Chicory

You grow chicory in two stages: in late autumn, after the first light frosts, carefully dig the roots up with a digging fork, cut the foliage off just above the crown without damaging the heart, and store them closely packed in moist sand, cool and frost-free (cellar, unheated shed or a cold frame covered with leaves). For forcing, after a cool resting period, stand the roots in the dark at mild room temperature and cover them loosely with soil; after a few weeks you cut off the pale shoots, and the root sprouts again.

You propagate chicory exclusively from seed. Sow directly in the bed from mid-April to mid-June. Earlier sowings allow forcing from November, later ones from January. Sow the seeds in rows 30 to 40 cm apart, only 0.5 to 1 cm deep; at about 22 °C they germinate after 7 to 14 days. After a few weeks, thin the young plants to 10 to 15 cm apart. In October/November, when the leaves turn yellow, carefully dig up the roots (aim: 15 to 20 cm long, 3 to 6 cm in diameter). Cut the foliage off 4 cm above the root and store the roots in moist sand at 0 to 3 °C. For forcing, stand the roots upright, close together, in moist sand or soil at 12 to 18 °C in complete darkness; after 3 to 6 weeks the pale, tender shoots are ready to harvest. Light would produce chlorophyll and bitter compounds, so be sure to keep them covered.