How to Grow Chicory
Chicory At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -15°C
Plant Family
Asteraceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Chicory has one long main root that does not like being moved, so sow it right where it will grow. For the best fall crop, sow in early summer, about 6 weeks after your last frost, or sow in early spring for quick summer leaves. Sow the seeds 1 cm deep and keep the soil moist: they sprout in 7 to 14 days, then thin them (pull the extras) so each plant has 30 cm of room.
Chicory comes in a few kinds: leafy types you cut like a bitter lettuce, and root types you can force into pale winter heads or roast into a coffee drink. Cool fall weather and a few light frosts take the edge off its bitterness, which is why a summer sowing gives the sweetest leaves. Left in the ground, it comes back and flowers sky blue the next year.
When To Start
First chance to plant
30 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Chicory?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Chicory Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Chicory Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow chicory outdoors now for a sweet fall crop
45 days after your last frost· every year
Cut chicory heads, or dig the roots to force or roast
1 week before your first frost· every year· optional
Did you water your chicory seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
How is your chicory doing? Thin crowded plants so each one has room to grow.
About 42 days after you plant it
Your chicory is getting close. Steady water keeps the leaves from turning too bitter.
About 71 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your chicory.
About 85 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Chicory's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 7–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow chicory in full sun, or in light afternoon shade where summers are hot.
- 2Mix a few handfuls of compost into the soil and loosen it deeply so the long root can push straight down.
- 3Water evenly, about once a week in dry weather, since dry spells make the leaves tough and extra bitter.
- 4Chicory needs little feeding: a thin layer of compost around the plants in midsummer is plenty.
- 5Pull weeds while the plants are small, then lay mulch to keep the soil cool and moist.
- 6Slugs love the young leaves, so pick them off by hand in the evening.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~85
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Harvest leaves or roots depending on variety
How to Harvest
- 1Cut leafy chicory when the heads are full and firm, usually in fall, and a few light frosts make them sweeter.
- 2Slice the head off about 3 cm above the soil with a sharp knife, and the root often grows a second, smaller crop of leaves.
- 3For Belgian endive (witloof) types, dig the roots after the first frosts, trim the leaves to 2 cm, stand the roots in a pot of damp sand and keep them somewhere dark and cool, where they grow pale, tender heads in 3 to 4 weeks.
- 4To make chicory coffee, dig the thick roots of a root type in fall, scrub them, chop them into 1 cm cubes and roast them at about 175°C (350°F) for 30 to 45 minutes, until dark brown and smelling like coffee.
- 5Grind the cooled pieces and brew about 2 teaspoons a cup, on their own or mixed with coffee, for a rich, slightly bitter drink with no caffeine.
- 6Keep cut leaves in a bag in the fridge and eat them within a week or so.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Chicory makes seed in its second year, so leave a few healthy plants in the ground over winter and let them send up their tall, blue-flowered stems. It crosses easily with other chicories, endive and the wild chicory that grows along roadsides, so keep other kinds at least 800 m away or grow just one. A single plant does not pollinate itself well, so let at least 5 or 6 plants flower together, and remember that hybrid F1 seeds will not grow true. Cut the stems once most of the seed heads have turned brown, dry them in a paper bag, then crush the heads and pick out the small seeds. Store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they keep about 5 years.
Seed Production
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