Topic: Chicory - I'm confused

[alipally]

Last year I grew the mixed leaf chicory from Franchi.  I preferred some to others so will grow separate varieties this year.  I have noticed a couple of red ones (luckily one of the ones I really liked) have started to shoot again.  I dug one up and there were three or four smaller ones growing off the main stem. 

My questions are:

It looks like the radiccio you get in the supermarket salad bags, any idea what it is called?

Shall I break the shoots off and grow them all separately.  If this is the case shall I treat it as a perennial and do the same next year?

Could I force this in the winter like Witloof, I can't find any reference to a raddiccio suitable for forcing.

Many thanks
Ali

[manicscousers]

sorry, alipally, not sure about chicory but I hope someone comes along who is  ;D

[saddad]

There are lots of "red" chichories, which is what radicchio means, several suppliers sell them seperately. The little shoots off the root are like those "spare" cabbage you get if you cut a cross a stem and leave it. They won't propagate and will soon bolt as the plant wants to produce seed this year... not sure if they cross pollinate? You could try to save seed from your best...  ;D

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

i never got on with that Franchi mixed seed - they were mostl;y too big and floppy. I've got some of the red chicory and Witloof blanching in the airing cupboard- no nice chicons but lots of leaves