What are the other names for chicory? Detailed guide to growing it from seed
Chicory is a plant with medicinal, culinary and ornamental value. The leaves of chicory can be used to make salads, and the roots contain aromatic compounds, inulin and so on, and can be used to make a coffee substitute. Chicory is distributed in many parts of China and likes to grow beside fields or hillsides with plenty of light, and is suitable for planting in gardens, flower beds and other places for ornamental effect. Let us take a look below at what the other names for chicory are and how to grow it from seed.
1. What are the other names for chicory?
The other names for chicory are bitter lettuce, bitter greens, kasni, curly-leaf bitter chicory, eye-brightening vegetable and coffee-plant; it is a plant with fairly straight stems and blue-green flowers.
Chicory is distributed all over the world. In China it is mainly found in Beijing (Baihua Mountain), Liaoning (Dalian), Shanxi (Fenyang), Heilongjiang (Raohe), Shaanxi (Meixian, Xi'an, Zhouzhi), Xinjiang (Altay, Habahe, Tacheng, Toli, Fuhai, Yumin, Bole, Shawan, Manas, Urumqi, Miquan, Yining, Chabucha'er), Jiangxi (Suichuan) and other areas.
As early as the ancient Roman period, poets recorded this species, which was eaten as a food; today this ingredient is also often used in French cooking. Chicory has a certain medicinal value, especially having a certain effect on poor appetite, nephritic edema and so on.
2. How are chicory seeds grown?
1. Treating chicory seeds
Before sowing chicory seeds, the seeds should be placed in a cool, well-ventilated place to dry for two days, but be careful not to leave them outdoors in the burning sun; the drying is mainly to raise the germination rate of the seeds.
Generally, chicory seeds imported from abroad have been treated with special fungicides and can be sown dry. If the chicory seeds are bought domestically, they need to be soaked in cool water in advance, the seeds floating on the surface removed, and the sunken chicory seeds selected; after the moisture is dried off, they can be sown.
2. Sowing time
The climate and geographical environment differ from region to region, so the sowing time for chicory seeds also differs. Generally, early June to late July is fairly suitable for sowing, but the specific time should be decided according to local conditions. The dibbling method saves some seeds compared with the direct sowing method.
3. Preparing the land
One month before sowing, the soil should be deeply ploughed and then given plenty of base fertilizer, which helps the chicory seeds grow.
4. Sowing method
If chicory seeds are sown by the direct sowing method, ridges should first be made for planting, and the row spacing and plant spacing should be well controlled. After sowing, water immediately, but do not let it wash over the top. Water once before the seedlings emerge, and water once more with a root-setting watering after the seedlings emerge. When chicory has grown two or three true leaves, the first thinning can be carried out, and when it has grown four or five true leaves, the second thinning can be carried out.