Easy way on how to grow chicory plant

This particular plant is an herbaceous biennial that is not actually a native to the United States but has made itself there. Chicory plant can actually be found growing wild in many areas of the U.S. and is also used both for its leaves and its roots. Without been told this herb plants are easy to grow in the garden as a cool season crop. The primary means of growing chicory is seeds and transplants.

Different varieties of chicory

There are 2 major types of chicory plant. The witloof Chicory is grown for is large root, which is normally used to make a coffee supplement. Why the Radicchio is grown for is leaves, which may be in a tight head or a loosely packed bunch. The radicchio chicory is best harvested very young before it turns bitter.

The following are the varieties of each type of chicory;

The witloof chicory plants to grow are:  Zoom, Flash, Daliva. Some of the varieties for planting chicory for leaves are Firebird, Rossa di Verona, Giulio, Rossa di Treviso.

How to plant Chicory

The chicory seeds can be started indoors 5 to 6 weeks before they are moved outdoors. In warm climates, sowing outdoors or transplanting normally occurs September through March. Planting chicory in cooler climates should be done 3 to 4 weeks before the danger of frost has passed. Make sure you sow the chicory seeds 6 to 10 inches apart in rows that are two to three feet apart. Make sure you thin the plants if they crowd each other but close planting discourages weeds. You can plant the seeds ¼ inch deep and thinning should be done when the plants have 3 to 4 true leaves. If you like you can also sow a crop for fall harvest if you choose a variety that has an early maturation date. Don’t forget that planting the chicory seed 75 to 85 days before anticipated harvest will ensure a late crop. Don’t forget that chicory herb plants that are to be forced for blanched leaves will really need to have the roots dug up before the first frost. Make sure you cut the leaves to one inch and store the roots for 3 to 7 weeks in the refrigerator before forcing. You can plant the roots individually after chilling to force the leaves to grow in a tight, blanched head.

Without been told learning how to grow chicory is similar to learning how to grow most lettuces or greens. Actually there cultivation is very similar. This particular plant requires a well drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Chicory plant performs best when temperatures are below 75 degrees F. (24 C.). To actually care for this plant requires vigilant weeding and a mulch to prevent moisture loss and further weed growth. This plant actually requires one to two inches of water per week or enough to keep the soil evenly moist and reduce the chance of drought stress. Chicory plant is fertilized with ¼-cup of nitrogen based fertilizer such as a 21-0-0 per 10 feet of row. It should be applied approximately four weeks after transplant or once the plants have been thinned.