How to grow Chicory?
- Latin Family: Asteraceae
- Latin Genus: Cichorium
- Ease of Growing: Moderate
- Growing Type: Annual
Chicory is cultivated for three quite different foods, greens, roots (for coffee) and shoots (known as chicons or Belgium Endive) and specific varieties have been bred for each purpose.
Chicory History
This perennial has a history of cultivation dating back to the ancient Egyptians. It has long been a popular salad plant in France, Belgium and Italy. It was introduced into North America as a food plant by early European settlers and is now naturalized across most of the country.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 5.0 - 6.8
- PH Ideal (min/max): 5.5 - 6.0
Chicory thrives in most soil types, but for easier harvesting, a loose, rich and fairly moist soil is best otherwise roots may rot. It can be grown in an acid soil.
How to care for Chicory?
It is important to keep the young plants free of weeds. This deep rooted plant is very drought tolerant. However, keeping the soil evenly moist at all times will reduce the bitter flavor and lower the chances of bolting.
Water
Chicory is like lettuce in that it likes moist, cool soil. Hot weather makes its leaves bitter.
Fertilizer
For good growth the plants must have all the nutrients they need. If the soil is poor give them a liquid feed of compost tea, or liquid kelp, every 3 weeks.
Seeds
Seed Viability: 4 - 8 Years
Germination Percentage: 70.0
Chicory sets seed very easily if allowed to. The flowers are pollinated by insects and will cross-pollinate with endive or Wild Chicory (which is a common wild flower). To keep a variety pure you must isolate it by a 1/2 mile, or cage it. It is quite hard to separate the individual seeds from the flowers, so they are often stored in the dried flower heads. You have to crush the dry flower heads to release the seeds.
Light
Part shade
In warm conditions it will probably do better in light shade. The plant is similar to Lettuce in many ways, including its tendency to turn bitter or bolt in hot weather.
Conditions:Warm
Season:Long Season
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Full sun is important when Chicory is growing in cool weather. The plant is similar to Lettuce in many ways, including its tendency to turn bitter or bolt in hot weather.
Conditions:Cool
Season:Long Season
Storage
Store the leafy heads like lettuce, in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week.
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-7 days
Store the chicons in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-30 days
Problems
Cutworms when small
Chicory Types
- Chicory
Chicory is cultivated for three quite different foods, greens, roots (for coffee), and shoots (known as chicons) and specific varieties have been bred for each purpose.
Pests
- Deer
- Leafhoppers
- Leafminers
- Slugs and snails
- Aphids
- Birds
- Cutworms
- Flea Beetle
- Gophers
- Groundhog
- Nematodes
- Rabbits
- Thrips
- Wireworm
Diseases
- Bacterial Spot
- Damping Off
- Downy Mildew
- Powdery Mildew
Related Plants
Greens, Juicing
Sprouts
Seacale
Kohlrabi
Collards
Anise
Caraway
Cumin
Cauliflower
Culantro