Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Chicory 'Puntarelle' (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum 'Puntarelle')— schedule & NPK
Also called puntarelle, Catalogna chicory, asparagus chicory.
More about chicory 'puntarelle'
About Chicory 'Puntarelle'
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum 'Puntarelle' · also called puntarelle, Catalogna chicory · edible
Puntarelle is a Catalogna-type chicory grown for its cluster of hollow, toothed flowering shoots at the heart, prized in Roman cooking. Sliced thin and soaked in iced water, the shoots curl and lose some bitterness for a crisp salad. The jagged outer leaves are eaten cooked. A vigorous cool-season crop for autumn and winter.
Growth habit: Open rosette of long, jagged, dandelion-like leaves with a central cluster of hollow, asparagus-like flowering shoots; bolts to a tall branched blue-flowered stem if left to mature.
What fertiliser chicory 'puntarelle' actually wants — and why
Chicory 'Puntarelle' feeds in two distinct phases — balanced to build the plant, then high-potassium the moment flowering starts to set and fill a heavy crop.
Balanced (even N-P-K) at planting for roots and frame, then switch to a high-potassium ("high-potash") tomato-style feed once the first flowers open — potassium is what sizes and ripens fruit, not nitrogen.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for chicory 'puntarelle': match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed chicory 'puntarelle', and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For chicory 'puntarelle':
Moderate feeder: dig in compost before sowing and give a balanced feed mid-season for vigorous leaf and shoot growth. Steady fertility keeps the shoots tender; avoid heavy late nitrogen, which softens growth and invites rot. So: a balanced feed or compost at planting, then a high-potash liquid every 1-2 weeks from first flower through harvest across the main season (spring through early autumn).
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when chicory 'puntarelle' is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for chicory 'puntarelle'
Follow the crop-feed label rate for chicory 'puntarelle' — these are calibrated for hungry vegetables. Consistency through fruiting matters more than strength; erratic feeding causes problems like blossom-end rot.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water chicory 'puntarelle' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the chicory 'puntarelle' watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding chicory 'puntarelle'
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for chicory 'puntarelle':
- Vigorous dark-green leafy growth but few flowers or fruit (excess nitrogen).
- Lush foliage hiding the crop; soft growth prone to pests and disease.
- Salt crust on the soil and scorched leaf edges in containers.
Signs you are under-feeding chicory 'puntarelle'
- Pale, yellowing lower leaves and stunted growth.
- Small fruit, poor set, and a quickly exhausted plant.
- Blossom-end rot and weak cropping from erratic or insufficient feeding.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full chicory 'puntarelle' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
In containers, fertiliser salts build up fast — water chicory 'puntarelle' thoroughly so excess drains from the base each time, and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent a damaging salt build-up.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for chicory 'puntarelle'
Organic options
Garden compost or well-rotted manure dug in before planting, plus a liquid comfrey or seaweed feed once fruiting starts. UK: comfrey feed or organic Tomorite; US: Espoma Tomato-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Builds soil and feeds in one.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced feed at planting then a high-potash tomato feed in fruiting — UK: Growmore at planting then Tomorite (Levington) or Phostrogen; US: a balanced 10-10-10 then Miracle-Gro Tomato or a bloom booster.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising chicory 'puntarelle' — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does chicory 'puntarelle' need?
Balanced (even N-P-K) at planting for roots and frame, then switch to a high-potassium ("high-potash") tomato-style feed once the first flowers open — potassium is what sizes and ripens fruit, not nitrogen. Chicory 'Puntarelle' feeds in two distinct phases — balanced to build the plant, then high-potassium the moment flowering starts to set and fill a heavy crop.
How often should I feed chicory 'puntarelle'?
Moderate feeder: dig in compost before sowing and give a balanced feed mid-season for vigorous leaf and shoot growth. Steady fertility keeps the shoots tender; avoid heavy late nitrogen, which softens growth and invites rot. Moderate feeder: dig in compost before sowing and give a balanced feed mid-season for vigorous leaf and shoot growth. Steady fertility keeps the shoots tender; avoid heavy late nitrogen, which softens growth and invites rot. So: a balanced feed or compost at planting, then a high-potash liquid every 1-2 weeks from first flower through harvest across the main season (spring through early autumn).
What strength of feed for chicory 'puntarelle'?
Follow the crop-feed label rate for chicory 'puntarelle' — these are calibrated for hungry vegetables. Consistency through fruiting matters more than strength; erratic feeding causes problems like blossom-end rot.
What does over-feeding chicory 'puntarelle' look like?
Vigorous dark-green leafy growth but few flowers or fruit (excess nitrogen). Lush foliage hiding the crop; soft growth prone to pests and disease. Salt crust on the soil and scorched leaf edges in containers. Staying on a high-nitrogen feed once chicory 'puntarelle' starts flowering is the classic error — you get a huge leafy plant and a disappointing crop. Switch to high-potash the moment flowers appear.
Should I flush the soil of chicory 'puntarelle'?
In containers, fertiliser salts build up fast — water chicory 'puntarelle' thoroughly so excess drains from the base each time, and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent a damaging salt build-up.
Keep reading
- Chicory 'Puntarelle' care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water chicory 'puntarelle' — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise tomato
- How to fertilise pepper
- How to fertilise cucumber
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library