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key growing information
Italian Dandelion (Chicory) From Seed
How to grow Italian dandelion (cicoria) from seed: cool-season timing, heat dormancy, transplants or direct sowing, spacing, succession planting and harvest.
By Hensley’s Seed Co.
Italian Dandelion Chicory - Key Growing Information
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Cichorium intybus
CULTURE:
Italian dandelion is cold-hardy and can go in as soon as the ground can be worked. It's a cool-season crop that grows best at 60–65°F (15.5–18.3°C). Seed can go dormant if exposed to temperatures above 77°F (25°C) and germinates best with the soil at 60–68°F (15.5–20°C). For growing it as baby leaf, see the Baby Leaf Chicory culture.
DAYS TO MATURITY:
Counted from direct sowing; for transplants, take off 10–14 days.
TRANSPLANTING:
Sow in flats or in ¾" plug trays, covering seed only barely with fine vermiculite, 3–4 weeks before planting out. On warm, sunny days, shade the flats if needed so the soil surface stays under 75°F (24°C) until seedlings emerge. Harden seedlings off for 2–3 days by cutting back water and temperature; well-hardened transplants can withstand temperatures as low as 20°F (-6°C). For full-size bunches, space plants 6–8" apart and cut leaves at any stage, preferably before they pass 10" tall.
DIRECT SEEDING:
Plant seeds 1" apart in rows 12–18" apart, cover about 1/8" deep, and firm the soil gently. Thin to 6–8" as soon as you can handle the seedlings. Water dry soil to keep it cool and moist for even germination.
AVG. DIRECT SEEDING RATE:
For single heads: about 1,900' per oz. and 1 lb. per acre at 12 seeds per foot in rows 12–18" apart. Otherwise, 1,000 seeds sow about 20', 5,000 about 100', 1 oz. about 285' and 1 lb. about 4,600'.
SUCCESSION PLANTING:
Plant every 3 weeks for a steady supply.
HARVEST:
Harvest at any size. Plants left in the ground eventually send up stalks of the familiar blue chicory flowers. Flavor is bitter with a sweet undertone.
TRANSPLANTS:
About 500 transplants per 1,000 seeds (2 seeds per cell, thinned to one).
SEEDS/OZ. (AVG.):
19,650.
PACKET:
200 seeds per packet, enough for about 14' of bunching plants.
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