Growing Chicory, also Witloof, Belgian endive

Cichorium intybus : Asteraceae / the daisy family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S                  
        T              
      P P              

(Best months for growing Chicory in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 68°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 10 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 16-24 weeks. Will need forcing before final harvest.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots, onions, Florence fennel, tomatoes.
  • Forced (blanched) witloof

Prepare to store for forcing at around 4 - 5 months. The second stage, blanching will take 8 - 12 weeks.

To Blanch: Lift the plants and cut off the leaves about 5 cm (2 in) above the roots. Shorten the roots to about 20 - 25cm (8 - 10 in) and replant close together (3 - 5 cm apart)in a pot filled with loose soil. Keep damp but not soggy.

Cover to exclude light and keep out of the sunlight, but not below 10 °C (50 °F)

Exclude light until you use the witloof, if it goes green it will be bitter.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Chicory

Good in salads.
Grill lightly with butter.
Bake with ham and cheese.

Your comments and tips

18 Jun 16, james kwon (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Is available at my area? what is this vegi good for?
21 Mar 23, GodsChild17 (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Chicory is used as a coffee substitute, you use the roots of the plant. People used it this way during the Great Depression. Yes you absolutely can grow any plant you want to grow just make sure to plant things for your zone at the right time of the year… every page at the top has a click down menu so you can pick your growing zone and choose whatever plant you’re wanting to grow. Also you can always go to Google and type in zone 9A planting guide and then at the top click images and there is a ton of printable guides…. Also the back of every seed packet tells you also.

Chicory, including the red variety called radicchio in Australia, is a very diverse group of plants from small and mid-sized pale and dark green varieties grown for their leaves and stems, variegated red and green heading varieties to red heading varieties with white ribs such as the classic Treviso, palla rossa, rossa di Verona etc. There are also varieties, including witloof or Belgian endive (actually a chicory) that near maturity leaves are cut off at ground level and the roots either lifted and replanted in a dark area such as a cellar or covered by a light-excluding bucket or the like. the shoots are white or pale coloured because they are grown in the dark. Grumolo varieties of chicory are treated similarly, except they are grown with full light exposure after cutting and develop the most attractive rosettes of either red or green leaves. Small cutting chicories such as zuccherina di Trieste can be grown all but mid summer in temperate zones, while the larger varieties, particularly the heading varieties need to mature in cool or cold weather so need to be planted in mid to late summer. Think of them as savoy cabbages or Brussel sprouts.

- Geoff

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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