How to Grow Chicory
Cichorium intybus
Chicory is a hardy cool-season vegetable that grows in most soils with full sun or light shade. Sow direct from late spring and thin to 20 cm apart; it needs little feeding but benefits from consistent moisture. The key tip is blanching — covering the hearts for 10–14 days before harvest dramatically reduces bitterness and produces the mild, tender leaves chicory is prized for.
In your Leaftide garden 
- Hardiness
- Hardy
- Season
- Cool Season
- Harvest
- Single Harvest
- Spacing
- 20 cm
- Height
- 60 cm
- Sow depth
- 0.5 cm
- Min. soil temperature
- 5°C+
- Start from
- Seed
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
When to Start
Direct sow outdoors as soon as soil reaches 5°C — typically early to mid spring. Hardy enough to tolerate light frosts.
Don't know your frost date? Find it here →
Growth Stages
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Apply a balanced fertiliser at sowing or planting. A mid-season liquid feed encourages strong heart formation but avoid over-feeding which promotes loose, bitter heads.
- Blanching the centre of mature plants for 10–14 days before harvest reduces bitterness significantly. Cover with a plate, pot, or dark fleece to exclude all light from the developing inner leaves.
Growing Conditions
- Min. soil temperature
- 5°C+
- Germination temperature
- 15–22°C
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 20 cm |
| Row spacing | 30 cm |
| Sow depth | 0.5 cm |
| Mature height | 60 cm |
| Mature spread | 30 cm |
Pests & Diseases
Pest Aphids
Identification: Colonies of grey or green aphids cluster on young shoots and leaf undersides, causing distorted growth and sticky honeydew.
- Remove by hand or spray with a strong jet of water.
- Insecticidal soap for heavy infestations.
Pest Slugs and Snails
Identification: Irregular holes rasped in leaves, especially on young transplants and during wet weather.
- Use copper tape barriers or beer traps.
- Apply organic slug pellets around the base of plants.
- Ferric phosphate pellets.
Pest Leaf Miners
Identification: Pale winding trails between leaf surfaces made by larvae of leaf-mining flies.
- Remove and destroy affected leaves.
- Cover plants with fine mesh netting to prevent egg-laying.
- No effective chemical control available to home gardeners.
Disease Downy Mildew Bremia lactucae
Symptoms: Yellow patches on upper leaf surfaces with a white-grey downy coating beneath.
Treatment: Remove affected leaves promptly.
Prevention: Improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering.
Disease Crown Rot Sclerotinia spp.
Symptoms: Base of the plant collapses; encouraged by wet, poorly drained soils.
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected plants.
Prevention: Ensure good drainage, avoid overwatering, and rotate chicory with unrelated crops each year.
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 5°C |
| Germination temperature | 15–22°C |
| Base growth temperature | 5°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 10h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | long day |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant Chicory?
- Plant Chicory 20cm apart with 30cm between rows.
- Is Chicory frost hardy?
- Chicory is classified as Hardy.