Re: radicchio/chicory

The resource you need is Suzanne Ashworth's "Seed to Seed" (I'm sure 
available from Seed Savers Exchange if you can't find it elsewhere). She 
says chicory flowers are perfect, but self-incompatible and have to be 
insect or hand pollinated. The evening before the flowers are to open, bag 
those flowers on as many different plants as possible. Early in the 
morning, remove bags and rub flowers from two different plants 
together...she has more detailed instructions, but that's the basic 
technique.  Good luck, and I do highly recommend her book. Margaret L


At 03:30 PM 10/24/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi everyone,
>
>I have been growing some italian radicchio (seeds came from Italy). A 
>friend shared several varieties of seeds with me from various packets. 
>Mine are all unmarked, so I don't know exactly which varieties I have.
>
>My question is this: Can anyone tell me how radicchio forms its seeds? I 
>have a light green variety, one that apparently does not grow into a head, 
>is less bitter than most and can be harvested early. A couple of the 
>plants have started to flower, one is pretty far along and has bloomed now 
>for a couple of weeks. Flowers come and go -- lovely purple flowers about 
>an inch in diameter -- but I see no signs of seeds or seed pods.
>
>I have successfully gathered seed from every other kind of lettuce and 
>leafy green that I have grown, but this plant just doesn't seem to be 
>forming seeds. Does it take a long time? What should I be looking for?
>
>I have searched on the internet, using every resource I could think of but 
>come up with nothing.
>Can anyone help?
>
>Many thanks,
>Pat
>Zone 7, Delmarva
>
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