Coffee Chicory double double

Coffee Chicory 'Magdeburg'

Good morning everyone,

Even though I remember my late mother complaining about chicory being a poor WWII substitute for coffee, Chris and I thought we'd try it out for budget and health, and ordered the 'Magdeburg' seeds listed in Richters Herb catalogue. It probably differs only slightly from a wild chicory... probably a hybrid that develops larger roots, grown for the coffee-substitute market.

I planted the seeds in cell packs on March 15, and today - the 29th - I've divided them into these recognizable alternative pots. The joke is on me, because it wasn't until Chris started to smile when I told him I'd used these that I realized the containers were just the right ones to use.

Chicory is a biennial, which means it will winter over and send up seeds in its second year of growth. I expect what I'll do is harvest most of the roots in the fall and let some winter over for next year ... see if I can get the sequence going to harvest roots and produce our own seed.

My prediction is that, as with chocolate substitutes (carob!), we need to approach this as if the chicory is a separate and different beverage - not coffee. So, we'll see!

Hope you all have a great day,

Why's woman


Richters Herb catalogue says:
Cichorium intybus 'Magdeburg'
Coffee substitute costing pennies a pound. Large roots, roasted and groun, can be adulterated with your favourite brand or enjoyed alone as a nourishing caffeine-free drink. Roasting directions included with each order.
www.richters.com