Chicory – widespread plant which can be met in wild-growing look along roads and on fields. This plant has quite juicy taste and peculiar coffee smell. For certain many tasted coffee drink from chicory, but not everyone knows that it without effort can be grown up on the personal plot.
Instruction
1. Chicory root breeds by means of seeds which early in the spring or in the fall needs to sow, at once after harvesting. It is not obligatory to introduce at the same time organic fertilizers under landing of chicory, sow it better on such places where well fertilized cultures grew (pumpkin, potatoes, cabbage or bean). Best of all chicory grows on solar sites with the loamy soil.
2. Seeds of chicory should be planted ranks on depth of 1.5-2 centimeters, the distance row-spacings has to make about 20 centimeters. At crops observe distance between seeds, it has to be 3-5 centimeters with the subsequent thinning to 10-15 centimeters. It is abundant humidify crops in the spring prior to emergence of the first shoots. One-two weeks later will begin to sprout seeds. After there are 3-4 strong leaflets, start thinning at distance of 5-6 centimeters.
3. One of the main and main conditions of leaving at cultivation of chicory – weeding which has to be combined with scarification in row-spacings. It is necessary to do it as required. Chicory is considered very drought-resistant plant therefore does not demand constant waterings. Practice it only in case long time did not drop out precipitation in the form of rain. By the end of the first year chicory root crops which weight can reach 300-500 grams begin to be formed.
4. By the end of October carefully dig out chicory and leave it for 5-6 days on bed. Then cut off tops of vegetable 3 centimeters higher than the root crop and, without cleaning off from it the earth, remove to the dark and cool place in which air temperature should not be lower than 1-2 degrees (basement or cellar).
5. At the beginning of November select root crops 12 centimeters and 2-3 centimeters long in the diameter. Land them in the boxes or pots filled with the peat, humus and sawdust mixed in equal proportions. The neck of root crop has to remain on surface. Cover boxes with dense matter and remove to the dark place, temperature at the same time has to be 10-16 degrees.