Undercover Veg
For the last few weeks we have been harvesting a vegetable which we have growing in the house! Witloof Chicory (Belgian Endive) is a really useful two-stage crop which produces edible leaves throughout the winter. It's really nice to harvest fresh veg without braving the cold outside.
These were sown last May and planted out on the allotment to grow on. They can be a favourite for slugs and the year before we lost all our first sowings. This time they were fine and produced good sized roots. They are generally an easy crop to grow as they don't need much watering and can safely be ignored all summer. A later or second sowing is possible in July, you will just get smaller roots.
In November, we dug the roots up and removed the foliage for composting. Cut all the foliage off just above the crown and discard any roots which look rotten. Then trim the roots back to 8 to 10 inches long and transplant them into a large pot or a trug filled with good quality compost. Water, leave in a warm, dark place and wait for the magic part.
After a few weeks (depending on temperature - ours are in the cupboard under the stairs) the crowns will produce new shoots. If you want to grow larger chicons, remove most of the new buds as they form on each crown, leaving just a couple to grow. A chicon is simply a tight head of leaves. Any shoots which don't form a tight head can be eaten as salad leaves. The crowns where the chicon has been removed will sprout more leaves and, if you water occasionally, will continue doing so until the spring.
Don't forget you will need a dark place such as a large cupboard. Alternatively, cover firmly with another pot - leaving about 10 inches space inside for the chicory to grow up into. You can grow them in the garage if it's frost free - they ideally need to be kept at 10°C to grow. Also, make sure you have a watering tray large enough for your pot or trug to stand in.
Right now we have a nice supply of winter leaves and chicons. The blanched leaves are not as bitter as outdoor-grown chicory and add variety to winter salads. The chicons can be roasted, braised in white wine or cream, or baked to make chicory gratin.
These were sown last May and planted out on the allotment to grow on. They can be a favourite for slugs and the year before we lost all our first sowings. This time they were fine and produced good sized roots. They are generally an easy crop to grow as they don't need much watering and can safely be ignored all summer. A later or second sowing is possible in July, you will just get smaller roots.
In November, we dug the roots up and removed the foliage for composting. Cut all the foliage off just above the crown and discard any roots which look rotten. Then trim the roots back to 8 to 10 inches long and transplant them into a large pot or a trug filled with good quality compost. Water, leave in a warm, dark place and wait for the magic part.
After a few weeks (depending on temperature - ours are in the cupboard under the stairs) the crowns will produce new shoots. If you want to grow larger chicons, remove most of the new buds as they form on each crown, leaving just a couple to grow. A chicon is simply a tight head of leaves. Any shoots which don't form a tight head can be eaten as salad leaves. The crowns where the chicon has been removed will sprout more leaves and, if you water occasionally, will continue doing so until the spring.
Don't forget you will need a dark place such as a large cupboard. Alternatively, cover firmly with another pot - leaving about 10 inches space inside for the chicory to grow up into. You can grow them in the garage if it's frost free - they ideally need to be kept at 10°C to grow. Also, make sure you have a watering tray large enough for your pot or trug to stand in.
Right now we have a nice supply of winter leaves and chicons. The blanched leaves are not as bitter as outdoor-grown chicory and add variety to winter salads. The chicons can be roasted, braised in white wine or cream, or baked to make chicory gratin.
Submitted by Tigger
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