Root chicory: discover the plant beneath the leaves
Root chicory is chosen for its taproot and processing, rather than for a red leafy head or automatically producing forced chicory. A small trial bed shows growth above and below ground. Start with labelled root chicory seed and allow deep soil for the roots.
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
- Crop
- A root crop within Cichorium intybus
- Start
- Seed specifically labelled for root chicory; direct sow
- Soil
- Deep rooting space, without a compacted layer or standing water
- Use
- Roots are processed in various ways, including roasting; variety and processing determine the result
This growing advice helps you choose. Your variety, growth stage, weather and conditions in your space determine the actual timing.
Sowing under cover and raising seedlings
Sow directly · Root chicory
May–June, depending on type and cultivarSow directly for the root crop. Force suitable chicory roots separately in darkness only later.
- Germination and temperature
- Wait for workable, warmed soil; follow the cultivar’s minimum sowing temperature.
- After emergence
- Keep the seed row evenly moist during emergence and identifiable with a label.
- Pricking out and potting on
- Do not prick out. Thin in place; transplanting can damage the taproot.
- Hardening off and planting out
- Stays where sown; hardening off and planting out are unnecessary for direct sowing.
Sow directly for root production. Forcing chicory in darkness later is a separate stage; seedlings are raised in light.
Sources and use
Royal Horticultural Society · RHS — cichorei kweken ↗Soort- of productgebonden bron; buitenlandse perioden zijn geen vaste Nederlandse zaaidatum.
Utah State University Extension · USU — cichorei, penwortel en traditioneel gebruik ↗Soort- of productgebonden bron; buitenlandse perioden zijn geen vaste Nederlandse zaaidatum.
Guideline periods for the Netherlands and Flanders. Check the variety, available light, soil and measured temperatures. Greenhouse heating does not guarantee enough winter light.
A different flavour, a different harvest.
Choose by more than the name. Discover how these varieties and crop types taste, what you can use them for and what growing them involves.
2 of 2 choices · 1 named varieties
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
Hollandse middelvroege
Hollandse middelvroege is a named forcing chicory selection for forcing with or without covering soil. Growing consists of a root stage and a forcing stage.
Choose this variety if you want to follow the two growing stages and try forcing. A short forcing period is not the total growing time.
Flavour, kitchen and growing
How does it taste?
Chicory bitterness is general crop information. The source establishes no distinctive aroma for Hollandse middelvroege.
This flavour description applies to the crop; there is no separate tasting result for this variety.In the kitchen
Use the pale heads raw as salad leaves, or cook whole or halved heads. Healthy heads provide compact portions.
A space in the garden
Grow roots in soil first, then force suitable roots in darkness. Follow product advice for the covering-soil method.
Harvesting
Harvest closed heads after forcing. Assess compactness and colour; harvesting roots does not yet give ready-to-eat chicons.
Read the source notes →
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
Brusselse witlof/cichorei
This offering describes Brussels witloof without a further cultivar name. Compact pale heads form after separate root cultivation and forcing.
Choose this type to try general forcing chicory cultivation. Hollandse middelvroege is available separately as a named selection.
Flavour, kitchen and growing
How does it taste?
The source describes a delicate flavour; bitterness is part of chicory as a crop. The listing does not establish a separate cultivar with its own aroma.
This flavour description applies to the crop; there is no separate tasting result for this variety.In the kitchen
Use firm leaves as little salad cups or cook the whole head. The compact harvested part is easy to divide into portions.
A space in the garden
Keep the root-growing and forcing stages separate in your schedule. Forcing in darkness is needed for pale heads, whichever covering-soil method you choose.
Harvesting
Harvest developed, closed heads and check for discolouration from light. A stated few weeks refers to forcing, not the full growing period.
Also listed as: Brusselse witlof.
Read the source notes →Choose your way to grow
From a garden bed to a suitable pot or support: give your plant a place that suits your garden and the care you can provide.
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
A trial row in deeply loosened soil
The taproot can grow in the original soil. A short bed is enough to get to know the crop without immediately aiming for a large processing batch.
- Check that the seed is offered for root production.
- Weed a sunny bed and allow deep rooting.
- Sow directly at the specified depth and thin to variety spacing.
- Lift a few mature roots carefully to assess growth and harvesting quality.
For a practical first introduction and intact taproots.
Tick off your supplies →
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
A raised bed above heavy soil
A raised bed can provide extra loose growing space and better drainage. The underlying soil needs to contribute; a shallow container on concrete restricts the taproot.
- Choose a sunny position where excess water can drain away.
- Make the base rootable and top up with suitable, loose growing soil.
- Sow directly and give each seedling space as advised for the variety.
- Check moisture and harvest with a fork well beside the roots.
For heavy soil where you can create a genuinely deep root zone.
Tick off your supplies →Chicory has different cultivation forms
Cichorium intybus includes leaf, forcing and root crops. Shared species names do not equal shared purposes. Choose root-chicory seed explicitly. Blue-flowering wild chicory shows relationship, not proof of large harvest roots or processing quality.
A trial crop starts with the intended processing
Chicory roots are roasted and ground for coffee substitutes or additions, among other uses. This does not give every variety equal aroma or yield. Decide whether to learn the crop or undertake a small culinary processing project.
Check beneath the attractive top layer too
A taproot seeks depth. Ten loose surface centimetres over a hard compacted layer do not make a good root zone. Check with a fork and improve structure where needed. Remove large obstacles and let rainwater drain after showers.
Direct sowing keeps the process simple
Sow directly in a fine, prepared bed at the time and depth specified for the root variety by the supplier. General radicchio or forcing-chicory timings are no automatic replacement. Keep the surface moist and label variety and actual date.
Thin early for individual root space
Do not let seedlings grow into a dense carpet. Thin to stated spacing once recognisable and weed carefully around remaining plants. A short, well-cared-for row teaches more than an overcrowded one where roots compete.
Monitor moisture and growth without overfeeding
Water the root zone during dry periods and avoid standing water. Good soil structure helps more than repeatedly adding another scoop of fertiliser. Match feeding to soil and cultivar guidance. Plenty of leaves alone says little about the shape, size and quality of the root underground.
Examine the roots of an abnormal plant
With stalled growth, sudden wilting or rot, look below the surface too. Wetness, compaction and root damage can contribute. Separate diseased roots and rotate with other crops. One diseased trial plant must not become the benchmark for the entire species.
Dig widely around the taproot
Follow the root cultivar’s harvest period and first lift a small test section. Use a fork to loosen soil well beside the row and raise the roots carefully. Do not just pull hard on the foliage. Assess size and health and record what your soil produced.
Turn the harvest into a small learning project
Wash and assess healthy harvests before processing. Roasting or other preparation needs a reliable recipe; this guide promises no universal temperature or medical effect. Let variety, root-shape and flavour experience determine whether to grow more next year.
What you need
Tick what you already have. The extras depend on how you grow.
0 of 6 ticked off
Your ticks are saved in this browser.
Discover and grow more
More background, sources and image information
SeedSteps editorial team · updated on 11 October 2026. The AI images illustrate species and practical growing situations; they do not prove an exact cultivar, observations from your own garden or yield.
Britse gewasadviezen worden gecombineerd met Nederlandse en Vlaamse informatie waar beschikbaar. Amerikaanse Extension-bronnen ondersteunen plantprincipes en herkenning; hun kalenderdata, lokale plaagdruk, bestrijdingsmiddelen en mestdoseringen worden niet rechtstreeks op Nederland of Vlaanderen toegepast. Vorst, bodemwarmte, standplaats en expliciete rasinformatie blijven de lokale controle. Commerciële bronnen onderbouwen uitsluitend benoemde ras- en plantkenmerken; zij zijn geen affiliate-aanbeveling.
- World Checklist of Vascular Plants — 4 juni 2026Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · accessed 2026-10-07
- Brusselse witlof cichorei Hollandse middelvroege zaden biologischFeggies · accessed 2026-10-11
- Brusselse Witlof Cichorei zaden biologischFeggies · accessed 2026-10-11
- Chicory: growing guideRoyal Horticultural Society · accessed 2026-10-11
- RHS — cichorei kwekenRoyal Horticultural Society · accessed 2026-10-10
- USU Extension — cichorei in de tuinUtah State University Extension · accessed 2026-10-10
- USU — cichorei, penwortel en traditioneel gebruikUtah State University Extension · accessed 2026-10-10
Supporting evidence by chapter: Chicory has different cultivation forms: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. A trial crop starts with the intended processing: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. Check beneath the attractive top layer too: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. Direct sowing keeps the process simple: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. Thin early for individual root space: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. Monitor moisture and growth without overfeeding: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. Examine the roots of an abnormal plant: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. Dig widely around the taproot: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension. Turn the harvest into a small learning project: Utah State University Extension, Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension.