Chicory

Chicory is a popular salad vegetable.

It should be planted in soil that is moist, dug deeply and well-manured.

Sow chicory seeds in late May or early June, in rows that are about 1 foot apart.

Thin the seeds out to 9 inches apart later on.

As the chicory grows, hoe the soil and water it occasionally.

Because chicory plants have very deep roots, they handle dry weather better than many other vegetables.

Around the beginning of November, the leaves will have died down and you will be able to lift the roots.

Trim any remaining leaves and rub off any small shoots.

Cut the roots at the bottom so that they are all the same length, between 8 inches and 10 inches long.

You can then store the chicory indoors in moist soil or sand so that it can be forced - grown during the winter.

Chicory can be forced as soon as the roots are lifted.

You can plant the celery in a box that is about 1 feet deep. Place the plants about 5 feet apart, so that the tops are about 1 inch above the surface.

Water the chicory gently, and then place another box, that is about 10 feet deep, upside down on top of it.

Leave the entire set-up in a dark area, such as a cellar.

You can force chicory outdoors by placing the plants in a trench that is 2 feet wide and 16 inches deep. Fill the trench with light, dry, fine soil.

Set the roots in so that the tops are 8 inches below the level of the ground.

Then fill the trench with soil, and place a hotbed over the trench. The hotbed should be 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep.

Every week, cover up another length of trench with an additional piece of hotbed.

Each section will be ready to eat about a month after it had been covered.

If the soil is heavy, a trench may become waterlogged if it rains heavily. Instead, set the roots inside boards that are placed on the soil surface.

Covering the chicory will blanch it and make it taste better.

Sometimes, endive with curly leaves is also known as chicory.