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Witloof Chicory "Mechelse middelvroeg"
Witloof chicory as a vegetable crop is very popular in France, Belgium and Holland, but in Estonia, it has not yet received due recognition as a salad plant. This culture of the aster family originated at the end of the 19th century from root chicory (Cichorium intybus), the roots of which are used in the coffee industry to obtain extracts and high-quality alcohols. The name "Witloof" - witloof is translated from Flemish as "white leaf".
There are many varieties and hybrids of witloof of foreign selection, but for Estonia, varieties of the "Tardivo" type, adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of the middle zone, are preferable. It is suitable for forcing heads throughout the winter period from November to April, as it has a short dormant period.
CHICORY is a biennial plant that forms a root crop in the first year, and seed shoots and seeds in the second year. It is relatively undemanding to soil and climate, as evidenced by its wild relatives found in central Russia, is quite cold-resistant and can be grown everywhere. Various soils are suitable, but with good air and water permeability, slightly acidic or neutral soil solution reaction. The site should be bright and provided with water for irrigation. Depending on the weather conditions of the year in central Russia, salad chicory should be sown from June 5 to 20, since 3-4 months are enough for it to form normal root crops.
The depth, sowing pattern and further agrotechnical measures for plant care are the same as for carrots. In order for the root crops to grow even, without branching - such are needed for planting for forcing (although this does not affect the quality of the forced heads), the soil should be deeply loosened before sowing, and rolled after sowing - for better contact of the seeds with the ground.
Seedlings during the formation of the second or third true leaf should be thinned out to a distance of 4-5 cm, leaving 17-20 plants per linear meter in a row. Before the third row spacing after thinning the plants, it is advisable to carry out top dressing, to which chicory reacts positively. Fertilizers are applied under irrigation at the rate of 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 15 g of potassium sulfate and 25-30 g of superphosphate per square meter of area. Then, before harvesting, you can carry out one or two deep row spacings to destroy weeds and maintain the water-air balance of the soil.
At the end of September - beginning of October, before frost, the root crops should be dug up and laid in piles with the roots inwards - for the outflow of plastic substances from the leaves. After a week and a half, cut the tops at a distance of 1 cm from the shoulders of the root crop, without damaging the bud. The prepared root crops can be sanded in the basement or, packed in cellophane bags, put in the refrigerator for storage. The optimal storage temperature is +1+2°C.
Before storing, the root crops should be sorted by size and "branchiness". All root crops are suitable for forcing heads, but at home, unsuitable root crops can be used to prepare a coffee substitute. To do this, the branched root crops must be washed well, dried, grated on a coarse grater and, spread on a baking sheet, fried in the oven, stirring from time to time. Chicory, which has become dark brown, dry and brittle (but not burnt), is placed in jars with lids and used to prepare coffee - a tablespoon of chicory is brewed with one and a half glasses of boiling water, infused for 2-3 minutes, filtered, sugar and milk are added as desired.
For forcing chicory heads, you can use any premises where it is possible to maintain a constant temperature within 14-16°C. The best substrate for forcing chicory heads is semi-decomposed peat. It is convenient to carry out forcing in wooden boxes measuring 40×80×40 cm, lined inside with a double polyethylene film and filled halfway with peat, or in enameled buckets.
Forcing heads of salad chicory begins in the first decade of November. The harvested root crops are sorted out, cleaned of rotten remains of leaf petioles, trimmed in length (approximately 12-14 cm) and planted in even rows, almost close to each other, to the shoulders in peat. Then water is poured into the box and, after it is absorbed, loose peat is poured to the top or the plantings are covered with an opaque but air-permeable material (black lutrasil, bioplen). Occasionally they look into the box to see if the heads have crawled out of the peat. When they reach a length of 15-17 cm, which happens 22-25 days after planting, the plants are pulled out of the peat and the heads are separated. Even and beautiful root crops that have given dense, beautiful heads can be left until spring for storage, and planted in May to obtain seeds.
Fresh heads are collected, placed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator. They are used for preparing salads and other dishes. Peeled dry heads in packaging can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
For one forcing from a box with an area of 1 m2, you can get from 10 to 15 kg of heads. For conveyor production of heads, you can make several boxes or use enameled buckets, planting root crops after a certain time. High temperature contributes to a more rapid regrowth of heads, but they become elongated, thin, and acquire a bitter taste.
Witloof heads can be forced using hydroponics, that is, containers or installations with running clean heated water. The products in this case always remain clean, but the taste of witloof when forced in peat is much better.
Witloof heads are truly a delicacy dietary product. Fresh leaves in heads contain a set of mineral salts and vitamins and other biologically active substances that are so necessary in winter.
There are many varieties and hybrids of witloof of foreign selection, but for Estonia, varieties of the "Tardivo" type, adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of the middle zone, are preferable. It is suitable for forcing heads throughout the winter period from November to April, as it has a short dormant period.
CHICORY is a biennial plant that forms a root crop in the first year, and seed shoots and seeds in the second year. It is relatively undemanding to soil and climate, as evidenced by its wild relatives found in central Russia, is quite cold-resistant and can be grown everywhere. Various soils are suitable, but with good air and water permeability, slightly acidic or neutral soil solution reaction. The site should be bright and provided with water for irrigation. Depending on the weather conditions of the year in central Russia, salad chicory should be sown from June 5 to 20, since 3-4 months are enough for it to form normal root crops.
The depth, sowing pattern and further agrotechnical measures for plant care are the same as for carrots. In order for the root crops to grow even, without branching - such are needed for planting for forcing (although this does not affect the quality of the forced heads), the soil should be deeply loosened before sowing, and rolled after sowing - for better contact of the seeds with the ground.
Seedlings during the formation of the second or third true leaf should be thinned out to a distance of 4-5 cm, leaving 17-20 plants per linear meter in a row. Before the third row spacing after thinning the plants, it is advisable to carry out top dressing, to which chicory reacts positively. Fertilizers are applied under irrigation at the rate of 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 15 g of potassium sulfate and 25-30 g of superphosphate per square meter of area. Then, before harvesting, you can carry out one or two deep row spacings to destroy weeds and maintain the water-air balance of the soil.
At the end of September - beginning of October, before frost, the root crops should be dug up and laid in piles with the roots inwards - for the outflow of plastic substances from the leaves. After a week and a half, cut the tops at a distance of 1 cm from the shoulders of the root crop, without damaging the bud. The prepared root crops can be sanded in the basement or, packed in cellophane bags, put in the refrigerator for storage. The optimal storage temperature is +1+2°C.
Before storing, the root crops should be sorted by size and "branchiness". All root crops are suitable for forcing heads, but at home, unsuitable root crops can be used to prepare a coffee substitute. To do this, the branched root crops must be washed well, dried, grated on a coarse grater and, spread on a baking sheet, fried in the oven, stirring from time to time. Chicory, which has become dark brown, dry and brittle (but not burnt), is placed in jars with lids and used to prepare coffee - a tablespoon of chicory is brewed with one and a half glasses of boiling water, infused for 2-3 minutes, filtered, sugar and milk are added as desired.
For forcing chicory heads, you can use any premises where it is possible to maintain a constant temperature within 14-16°C. The best substrate for forcing chicory heads is semi-decomposed peat. It is convenient to carry out forcing in wooden boxes measuring 40×80×40 cm, lined inside with a double polyethylene film and filled halfway with peat, or in enameled buckets.
Forcing heads of salad chicory begins in the first decade of November. The harvested root crops are sorted out, cleaned of rotten remains of leaf petioles, trimmed in length (approximately 12-14 cm) and planted in even rows, almost close to each other, to the shoulders in peat. Then water is poured into the box and, after it is absorbed, loose peat is poured to the top or the plantings are covered with an opaque but air-permeable material (black lutrasil, bioplen). Occasionally they look into the box to see if the heads have crawled out of the peat. When they reach a length of 15-17 cm, which happens 22-25 days after planting, the plants are pulled out of the peat and the heads are separated. Even and beautiful root crops that have given dense, beautiful heads can be left until spring for storage, and planted in May to obtain seeds.
Fresh heads are collected, placed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator. They are used for preparing salads and other dishes. Peeled dry heads in packaging can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
For one forcing from a box with an area of 1 m2, you can get from 10 to 15 kg of heads. For conveyor production of heads, you can make several boxes or use enameled buckets, planting root crops after a certain time. High temperature contributes to a more rapid regrowth of heads, but they become elongated, thin, and acquire a bitter taste.
Witloof heads can be forced using hydroponics, that is, containers or installations with running clean heated water. The products in this case always remain clean, but the taste of witloof when forced in peat is much better.
Witloof heads are truly a delicacy dietary product. Fresh leaves in heads contain a set of mineral salts and vitamins and other biologically active substances that are so necessary in winter.
Cichorium intybus var. sativum.
Improves digestion. A perennial vegetable plant of the aster family, cultivated as a biennial or annual. 2 types are grown as a salad - endive chicory and witloof chicory. Salad chicory leaves are rich in nutrients. They contain ascorbic acid, carotene, mineral salts, proteins, sugars, as well as inulin and intibin, which cause a slight bitterness. Salad chicory has medicinal properties. It contains nitric, sulfuric and hydrochloric acid salts of potassium, which improve kidney function. Inulin has a regulating effect on metabolism in the body and is used as a sugar substitute for diabetes. Intibin improves the functioning of the digestive organs, the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, cardiovascular system, and has a positive effect on the hematopoietic organs. Endive chicory is grown in an annual culture and used as a salad. The form with a slightly dissected leaf blade is known as escarole.
Cultivation techniques are similar to those of ordinary lettuce. Sowings of endive are carried out not only in spring, but also in summer (in July). In this case, the plants can remain in the field until frost and retain their nutritional qualities when thawed. You can store endive rosettes in a trench in the basement, which allows you to extend the use of this valuable product. Unlike endive, witloof chicory is able to form dense heads of juicy, crispy leaves during forcing in winter, which are used as a salad or stewed. But there are also special varieties of this species - for fresh consumption. These include the Palla Rossa variety. It is sown in open ground in June-July in a sunny place according to the scheme 30ґ by 30cm. The sowing rate is 0.4-0.6 g/m2, the planting depth is 1-1.5 cm.
Care is usual: weeding, loosening row spacing. They are harvested before frost. The heads are dense beet color with clear veins. The taste is pleasant with a slight bitterness. It is distinguished by a high content of vitamins and biologically active substances.
Magnificent witloof.
In 1879, an unknown vegetable appeared on the Parisian market - witloof (translated from Flemish - white leaf). It was a great success with gourmets, who immediately proclaimed it the new vegetable king to replace the asparagus that everyone was tired of. It was presented to the public by the chief gardener of the Brussels Botanical Garden, Mr. Brezier. He kept the secret of the origin of the new culture until the end of his days. And only after his death it was possible to find out that the magnificent witloof is ordinary chicory, only grown in a special way: in the dark and practically without soil. This explains the characteristic pale color of its leaves.
In fact, witloof, or salad chicory, is the basal shoots that sprout from any
