Holy Moly what a root on those chicories.

[hoodat]

I planted some chicory last fall for rabbit greens and they have been growing ever since. I pulled one today and the root was huge. Almost a foot long and weighed over 1/2 pound. I've got no use for the greens (too bitter) but the rabbits love them and they're supposed to eliminate internal parasites.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

You "GROW", Hoodat!
Are you going to brew up some chicory for yourself?

 

[thistlebloom]

By the looks of that root you must have some good deep soil hoodat!

 

[digitS']

Hoodie, I grew some Witloof chicory thru one summer and carried the roots down to the basement that winter. They looked a lot like carrots but were kind of scrawny things. Your "plump" root doesn't even look familiar!

I hadn't expected the plants to be anything tasty thru the summer but I couldn't eat them even growing in the basement that winter - tooooo bitter! I did make some chicory coffee and it didn't take much effort to learn to appreciate that .

Raddicio and endive holds no interest for me either. Dandelion greens aren't a favorite - I guess this family is either a coffee substitute for me or nothing at all.

Some critter was eating on the chicory during the summer. I remember blaming rabbits but I never saw a rabbit in that garden. But, it might have been marmots . . .

Steve

 

[hoodat]

Almost any animal that eats greens will eat it. In parts of Europe it's used as a sheep and cattle browse because of its fast regrowth when it's mowed down.
I'm with you on the bitterness. Warm weather collards are about as bitter a green as I'll go. I liked dandelions greens when I was a kid but kind of lost my taste for them. I guess maybe I remember how hard times were when we ate them.

 

[hoodat]

By the looks of that root you must have some good deep soil hoodat!

I'm fortunate in that. There's no bottom to my sandy soil but it was all coarse sand when I started. It gets better every year as I add humus but now and then I turn up a patch where it's still just yellow sand. It makes me remember what I started with.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Your hard work has really paid off for you!

 

[Mattemma]

Wow that is so big. I hope mine grow as large.

 

[obsessed]

I am currently living in the south where chickory coffee is a staple... Man I love it... it takes coffe up a notch... but I have never grown chickory...

Steve, how did you use it as a coffee subsitue? Dry it? Grind it?

 

[hoodat]

I am currently living in the south where chickory coffee is a staple... Man I love it... it takes coffe up a notch... but I have never grown chickory...

Steve, how did you use it as a coffee subsitue? Dry it? Grind it?

The Cajun way is to slice it and then slow roast it in the oven till it's good and dry, then grind it. You can use a food processor for that part.