Chicory Mechelse

Chicory Mechelse: variety and characteristics

Chicory Mechelse (Cichorium intybus) is a perennial vegetable of the Daisy family (Asteraceae). The Belgian chicory variety will produce very well-shaped and tasty heads. The elongated, cob-shaped heads are white-yellow and consist of firm, crunchy leaves.

Their flavour is slightly bitter. This leafy vegetable is valued for its high nutritional value, especially beneficial in winter.

It is usually eaten raw as an addition to sandwiches or as a salad ingredient.

They contain a glycoside called lactucopicrin (intybin), which is known as an appetite stimulant and regulates digestive processes.

Chicory (radicchio, sugarloaf chicory) is a crunchy, bittersweet salad for autumn and winter.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 80%
• Seeds per packet: 595–805 pcs (1 g)
• Seed origin: Italy
• Sowing: May – July; direct
• Harvest: August – December
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Chicory Mechelse

Chicory Mechelse seeds are sown in May – July. Harvest in August – December. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Chicory Mechelse

• Sowing method: direct
• Depth: 0.5–1 cm
• Spacing: 25–30 cm
• Germination: 7–14 days at 15–20 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Chicory is a food rich in vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, which helps regulate blood pressure and fight hypertension. The plant is a powerful antioxidant. To improve the quality of the vegetable, it is important to water twice a week, up to four times depending on sun exposure and outside temperature. Annual leaf chicory is a great winter vegetable. Seedlings can be prepared in advance in March-April. It should only be sown from mid-June. Sowing depth is 0.5-1 cm, ideal germination temperature: +20-25°C. Germinates without complications in 7-14 days. Planting distance: 30-40 cm. Loves sunny to semi-shaded spots with permeable, humus-rich soil. 8-12 weeks after sowing the firm heads can be harvested. Suitable for storage.

Sow from May to July; thin in good time and water in drought.

Harvest and use

Pick the heads in autumn — frosts soften the bitterness.

Frequently asked questions

When should Chicory Mechelse be sown?

The recommended sowing months are May – July. Sowing method: direct.

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 595–805 seeds, pack size 1 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 80%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

Why is chicory bitter?

Bitterness is characteristic of the species; frosts and blanching soften it.