Sowing calendar · Leafy
Chicory
Cichorium intybus · Chicória, Achicoria, Chicorée, Zichorie, Cicoria, almeirão
Calendar
Calendar for mainland Portugal.
- Sow in traysFeb–Mar, Jul–Sep
- Sow directMar–Apr, Jul–Sep
- TransplantMar–May, Aug–Oct
- HarvestOct–Apr
- Germination
- 5–14 days · soil from 5 °C
- Spacing
- 30 cm between rows · 25 cm apart
- Sowing depth
- 0.5 cm
- Harvest after
- 70–120 days
- Water need
- medium
- Frost
- hardy
- Life cycle
- biennial
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Seed saving
- medium · keeps ~6 years
Notes
Leaf chicories (catalogna, radicchio, almeirão) are pleasantly bitter and at their best in the cool months: in Portugal sow in late summer and pick from autumn to spring; spring sowings bolt fast once it gets hot. Cut whole heads or pick outer leaves, and keep the soil evenly moist. Witloof types are grown for the root, which is lifted in autumn and forced in the dark to give pale chicons.
Good neighbours
Sources
Months for mainland Portugal. In the app, sowing and planting follow your own local climate and the forecast.