Chalky / Alkaline / Clay / Heavy / Moist / Well Drained / Light / Sandy
Chicory is a bitter-tasting vegetable, used as a winter crop and harvested to eat in autumn and early spring salads. The leaves can have a bitter taste, but blanching these before eating can help reduce this bitterness. It thrives in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. There are three different types of chicory: 'forcing' chicory, red chicory or radicchio and 'non-forcing' chicory.
Cichorium intybus 'Variegato di Castelfranco' is a glorious 'non-forcing' chicory which grows a lot like lettuce. It bears pretty variegated green leaves with maroon spots. Harvest young leaves on a cut-and-come-again basis or allow hearts to develop and use whole in stir-fries.
Sow Cichorium intybus 'Variegato di Castelfranco' seeds direct, 1.5cm deep in well-prepared soil, from April to August. Alternatively raise in modules under glass from March. Thin out to 25-30cm apart between plants. Module-grown plants can be transplanted to a cloche in autumn to extend the season.
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Cichorium ‘Variegato di castelfranco’ and wildlife
Cichorium ‘Variegato di castelfranco’ has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Cichorium ‘Variegato di castelfranco’ poisonous?
Cichorium ‘Variegato di castelfranco’ has no toxic effects reported.
