CHICORY-WITLOOF
CHICORY-WITLOOF
A$3.50
Availability: 71 in stock
Cichorium Endivia
CHICORY-WITLOOF traditionally is quite fine when grown as a standard salad green. It originated in Belgium in the mid-1800s. Witloof is Flemish for “white leaf.” The plant produces excellent yields of 30 to 45 cm tall light green chicory. A European delicacy now popular all over the world. It is very sweet & delicious. Adds color and flavor to mixed salad and is great when lightly cooked. Also known as Belgium Endive. Excellent choice for home gardens and specialty market growers. A 1800s heirloom variety from Belgium. The roots can be dried and roasted as a coffee substitute. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination. This plant grows best in rich soil but also adapts well to poor soil.
| Germination Time (Days) | 10 – 14 |
| Maturity Time (Days) | 70 – 90 |
| Sowing Depth (mm) | 6 – 12 |
| Plant Spacing (cm) | 20 |
| Row Spacing (cm) | 30 |
| pH | 4.5 – 5.5 |
| Soil Temperature (°C) | – |
| Hardy / Frost Tender | Hardy |
| Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings | Sow Direct |
| Seed Preparation | – |
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
30 - 45 cm (1 - 1.5 feet)
Season of Interest
Autumn, Winter
Temperature Range
10 - 24 °C
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Biennial (grown a an annual)
Frost Hardy / Tender
Frost Hardy
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun to Part Shade
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Raise seedlings indoors, transplant after frost
Soil
Well-drained, deep, fertile soil
pH
6.0 - 7.5
Soil Temperature
10 - 22 °C (50 - 72 °F)
Seed Preparation
: No special preparation needed
Sowing Depth
1 cm (0.5 inch)
Plant Spacing
30 cm (12 inches)
Row spacing
45 cm (18 inches)
Watering
Regular watering to keep the soil evenly moist
Germination Time (Days)
7 - 10 days
Harvest Time (Days)
150 - 180 days
Good Companion Plants
Lettuce, Endive, Beets, Onions, Spinach
Bad Companion Plants
Beans, Peas, and Fennel
Pests
Aphids, Slugs, Snails, and Root Maggots
Diseases
Powdery mildew, Root rot, Fusarium wilt
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
