Saflax - Chicory - Cichorium intybus - 250 seeds - The foundation of the - Muckefuck - helpful with an irritable stomach and tasty as a salad. With germ-free and air-permeable coconut fiber substrate for successful cultivation. Worth knowing: The perennial Cichorium intybus is a wild variety of the Chicory salad that blooms with a blue, or sometimes white colour from July until September. The blossoms open up in the morning hours, follow the sun and closing down early in the afternoon. The Chicory is a very old medicinal plant for strengthening the stomach. The first records of the plant were found on Egyptian papyrus scrolls. The French “Mocca faux” (fake coffee), in Germany also known as “Muckefuck” is made from the roots of the plant. . Active agents: Douse 2 g of leaves and roots with 150 ml of hot boiling water and strain the tea after 10 minutes of simmering. With lack of appetite, you can drink the tea about half an hour before the meal, and with indigestion you can take the tea after meals. Tea mix: Take two two teaspoonsful of Chicory, two teaspoonsful of Dandelion and one teaspoonful of Peppermint, douse it with 500 ml of hot water and let the tea simmer for about three minutes. In the kitchen: The raw leaves are a harsh component for wild herb salads, and cooked Chicory goes nicely with soups or as a side dish. The Radicchio and the chicory salad are simply cultivated varieties of the Chicorium intybus. “Muckefuck”: Cut the root of the plant into small pieces and place it for drying in an oven at medium heat. After that, gently roast the dry root without any oil in a pan. Now, you can grind the roasted pieces and use the powder in the same way as real coffee powder for making a cup of coffee. Natural Place: The Chicory has its natural habitat in Europe and western Asia. Cultivation: Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. Plant the fine seeds 1 to 2 cm deep into moist potting compost or herb-substrate and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25°Celsius and keep the earth – preferably with a water sprayer – moist, but not wet. From May on, you can also plant the seeds directly out in your garden. Place: The Chicory prefers warm and full sunny places with rather dry and nutritious soil. Care: The Chicory develops a deep reaching tap root and needs a tall pot for cultivation. From July until October, the plant can be harvested. The leaves are to be collected before blossoming, and then cleaned and chopped into pieces. After drying the leaves, either in the sun or in an oven with medium heat, you can store the herb in a cool, dry and dark place. During Winter: The Chicory is fully frost-resistant and doesn’t need any special protection during winter. Bonsai: No Picture credits: Because of technical limitations links are shown as text. 25222-cichorium-intybus-seed-package-front-german.jpg - © Manfred Heyde - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 15222-cichorium-intybus-cultivation-instruction-german.jpg - Frank Laue - © Saflax - saflax.de/copyright 15222-01-Cichorium-intybus.jpg - Manfred Heyde - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -