Chicory

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Chicory (lat. Cichorium) - a genus of biennial and perennial herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae family. The genus includes twelve species, of which only two are cultivated - Leaf chicory (or Vitluf) and Common chicory.

Spreading

Natural range - Europe, Asia and North Africa, some wild species can be found in South America, Australia and New Zealand. Typical growing areas are roadsides, forest edges, meadows, wastelands, field edges, country paths.

Currently, chicory is cultivated in many countries of the world, large plantations of chicory are cultivated in Europe, more precisely, in Belgium, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. In Russia, chicory is grown mainly in the Novgorod, Ivanovo and Yaroslavl regions.

Characteristics of culture

Chicory is a perennial herb with a thick, fusiform root. In Russia and other countries, the plant is cultivated as an annual or biennial. The root system is pivotal, strong, deeply penetrating. The stem is rigid, erect, slightly leafy, covered with short hairs over the entire surface. The leaves are oblong, rounded or narrowed at the ends, equipped with a pronounced central vein, arranged alternately.

The flowers are blue, less often pinkish or white, collected in baskets with a double wrap. The outer leaves of the envelope are shortened, bent, and the inner ones are erect. The fruit is a prismatic achene with a film tuft. From one chicory bush, you can collect about 25 thousand seeds. Chicory blooms in early summer, the fruits ripen in August-September, sometimes in October.

Growing conditions

Cultivated species of chicory do not impose special requirements on soil conditions. However, to obtain better yields, it is desirable to grow plants in areas with fertile, breathable, moderately moist, slightly acidic or neutral soil. Optimal light loamy and sandy loamy soils. It does not accept chicory of acidic, heavy clayey, waterlogged and waterlogged soils.

Chicory is a cold-resistant plant, seeds germinate at a temperature of 7-8C, seedlings can withstand short-term frosts down to -5C, and root crops - up to -20C. Cucumbers, all types of cabbage, onions and legumes are good precursors. Do not plant chicory after carrots, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, parsley, artichoke and tarragon (tarragon). The lighting of the site is preferable to intense, full shade can lead to rotting of the root system, and subsequently to death.

Soil preparation and sowing

The preparation of the site for chicory is carried out in the fall, immediately after harvesting the predecessor. First, shallow loosening with a rake is carried out, rotted manure is introduced, and after two weeks it is dug to a depth of 25-30 cm. In the spring, the ridges are loosened again and fed with complex mineral fertilizer and wood ash. The sowing time of chicory depends on the cultivation method and the variety selected. Sowing for seedlings is carried out in March-April, and in open ground - in May.

With the seedling method, chicory seeds are sown in special containers. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, seedlings dive into peat-humus pots. Seedlings are planted in open ground at the age of 30-35 days. The distance between plants in a row should be about 20-30 cm, between rows - 30-40 cm. When sowing a crop directly into the ground, with the appearance of entrances, thinning is carried out, if necessary, in the phase of 5-6 true leaves, this procedure is repeated.

Care

The main procedures for caring for chicory: loosening the aisles, watering, weeding and feeding. Primary feeding is carried out during planting, secondary - after 2-3 weeks. Perfect for this purpose: potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and superphosphate. Water the crop as the soil dries up. You can mulch the near-stem zone, this will prevent the appearance of weeds and reduce the amount of watering.

Application

Chicory is widely used in cooking. The root of the plant is used as a substitute for coffee, and the leaves are used in salads and side dishes. Some varieties, such as Express, Blanca, Tardivo or Productive, are good for growing leafy heads, which have excellent taste characteristics, they contain a large amount of vitamin B and carotene. Chicory is useful for people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, digestive system and liver. Decoctions and extracts from root vegetables increase appetite, help with anemia and diabetes treatment.