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Chicorée Witloof (Endive) Carla Rouge F1 - Cichorium intybus var. latifolium
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Dispatch by letter from €3.90.
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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty
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We guarantee the quality of our plants for a full growing cycle, and will replace at our expense any plant that fails to recover under normal climatic and planting conditions.
Seed-only orders are dispatched by sealed envelope. The delivery charge for seed-only orders is €3.90.
'Carla Rouge F1' Witloof chicory is an original hybrid forcing variety. The short, firm, dense heads have unusual red leaves. Delicious eaten raw in salads or braised. Sow from April to July and harvest 5 months later.
Witloof chicory (Cichorium intybus foliosum) is a herbaceous plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is commonly named chicon, Belgian endive or endive. However, true endives belong to a closely related species, Cichorium endivia. The most common cultivated forms are escarole and “frisée” (curly) endive.
Witloof differs from other cultivated forms of chicory in that it is grown in three stages: first it sown outdoors in spring; in Autumn, the plants are lifted, the leaves are trimmed off and the roots are stored in sand; they are finally forced in a cool, dark place until firm, tight heads form and are ready to be harvested (approximately 3 weeks later).
Although this may seem like a tedious crop to grow, it is very rewarding! The beautiful white heads have a distinctive bitter taste that is delicious eaten both raw and cooked. They are fabulous chopped up in a salad with walnuts, blue cheese and a drizzle of honey dressing. In France, chicory heads are traditionally baked whole in bechamel sauce. Witloof has numerous health benefits, including boosting the immune system, easing digestion and reducing inflammation.
Harvesting: roots are lifted in October-November and stored in sand until forcing. For longer harvests, forcing can be staggered.
Storage: witloof chicory stores well in a cool, dark place. It is often sold wrapped in blue paper to protect the blanched leaves from the light.
Good to know: hoeing and weeding around your plants regularly will help keep the weeds in check. Mulching is a great way to keep the soil moist, especially during dry spells.
NB: This variety is marked F1 for "F1 hybrid" meaning that its qualities are derived from carefully selected parent plants. This results in a variety that is both full of flavour and resistant to diseases. Sometimes criticised or wrongly assimilated to GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds have the advantage of producing reliable, uniform, disease-resistant plants. Unfortunately, these qualities will not be passed on to following generations.
Harvest
Plant habit
Foliage
Botanical data
Sowing:
In May, sow lightly in shallow flat-bottomed drills, about 5 cm wide and 2 cm deep. Leave 30 cm between each row. Cover the seeds lightly and water. Germination takes about 8 days. Thin out the seedlings, keeping one every 15 cm. If necessary, they can be transplanted when the seedlings reach the 7-8 leaf stage.
Care:
To avoid diseases such as downy mildew or leaf spot, weed and hoe around your plants regularly and make sure to rotate your crops every 3 to 4 years. Mulching is a great way to keep the soil moist, especially during dry spells.
Forcing:
In October-November, lift the plants. Keep only those with roots that measure over 4 cm in diameter. Trim off the leaves about 1 cm above the collar (the base of the leaves). Place the prepared roots in a sand-filled container in a sheltered place until they are ready for forcing. For harvests all winter long, force the plants in batches every fortnight. Place the roots side by side in forcing trays filled with peat or sand. Keep away from the light. Room temperature needs to be around 8 to 10°C (a cellar is ideal). It is also possible to force the plants outdoors. Choose a sheltered spot, dig a trench about 1,20 m wide and 25 cm deep. Place the roots in the trench and cover them with 10 cm of potting mix followed by 10 cm of compost. Cover with a layer of straw and plastic sheeting. The heads are ready to be harvested about 4 weeks later, when they are roughly 15 cm long.
Seedlings
Care
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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The flowering period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, etc.)
It will vary according to where you live:
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands).
It will vary according to where you live:
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.