Other names
endive, chiccory, succory
Botanical name
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum
Plant category
Leaf Salad
General
Chicory belongs to the cichorium family and is a relative of the mostly blue-flowering wild chicory. They are medicinal plants that have pain-relieving properties and other positive health effects. Chicory coffee is also made from its relatives and is said to be very healthy. But back to chicory as a salad vegetable – growing it isn't quite that simple. It doesn't grow in the garden the way you know it from the supermarket.
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Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun
Nutrient requirements
Medium feeder
Difficulty level
Expert
Culture (according to Gertrud Franck)
A - tall or wide crops, almost year-round
Row spacing
50 cm
Plant spacing
10 cm
Growth height
40 - 70 cm
Sowing depth
2 cm
Germination temperature (minimum)
12 °C
Germination temperature (optimal)
20 - 25 °C
Germination type
Dark
Times
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Direct sowing
Harvest
Harvest (next year)
Direct sowing from Early May to Late May. Harvest begins around Early November and continues until Late March next year.
Neighbourhood
Good neighbours
Bad neighbours
Crop rotation
Bad predecessors
Very bad predecessors
Bad successors
Very bad successors
Harvest and processing
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