How to Grow Chicory? Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Precautions
Chicory belongs to the Asteraceae family. Its flower shape is not much different from most chrysanthemums, with colors mainly light purple or blue, elegant and refined. Chicory not only has “beauty”, but also has extremely high economic value and medicinal value. So how should chicory be grown? Below, let's learn about chicory's planting techniques in detail with the editor!
How to Grow Chicory
1. Soil
Chicory is suitable for an environment with loose soil and fertile soil, preferably neutral to slightly acidic soil. Before sowing, organic fertilizer should be applied, and the soil should be leveled and finely broken up, and weeds and other debris should be completely removed. The surface layer of the soil needs to be compacted and pressed firm.
2. Sowing
There are mainly three ways to sow: drilling, raising seedlings, and root cutting. As long as the temperature is above 5 degrees, sowing can be carried out. For drilling, first mix the seeds well with fine sandy soil, and generally sow at a depth of 1 to 2 cm. When using this method, the soil moisture level must be ensured, and the soil covering must not be too much. For raising seedlings, first water the soil, then mix fine sand and seeds evenly, then scatter them on the seedling bed, put on 1 to 2 cm of plant ash, and keep the soil moist. When the plant has about 6 leaves, it is time to transplant. At this time, 4/5 of the leaves need to be removed, and then water promptly. The root cutting method is to divide the fleshy chicory root into small 2 cm sections, then wait for seedlings to emerge and transplant.
3. Care
About five days after sowing, seedlings generally emerge uniformly. It should be noted that after emergence, fertilizer should be applied promptly, generally using nitrogen fertilizer and urea, to help the young plants grow quickly. Chicory is relatively afraid of waterlogging, so drainage should be timely to prevent the formation of standing water. After each harvest, remember to fertilize and water to ensure chicory's continued growth.
Chicory Planting Methods
1. Land preparation and fertilization: Before sowing, plow and rake level, apply 2500-3000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure per mu, and prepare the field ridges well for planting.
2. Seedling raising and transplanting: Mix the seeds with fine soil and sow evenly. Sow 50-100 grams per fen of seedling bed, which can provide enough for planting 1-2 mu of land. After sowing, as long as the temperature and water are suitable, they can germinate in about 5-8 days. When 4-5 leaves have grown, transplanting can be carried out, with a row spacing of 25-30 cm and a plant spacing of 10-15 cm.
3. Field management: Chicory seeds have strong vitality and strong adaptability. After sowing, they emerge easily, and can even stand as seedlings without soil covering. After standing, weeds are not as competitive as chicory. During growth, weeds naturally decrease. From half a month to one month after emergence, remove small and inferior seedlings, and apply a topdressing of balanced fertilizer once. After each cutting and use, irrigate and fertilize promptly to promote regrowth. After sowing, seedlings can generally emerge completely in 5 days, but special attention should be paid to applying quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer after emergence, 13 kg of urea per mu, to promote rapid growth of young seedlings. Weeds cannot compete with chicory, so no weeding is needed. If there is standing water in the field, it should be drained promptly because chicory is afraid of waterlogging. The key measure to maintain continuous high yield without decline for more than 10 years is: after each cutting, water and fertilize promptly.
Precautions for Growing Chicory
About five days after sowing, seedlings generally emerge uniformly. It should be noted that after emergence, fertilizer should be applied promptly, generally using nitrogen fertilizer and urea, to help the young plants grow quickly. Chicory is relatively afraid of waterlogging, so drainage should be timely to prevent the formation of standing water. After each harvest, remember to fertilize and water to ensure chicory's continued growth.
Chicory's Growth Habits
Chicory prefers a warm and humid climate, but is also cold-tolerant, heat-tolerant, and drought-resistant. It has relatively strong cold tolerance, is relatively salt-alkali tolerant, and likes fertilizer and water. It grows vigorously in the hot south, and in the cold north when the temperature is minus 8C, it still has green branches and leaves. It blooms in May, and the flowering period lasts as long as 4 months, with purple-blue flowers. It is also not strict about soil requirements and can grow in wasteland, large grasslands, large fields, and sloping land. It is suitable for planting all over the country.
Through the above content, I believe everyone has gained a certain understanding of chicory planting. In fact, friends who like it can also grow it in pots or in courtyards. As a decorative flower potted plant, it is also a very good choice!