It's one of those veggies that I think taste too bitter to eat so I don't plant it. I do see it in stores tho.

I agree with Carol that its normal bitterness is too much for me. I have grown it both as a spring and fall crop, but we really didn't care for the flavor of it so I did not continue growing it.

Most radicchios take 90 days or so to 'mature' but you also can harvest the baby leaves at any size and add them to a salad. Some of the newer varieties from places like Burpee mature in 70 or so days and if I was going to try to grow them in the spring, I'd try one of those.

The best selection of traditional radicchio varieties I've seen are the Franchi-Simenti varieties carried by Seeds From Italy. They have many varieties in their catalog, including Radicchio Rossa di Treviso 2, Radicchio Rossa Treviso del Svelta, Radicchio Rossa di Verona, Radicchio Palla Rossa 3, Radicchio Rossa Verona sel Arca, and Radicchio Rossa de Treviso Tardiva and Radicchio Palla Rosa sel. Agena. They also have Radicchio de Castelfranco, Radicchio di Chioggia, Radicchio di Lusia and a couple more.

If you've never grown radicchio before, it will look like a large head of (usually red and green) looseleaf lettuce. The red and white tightly-wrapped head is down inside those big loose leaves later in the season as it heads up. With some radicchios, if you slice the head off an inch or two above the ground and leave the root in the ground you sometimes will get another head. And, by the way, if the plants get too hot and start bolting, I'd leave them in the garden and enjoy them. They are really attractive and get really tall.

For a spring planting, I'd plant 5 to 6 week old transplants as early as the weather permits and once the daytime temps start getting pretty warm in May, I'd shade them with a 50% shade cloth because I think they'll be slower to bolt if kept shaded and cooler. Keeping them well watered will slow down the rate at which they develop heat-related bitterness (as in more bitter than normal radicchio).

I find radicchio in stores here sometimes, and almost always down in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I think that I see transplants in early spring in some of the nurseries but I cannot swear to that.

I've linked the Seeds From Italy website for you. I buy a lot of great Italian vegetable and herb varieties from this company.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Radicchio page at Seeds From Italy

I tried to grow radicchio in the spring with no success. It bolted on me. Then this last fall it was looking great in the garden--almost ready to harvest when the deer got in and ate every head.

I first ate radicchio in Italy in January during a colder than normal winter. It was only mildly bitter and I loved it. So far haven't been able to reproduce that flavor here, but I am going to keep trying.

Thanks, all, I shall play it by ear.

For those who don't understand the charm of this vegetable, here is one of Rose Pistola's (North Beach, San Francisco) recipes for chopped salad with radicchio--it's magic:

Proportions in 1/3rds:

iceberg lettuce, chopped the size of confetti
romaine lettuce, chopped the size of confetti
radicchio, chopped the size of confetti

add:

celery, chopped in very small pieces
carrots, chopped in very small pieces
chopped walnuts, in very small pieces
if you like cheese crumble in a nice blue, like Iowa Maytag, or a feta can do, too

Dressing:
if you are using walnuts (see above), use a walnut oil with
high-quality balsamic vinegar
Marukan or Nakano rice vinegar (seasoned/unseasoned, your choice)

Of course, you may use a nice wine vinegar seasoned if you like in lieu of the Marukan, but the Marukan is fairly lightweight and has a touch of sweetness

Be sure to soak the iceberg and romaine in ice water beforehand to ensure it's crispy and has lots of crunch. Make sure the radicchio is fresh and crunchy, too.

Radicchio is like some people I know--it's great in a gathering and makes the party fun, but a little too much when served alone.

Robert,

Thanks for sharing the radicchio recipe. I'll be joining you in the 'learn as we go' method on this one. I have wintersown the Early Treviso variety.

Lynn

Mmmmmmmm, Robert, that recipe sounds absolutely fabulous. I can eat Radicchio alone and love the flavor. To me, it has a bite to it, rather than a bitterness. Does that mean I would like Arugulo? I just love the flavors of different lettuces and mesclun mixes.

How large do the plants grow for picking and how large do they grow if allowed to set seed? Does it reseed if allowed to go to seed? Or, is it best to collect the seed?

Gosh I would love to have some. Oh, does it take full sun or part shade?

Susan

Susan,

Double mmmmmm on the Arugula. It has a wonderful peppery taste so if you love mesclun mixes, I bet you'll like that one as well.

Lynn

Thanks, Lynn, I will try it! I am willing to try anything at least once. Just like escargot, which I love, too!

Susan

Ah, a woman after my own heart. I love trying new things too. Escargot is a fun one - it helps if you have a glass of wine on the first attempt. :-) By chance, have you tried sushi?

Sorry Robert. This is so off topic.

Susan,

To get seed, you have to leave a plant unharvested and let it form seed pods. After the pods completely dry, harvest them, crush the pods and remove the seeds. Once the seeds are completely dry, store them to plant at the appropriate time. Of course, you need to be growing an open-pollinated variety to get viable seed. Seed saved from a hybrid may not come true from seed. I've never heard of radicchio reseeding here, but it likely could if you left the plant and pods outside. It is likely that you'd get a lot of reseeders in a tiny spot and would have to thin them or transplant some.

The plants get quite large....picture a large lettuce or cabbage head in the ground with all those big loose outer leaves that surround the inner head. Although you can plant radicchio maybe 8 or 10" apart in rows two feet apart for head production, you'd need to give a plant farther spacing for seed production.....probably at least 18".

I'll find and link the SSE section on saving radicchio seed and it should tell you how to save seed both ways....from seed to seed and from root to seed. It will be on a page with other similar seed types, so you'll likely have to page down the page to find radicchio's directions because it is going to be on the same seed-saving page as beets, chards, chicories and endives and onions.

Dawm

Here is a link that might be useful: How To Save Radicchio Seeds

Robert,

Haven't really been exposed to radicchio, but found a head at the farmer's market yesterday. So we'll see. The vendor was Susan from Crestview Farm. I'm guessing you're in Northern OK from your 7a zone, (I'm in OKC). I know Susan sells through the OK Food Coop, so you might try that for a local source. Of course, it might not be worth it for just radicchio. You never know. There might be others growing it in your area, that you could contact through the site.

Andria