2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Common chicory (lat. Cichorium intybus) - a perennial herb of the genus Chicory of the family Astrovye, or Compositae. The people often call the plant a blue flower, roadside grass, shcherbak. Natural habitat - temperate and tropical regions of Eurasia, New Zealand, South and North America, North Africa. On the territory of the Russian Federation, common chicory is found in the Caucasus, Siberia, the Urals and in the European part. As a weed, chicory grows on forest glades, roadsides, meadows, grassy slopes, fields and wastelands, often in the mountains.
Characteristics of culture
In cultivated form, common chicory is a biennial plant that forms a long taproot and lactic acid as it grows. Stem green or grayish-green, twig-like, straight, rough over the entire surface, branched, up to 150 cm high. Shoots curly-hairy or bristly, strongly deviating, thickened towards the apex.
Basal leaves are whole or pinnately divided, serrated along the edge, narrowed to the petiole. Stem leaves are few, small, lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate. Inflorescences are baskets located at the top of the stem, on the lateral shoots and in the axils of the stem leaves, several pieces. The corolla is blue, blue or white. The fruit is an oblong pentahedral achene of light brown color.
Growing conditions
Plots for growing common chicory are preferred well-lit areas. Soils are desirable fertile, loose, water and air permeable, with a pH of 6, 0-7, 0. Moderately moist sandy loam and loamy soils are optimal. The culture does not tolerate strongly acidic, heavy clay soils with a large content of fresh manure.
The best predecessors are cucumbers, onions, cabbage and legumes. It is not recommended to grow common chicory after Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, carrots, tarragon, parsley and artichoke. The culture is cold-resistant, adult plants can endure short-term frosts down to -6C, and root crops - up to -30C.
Soil preparation and sowing
In the fall, immediately after the harvest of the predecessor, a thorough digging is carried out with the simultaneous introduction of rotted manure. In the spring, loosening and top dressing are carried out with complex mineral fertilizers and wood ash.
The timing of sowing chicory depends on the selected variety and planting method. Sowing is usually carried out from March to June, in countries with a warm climate - from March to August. You can grow a crop, both by seedling and by sowing seeds in open ground. For seedlings, chicory is sown at the end of March in seedling containers. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings dive into individual pots.
In open ground, seedlings are planted at the age of 30-40 days. The distance between the rows should be about 30-40 cm, between the plants - 20-30 cm. You can also plant the culture in a square-nested way according to the scheme 25 * 25 cm or 30 * 30 cm.
Care
Care consists in periodic deep loosening of the aisles, regular watering, weeding, and thinning of seedlings (when sowing crops in open ground). Water the plants with warm water, during a prolonged drought and the formation of root crops, the amount of watering is increased. Top dressing is carried out as needed.
Harvesting and storage
The collection of root crops is carried out in October-November (depending on climatic conditions). Root crops are dug out with a garden pitchfork, then the aboveground part is cut 3-4 cm above the neck and placed horizontally in boxes with dry sand or sawdust.
Application
Common chicory roots are a source of fructose and are often used for alcohol production. Root syrups are used in canning and confectionery industries. Also, chicory roots are added in the preparation of various vegetable salads.
Has not spared common chicory and medicine. Drinks with antimicrobial and astringent effects are obtained from the roots. Infusions and from chicory tone up the work of the cardiovascular system and have a calming effect on the nervous system. And the list of useful properties does not end there.
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