Chicory Seed Brussels Witloof

Possibly the best thing to come out of Brussels - except for Belgian chocolates!

This tried and trusted variety can be used as a 'baby leaf', eaten raw in salads or cooked in the normal way and will impart a mildly bitter-sweet flavour to any dish.

But where Brussels Witloof really comes into its own is when it is forced and blanched, producing tight heads of white leaves.

Chicory really is a worthwhile crop and, being tolerant of both poor soils and partial shade, is excellent for the less productive parts of the garden

• Sow thinly in ½" (1 cm) deep drills, 12" (30 cm) apart.
• Thin to one plant per 10" (25 cm) when large enough to handle.

• For Forcing
• Lift the plants and cut off the foliage to approximately 1" (2.5 cm) above the roots; you can also trim back the roots at this point.
• Now pot up into deep pots or containers of moist potting compost so that the tops are just showing - then cover with a further 6-9" (15-23 cm) of compost.
• Take precautions against slugs!
• Move the pots or containers to a warm dark place and after 3-4 weeks the forced chicons should be ready for harvest.
• After chicons have been cut, re-cover the stumps as you may get a second crop.