowering stems back to soil level.

If you want to blanch the leaves (make them whiter rather than greener) then simply tie a piece of string round the leaves, drawing them together slightly. This will prevent light form reaching many of the inner leaves thus blanching them. This works best with radicchio and sugarloaf types of chicory. The best time to blanch is about ten days before you to harvest the leaves. Much longer and the plants will begin to suffer. As a further guide, begin blanching the plants about 12 weeks after the seeds are sown.