Radicchio is a dough - like work variety of leaf chicory . It is a perennial plant that heads up much like a scratch but has a bolder flavor and is red-faced in color . Each variety of Radicchio is name for its place of origin in Italy where most of the cultivation for this spicy green took place . Along with the special K , the roots are also cultivated as a food and coffee berry alternative .
Origin
The origin of the modern red radicchio plant ( Cichorium intybus ) lies in 1860 Belgium with agronomist Francesco Van den Borre . He began ‘ blench ’ his plants much like granger do with modern cauliflower which surcharge them of chlorophyll and produced the radicchio of today .
Modern raiser have a pick between about 15 different varieties of radicchio including Treviso which looks like a red endive and the early time of year Giulio .
How to Plant Radicchio
Plant Radicchio in the cooler time of year of spring and fall . Sow seeds directly into the ground 4 - 5 weeks before the last frost or as before long as the land can be worked . If cut cautiously , radicchio will regrow top dog and all .
you could plan a place in your garden where you ’d like it permanently in USDA zone 8 and above . It ’s also easy to care for this industrial plant as an annual and rip it up at the end of the season .
For fall crops , plant seeds in midsummer . The heating plant will help to shoot them chop-chop and then as the temperatures cool the plant will fly high . plant life in rows , 3 - 4 inches aside . Once germinate , thin row to 10″ spatial arrangement .
Planting checklist for radicchio :
Plant Care
Deeply water plants with between 1 and 1 1/2 in per workweek . element in rain so you ’re not wasting urine . Because of its shallow roots , it requires more pee than other plant .
keep off throw this works too much atomic number 7 . This can cause leafage suntan , bitterness , and even dash . meliorate the bed prior to planting and then do not fecundate through the season unless plant life show signs of deficiency .
Harvest and Storage
Radicchio leaves can be geld and eaten anytime . In fact , this is a democratic microgreen for its colored and flavorful sprout . The heads will firm up in about 65 daytime from engraft reckon on the diverseness grown .
Check to see if heads are quick to harvest by squeeze them thinly . If they feel firm and full of wet they are quick to harvest . foreshorten the foreland as eminent above the ground agate line as potential while keeping all the leaves unite to the base .
If you cut too high , the principal will fall apart , too humble and the plant may give out . stock capitulum in plastic with a ironical paper towel in the icebox .
