Detailed Explanation of Chicory Planting Methods and Technical Key Points

We may not know much about chicory, but its efficacy and value are both very good. Chicory is a treasure from top to bottom: its tender sprouts can be eaten, its leaves can be used as forage, and its roots can be used as medicine. In recent years, a tea called chicory tea has also appeared on the market. It is made from many medicinal materials, and the main ingredient is chicory root. So today what we are going to learn about is its planting methods. Let's take a look together.

1. Land preparation and fertilization

Chicory can grow in clay, loam, or sandy soil alike. It does not have high requirements for soil, but it grows better in slightly acidic soil. When preparing the land, we should carry out scientific land preparation according to the characteristics of chicory seeds. Chicory seeds are very small, so the soil in the planting site should be prepared relatively fine, then evenly spread with a sufficient amount of farmyard manure as base fertilizer, and finally plow the land once more and rake the soil flat, and then it is ready for sowing.

2. Sowing at the right time

Before sowing, the seeds need to be treated. About one week before sowing, the seeds need to be placed in a cool and well-ventilated place to be sun-dried. After two days, collect them and put them in cold water to soak. After the seeds are soaked through, remove them and drain the water, and then they can be sown. We generally sow from June to early August each year. The sowing methods include direct sowing, drilling, and seedling transplanting, but the most commonly used is still drilling, because this is simpler and also convenient for management.

3. Reasonable close planting

After the seeds sprout, first we need to check how the chicory seedlings are growing in the field, whether there are places missing seedlings or places where the seedlings are too dense. If these two situations occur, thinning and replanting should be carried out in time to ensure uniform seedlings in the field. If seedling transplanting is used, ensure that each plant has at least three seedlings, and keep the distance between each plant at about 15 to 20 cm.

4. Field management

Field management for chicory is relatively simple. It mainly involves three aspects: fertilization, watering, and pest and disease control. When the seedlings grow to about 5 cm, fertilization is needed, mainly with urea, with an appropriate amount of trace fertilizer added. Urea can be applied by broadcasting, but this is relatively wasteful, so it is best to use urea mixed with water for irrigation, so that watering and fertilization are completed in one step. If there is standing water in the field, it should be drained in time. At the same time, chicory does not need weeding. Finally, the common diseases of chicory include downy mildew and rot, which are diseases caused by excessive water in the field and too high humidity in the air. We can use chlorothalonil and carbendazim respectively for control. Its main pests are aphids and some underground pests. We can use dimethoate for control, and can also use pesticides targeting underground pests for root irrigation control.

5. Timely harvest

The branches and leaves of chicory can be harvested at least three to five times. For the first harvest, we can harvest after chicory sprouts when the sprouts are still yellow-white. The second harvest is when chicory grows to about 20 to 30 cm. After that, each harvest needs to be carried out when it has grown to a certain length. Finally, after the leaves are harvested, the roots are dug up.