Radicchio Growing Guide

Radicchio also known as Italian chicory, chioggia, trevisio, radichetta
The small red and white heads of this chicory family member form best in cool weather. It is a staple in Italian salads with its bright color and bitter but not overpowering - flavor.

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:
full sun
part shade
Benefits from partial shade during hot weather.
Special locations:
outdoor containers

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual
Tender perennial grown as annual.
Ease-of-care: moderately difficult
Requires careful timing and still may be unpredictable.
Height: 0.5 to 1 feet
Spread: 0.5 to 1 feet
Foliage color:
medium green
red
variegated
Most varieties are red with white
midribs and veins.
Foliage texture: medium
Shape: cushion, mound or clump

Special Considerations

Tolerates:
frost
Special characteristics:
not native to North America - Native to Eurasia and North Africa.
Special uses:
edible landscaping

Growing Information

How to plant:
Propagate by seed
Germination temperature: 45 F to 85 F - 70 F to 75 F is optimum.
Days to emergence: 7 to 10
Seed can be saved 5 years.

Maintenance and care

Usually direct-seeded as transplants tend to go to seed (bolt) prematurely.
Cultural requirements differ somewhat by variety, so consult seed sources for best practices. Even so, this crop can be somewhat unpredictable. In general,
plant older “forcing” varieties in spring, then cut back plants in late summer to produce heads about 4 to 6 weeks later.

Newer “nonforcing” varieties do not need to be cut back, and will form heads in fall or even in summer. They
generally do not hold their quality as long as forcing varieties.

Direct-seed about 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost. (Nonforcing varieties can be sown through through mid-summer for fall and winter harvest.) Plant
seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep, 3 to 4 inches apart, in rows 24 inches apart. Thin to 10-inch spacings.

Mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Mulch crowns from harvested plants. If conditions are mild, you may get an additional harvest in spring.