How to Plant Chickory

The beautiful blue of a chicory flower.

Chicory is a perennial, leafy plant that belongs to the same family as daisies. It is also very closely related to what can be a gardener's biggest foe: the common dandelion. Originally from Europe, chicory is found growing along roadsides and meadows throughout the United States. It produces sky-blue colored flowers 3/4 inch to 1 inch in width throughout the summer.

Chicory's tolerance of drought and its ability to reseed itself have made some wildflower purists view it as a weed rather than a wildflower.

You may plant chicory from seed in the spring or fall.

Things You'll Need

• Chicory seed
• Hoe
• Spade, garden fork or rototiller
• Fertilizer
• Fertilizer spreader (optional)
• Organic matter (optional)
• Ruler, stick or trowel
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Locate a suitable growing site for the chicory. For best growth the location should be in full sun.

2. Remove all weeds and other vegetation from the site you've chosen. You may use a long-handled or short-handle garden hoe to accomplish this.

3. Work the soil in the selected site to a depth of approximately 8 to 10 inches. For small-scale planting of chicory, use a spade or a garden fork. Use a rototiller for large scale planting.

4. Incorporate fertilizer or organic matter into the soil.

   If using fertilizer, measure out 4 to 6 cups of a 16-16-8 or 25-5-5 blend for every 100 square feet of bed. Broadcast it out over the soil either by hand or by a fertilizer spreader.

   If using organic matter, lay out between 2 and 4 inches of aged manure, compost or leaf mold. Work either the fertilizer or organic matter into the top 6 inches of soil using a rototiller or garden fork.

5. Create rows 12 to 16 inches wide in the planting site. Measure the distance between each row so that they are spaced between 18 and 24 inches apart.

6. Make 1/4-inch deep furrows along the center of each row with a stick, trowel or the long side of a ruler.

7. Plant the chicory seeds at a rate of about 12 to 15 seeds to every foot of row. Scoop approximately 1/4 inch of soil over the row of seeds, then water the seed bed thoroughly.

8. Water the seed bed daily if necessary to keep it moist. The chicory seeds will begin to sprout in about six to 14 days depending on conditions. When watering, use a gentle spray rather than a heavy stream in order to avoid displacing the seeds.

9. Thin the seedlings to one every 9 to 12 inches. Do this when they are about 3 to 4 inches tall. To accomplish this, use a pair of scissors to cut each seedling off at the soil line.

Tips & Warnings

• According to Gerald Klingaman, retired horticulturist at the University of Arkansas Extension, chicory planted in the spring will be ready for harvesting approximately 60 days after planting.

References

• University of Arkansas: Chicory Planting
• Pennsylvania State University: Information on Chicory
• Utah State University: Planting Chicory