Overwintering Chicory and Rocket

Last year I sowed some Chicory ‘Grumolo Bionda’ in August and overwintered them under a cloche. I’ve still got a few left as they stand so long. Only now are they showing the first signs of bolting. They have only a mild bitterness and I use them like lettuce. Unlike lettuce they don’t appear to suffer too much from slugs and snails. In contrast all my overwintering lettuce disappeared!

Alongside, on the left, is another chicory ‘Orchidea Rossa’. This chicory is more bitter but very colourful, a deep red in winter when it becomes a small tight, head. In spring it starts growing again and becomes more green. Soon it too will bolt. Both seeds are Italian which accounts for the names.

The other salad item I’ve got at the moment is Rocket, which I love. Unfortunately it’s a martyr to flea beetle in the summer. That’s why overwintering a crop is so useful. I don’t mind the little holes the beetles leave but I admit holey rocket is not a pretty sight. It needs a lot of water in the summer to do well so I tend to grow it at either end of the year.

This patch of rocket is starting to flower now. I think the flowers are very pretty. They also sweetly fragrant as well as edible, so they be added to salads.