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

09 Oct 23, Annemieke Tempelaars (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Where can I buy the seeds? To grow witlof myself can I buy that on line, I'm in Invercargill NZ
29 Aug 23, Perya Short (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Can anyonenadvise please where I can buy chicory seeds in the Wellington region? Or links to sites that sell online in NZ?
06 Sep 23, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Google seed selling companies.
20 Dec 21, Hans zwets (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Where in the western cape can I buy witlof .?
21 Sep 22, Bee-Pie (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Seeds for Africa and Livingseeds.co.za sell seeds.
09 Mar 22, Marius (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
I bought mine online from Living seeds (www.livingseeds.co.za). They are in Henley-on-Klip, Gauteng.
04 Jan 22, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Google where to buy it.
08 Jul 21, Ria De Wild (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I live in Papatoetoe and have been to many supermarkets to look for Witlof , Nobody knows where to buy it please help me
01 Aug 21, Wendy (New Zealand - temperate climate)
The Dutch market in Cambridge sells it. They are a monthly market, though don't always have endive.
21 Jul 21, (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Seed selling companies on the internet.
Showing 1 - 10 of 65 comments

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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