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key growing information
Growing Radicchio from Seed: How to Sow, Grow & Care For
How to grow radicchio: variety trials, cool-season timing, thermal dormancy, starting transplants, direct sowing, succession planting and seeding rates.
By Hensley’s Seed Co.
Radicchio - Key Growing Information
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Cichorium intybusCULTURE: Modern varieties are a big step up from older types for North American growing, but they're still not perfectly uniform or predictable. Even though each is bred for a particular season, it's wise to trial more than one, using succession plantings to find what suits your conditions. Radicchio is hardy and can go in as soon as the soil can be worked. It's a cool-season crop that grows best at 60–65°F (15.5–18.3°C), so choose varieties carefully for hot-weather plantings. NOTE: Radicchio does best in cool or mild seasons, meaning fall, winter and spring. Summer crops can work where nights stay cool, under 60°F (16°C).THERMAL DORMANCY: Temperatures above 77°F (25°C) can push radicchio seed into thermal dormancy. Germination is best with soil at 60–68°F (15.5–20°C). TRANSPLANTING: Start seed 3–4 weeks before planting out, at 4 seeds per inch in flats or in ¾" plug trays, barely covered with fine vermiculite. On warm, sunny days, shade the flats if needed so the surface stays under 75°F (24°C) until germination. Seedlings started in flats should be moved about 2 weeks later into flats, pots or cells at 1–2" spacing. Harden off for 2–3 days by cutting back water and warmth before planting out; well-hardened plants can take lows around 20°F (-7°C). Set plants 8" apart in rows 18" apart, planting shallow so the base sits just above the soil to discourage bottom rot.DIRECT SEEDING: Seed sprouts anywhere from 41 to 85°F (5–29°C), with the highest germination often around 75°F (24°C), depending on variety and seed lot. Sow 1" apart in rows 12–18" apart, cover lightly to about 1/8" and firm gently. Thin to 8", transplanting the thinnings if you like. Water dry soil before sowing so it stays cool and moist for even germination.
DAYS TO MATURITY:
Counted from transplanting in spring or cool weather. Take off 10–14 days for warm-weather, late-spring or early-summer transplants, and add about 14 days for direct sowing.AVG. DIRECT SEEDING RATE: At 3 seeds every 8" in 18" rows: 1,000 seeds sow about 220', 5,000 about 1,100', 10,000 about 2,200', and roughly 131,000 seeds per acre.SUCCESSION PLANTING: For a steady supply, sow again every 3 weeks. TRANSPLANTS: About 500 transplants per 1,000 seeds on average, sowing 2 per cell and thinning to one.SEEDS/OZ.: See each variety.PACKET: See each variety.
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