Chicory Growing Guide

Soil

Rich, moisture-retentive soil with plenty of compost dug in.

Position

Full sun.

Frost tolerant

Tolerates frost but is injured by hard freezes.

Feeding

Drench with an organic liquid plant food when heads begin to form.

Companions

Endive, Mizuna, Tatsoi and Mustard.

Spacing

Single Plants: 9″ (25cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 7″ (20cm) with 11″ (30cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Start seeds indoors or sow them where you want plants to grow in early spring or early fall. Chicory grows best when temperatures are cool.

Notes

In early winter, plants can be forced and blanched by replanting in a deep soil-filled box in a warm place during winter.

Harvesting

Some varieties are more bolt resistant than others when grown in spring.

Troubleshooting

Bitter flavor is often due to hot weather.

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