Chicory is a hardy perennial, usually grown as an annual. Chicories have a distinctive, slightly bitter taste and are a useful, colorful salad crop for the winter. Their leaves come in a wide range of shapes and colors, some produce hears, and some can be forced or blanched to reduce bitterness. Chicory is a good container crop.

Chicory has a wide range of cultivars; Witloof chicory is grown primarily for forcing. Red chicory (Radicchio) has a compacted heart. The best color develops from shortening days and cool nights, though new cultivars are naturally red. Cutting chicory produces small rosettes of leaves for cutting.

Sugarloaf chicories look rather like large, green cos lettuces when mature, and are harvested in autumn. Plants are drought resistant once established, and withstand light frost. It can be grown as a seedling-cutting crop. Organic and heirloom cultivars are available

Ideal Site- Avoid very light or heavy soils. Chicory will tolerate some shade. Witloof chicories need deep soil to produce good roots for forcing. Grow non-forcing types in a cool hoop house or greenhouse for early and late crops and over winter. Chicories are decorative enough for containers or at the front of the border. No soil treatment is needed for most soils, especially those improved by a previous crop. The ideal soil pH for chicory is 5.5-7.5

Cultivation- Minimum germination temperature is 50F (10C). Germination rates are usually high, use thinning for salads.

Plant Care- Water until established in dry weather, then chicory will withstand dry conditions without much watering. It may need row covers or cloches if hard frosts are forecast. Dig roots to start blanching suitable varieties in late autumn and winter.

Problems- Chicory is usually trouble free although slugs can be a problem on forced or blanched plants.

Harvesting- Forcing Chicory: Cut chicons when tips show through soil (if blanched with soil) or 4-5 in (10-13cm) tall under cover. Cut 1in. (2.5cm) above the neck. Roots may grow another shoot.

Sugarloaf: Cut when large enough. The stump may resprout. Red Chicory: Cut once hearts form, leaving stumps to respout or pick individual leaves. This cultivar is quite frost hardy, cover with  row covers  or cloches to harvest over winter. Harvest seedling cutting chicory when about 1 in (2.5cm) tall.

Nutrients- Chicory is a good source of Thiamin, Niacin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.