How to plant chicory seeds
This article introduces the relevant content about how to plant chicory seeds and the key points of chicory seed cultivation techniques in the field of green plants. Let's learn about it together next.
I: Morphological characteristics of chicory
Chicory leaves are green to dark green, with pubescence on the surface, and the leaves are divided into erect and spreading types; the root system is developed, with the main root expanding into a conical fleshy root, fully entering the soil, the outer skin is grayish-white and smooth, with two rows of fibrous roots; the leaves are long lanceolate, acuminate at the apex, divided into flat leaves and flowering leaves; the main flowering branch is about 1.5m high, with lateral flowering branches that can be produced in the axils, capitulum, ligulate corolla, light blue, blue anthers, aggregated; achene, angular; seeds are small and brown with luster.
II: Main values of chicory
(1) Medicinal value
According to the "Xinjiang Chinese Herbal Medicine," chicory is "bitter, cold, heat-clearing, diuretic, bile-regulating, anti-inflammatory," mainly treating "jaundice hepatitis and acute nephritis" (Xinjiang Military后勤 Health Department, 1970); the "Chinese Ethnic Medicine" records in more detail, the Mongolian ethnic group uses its roots, "slightly bitter, cool, heat-clearing and dampness-regulating, invigorating the stomach. Mainly treats edema of nephritis, epigastric distension and pain, loss of appetite.
Modern scientific and technological analysis shows that chicory contains a type of oligofructose - inulin. Inulin is the main medicinal component in chicory. Chicory contains 15-20% inulin, which is a white solid powder with a slightly sweet taste and is a water-soluble dietary fiber.
(2) Edible value
Chicory is a popular health green vegetable, not only with beautiful shape and high nutritional value but also with a unique, slightly bitter and sweet taste, crisp and tender texture, making it one of the most classic vegetarian dishes on traditional Western menus.
Chicory is often eaten raw, with whole leaves dipped in sauce, or chopped into salads. The leaves turn brown and change in taste when heated, so they are not suitable for cooked food. The roots can be cooked and eaten with butter.
In terms of nutritional content, tests have shown that chicory is rich in nutrients, containing 35 trace elements and 9 amino acids needed by the human body, with crude protein 30%, crude fat 5.3%, crude fiber 9.9% in dry matter, and also containing various vitamins.
(3) Feed value
Chicory leaves are tender and juicy, with good palatability, and are a high-quality forage grass for cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, and rabbits. One sowing can be utilized for 10-15 years, and if water and fertilizer conditions are good and harvesting is appropriate, the utilization period can be even longer.
In spring, it greens early, and in winter, it goes dormant late, with a longer utilization period than common forage grass. It can be utilized for 8 months in the south and 7 months in the north, solving the problem of green feed during the hot summer and early spring and late autumn. Chicory is rich in nutrients, with 2.1% crude fat and 30.6% crude fiber in the early flowering stage, 14.73% crude protein content, and an average of 17%. In the leafy stage, crude protein content is 22.87%, with a crude protein yield of 250 kg per mu. Chicory also contains abundant amino acids, with 9 essential amino acids in the leafy stage higher than alfalfa meal, rich in vitamins, carotene, and calcium.
(4) Environmental greening value
Chicory not only has high medicinal and edible value but also has high ornamental and aesthetic value. Chicory is also a potted flower plant with high ornamental value, mainly because of its dense plant, purple-blue flowers, deep green leaves, and a 5-month flowering period. Chicory is also an excellent environmental protection and water conservation plant, with a developed root system for water retention and soil consolidation, large leaves for absorbing harmful substances; chicory flowers can be used as high-quality nectar sources; chicory roots and leaves can be used to produce edible fungi, and chicory roots have been used in foreign countries to produce inulin endo-cutting enzyme high-quality fermentation culture media.
How to plant chicory seeds
III: Introduction to chicory planting techniques
(1) Growth characteristics
Chicory has a wide adaptability, fast growth, good adaptability, high utilization rate, and a wide range of uses (forage, medicinal, nectar plant). Chicory has strong regeneration and a long lifespan, with one planting that can be continuously utilized for 5-8 years.
Chicory likes water and fertilizer, is salt-tolerant and alkaline-tolerant, and grows rapidly under suitable water and fertilizer conditions. In Taiyuan area, it can be harvested 3 times a year, with 1000 kg of fresh grass per mu, equivalent to 700 kg of dry grass per mu. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, it can be harvested 4-5 times a year, with 15000 kg of fresh grass per mu, equivalent to 2200 kg of dry grass per mu.
(2) Planting skills
Chicory sowing is not limited by the season, and it can be sown with a minimum temperature of 5°C, but it is best to sow in spring. If sown in autumn, it should be done early in autumn. Chicory is directly sown, requiring the cultivated land to be fine and flat. For fields with severe weeds or previously planted with forage grass, herbicides can be sprayed, and direct sowing is done one week later, with 0.4-0.5 kg of seeds per mu, mixing the seeds with fine soil and broadcasting them. The depth should not exceed 1 cm, and the seeds are covered with fine soil after sowing.
(3) Management and harvesting
Chicory usually germinates in about 5 days after sowing. After seedlings emerge, a quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer should be applied, with 5-10 kg of urea per mu, diluted with water and poured directly on the roots to promote rapid growth of the seedlings. Weeds should be controlled during the seedling stage and after regreening.
Chicory stems and leaves grow luxuriantly, grow fast, leaves are fat and tender, especially in the rosette leaf stage, the plant matures and does not harvest, it gradually ages and rots, and is easily affected by diseases and pests, so it should be harvested or grazed in time. Chicory has high yield, with an average of more than 6000 kg of fresh grass per mu, generally harvested 4-5 times a year, leaving a stubble height of 10-20 cm.
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