Growing Chicory Successfully

Where to grow chicory?

The endive or Witloof chicory thrives best in full sun, in moderately rich, deep and moist soil. Heavy soils are perfectly suitable.

When and how to sow chicory?

Endive seeds should be sown in May, directly in the ground.

• Start by thoroughly preparing the soil: weed, loosen the earth with a spade, then refine the soil with a rake.
• Sow the seeds sparingly, planting them 2 cm deep in rows spaced 30 cm apart.
• Water gently.
• Once the seedlings are well developed (at the 3–4 leaf stage), thin them out to leave only one plant every 15 cm.

Once germinated and thinned, Witloof chicory requires no specific maintenance, except for regular hoeing, weeding, and watering. We recommend mulching the soil. This will reduce the need for weeding while helping the soil retain moisture.

How to force chicory?

The purpose of forcing is to deprive chicory of light in order to obtain beautifully blanched leaves.

From October until the end of November, uproot the chicory plants and keep only the roots with a diameter greater than 4 centimetres. Preparing the roots involves cutting the leaves 1 cm above the crown and trimming any forked tips and lateral roots.

Uprooting chicory roots before forcing

Forcing in open ground:

This is done as follows:

• Dig a trench 25 cm deep and 1.2 metres wide,
• Place the roots vertically, side by side, fill the gaps with fine soil and water thoroughly,
• Cover with 20 cm of fine soil, a thick layer of dead leaves or straw, then a plastic sheet or metal plate.

Forcing in a cellar:

This method allows for quicker harvests. After uprooting, store the roots in a clamp for successive forcing, carried out as follows:

• Place the roots vertically in a box at least 20 cm high, fill the gaps with soil mixed with sand or peat, leaving the crowns exposed,
• Cover with black plastic or place the container in complete darkness at a temperature of 10–16°C,
• Keep the soil moist.

For this type of forcing, hybrid F1 varieties such as ‘Zoom F1’ are particularly well suited.

Chicory forced in open ground

Potential diseases

The main disease affecting chicory is sclerotinia. This fungal disease causes chicory to rot. To prevent it, carefully select roots for forcing by discarding any that are soft or show signs of mould. As a preventive measure, you can sprinkle powdered charcoal around the chicory crowns before forcing.

When and how to harvest chicory?

Chicory can be harvested from 30 days up to 120 days after the start of forcing. The growth rate depends on the variety, as well as the temperature of the forcing location: outdoor forcing takes longer than cellar forcing.

To harvest, simply cut the chicory with a knife at the base of the stem.

Chicory ready for harvest