Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum 'Rossa di Treviso')
Also called Treviso radicchio, Italian chicory, Treviso red chicory.
More about radicchio 'rossa di treviso'
About Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso'
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum 'Rossa di Treviso' · also called Treviso radicchio, Italian chicory · edible
'Rossa di Treviso' is an elongated Italian chicory forming upright, loose heads of wine-red leaves with bright white midribs. Cool weather and autumn frost intensify the colour and sweeten the pleasantly bitter leaves. A traditional cut-and-force crop, it is sown in summer for autumn and winter harvest in cooler climates.
Preferred mix: Fertile, moisture-retentive loam, pH 6.0-6.8
Watch for — Bolting in heat or drought: Sowing too early or letting soil dry out makes plants run to seed before hearting. Sow from early-to-mid summer for autumn heads and keep moisture even.
Why radicchio 'rossa di treviso' needs this mix
Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' hates drying out, so it wants a mix that stays evenly moist — but it still needs perlite so "moist" never tips into "waterlogged".
- Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' comes from damp, shaded forest floors and has fine roots that scorch and brown the moment the rootball dries — the mix has to hold a steady reserve.
- Coir and compost give that reserve, while perlite keeps enough air that the constantly-moist mix does not turn anaerobic.
- Even moisture also keeps its thin leaves from crisping at the edges, which is this plant’s most visible stress signal.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons radicchio 'rossa di treviso' struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A free-draining, gritty mix dries too fast for radicchio 'rossa di treviso' — you get crispy brown edges and frond or leaf drop within days of one missed watering.
- A pure, airless peat mix swings the other way: it holds water but suffocates the fine roots and rots the crown.
- Letting the mix dry to the point it shrinks from the pot is very hard to re-wet evenly and stresses the plant badly.
Using a sharp, fast-draining "houseplant" or cactus-leaning mix that lets radicchio 'rossa di treviso' dry out. It needs a moisture-retentive but still airy blend.
pH — does it matter for radicchio 'rossa di treviso'?
Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' prefers a slightly acidic mix (around pH 5.5-6.5); a peat-free compost-and-coir blend sits there naturally, so routine pH testing is unnecessary.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A good peat-free houseplant compost works for radicchio 'rossa di treviso' straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
Drainage and the pot
Use a pot with a drainage hole but a less-porous material (plastic or glazed) so it does not dry too fast. Bottom-watering keeps the mix evenly moist without sogging the crown.
Peat-free mixes slump and compact as they hold moisture, so refresh radicchio 'rossa di treviso''s mix every 12-18 months to keep air in the rootball even if the pot size is unchanged. When the time comes, our repotting guide for radicchio 'rossa di treviso' covers the timing and technique step by step.
Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for radicchio 'rossa di treviso'?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part coco coir : 1 part perlite. Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' comes from damp, shaded forest floors and has fine roots that scorch and brown the moment the rootball dries — the mix has to hold a steady reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for radicchio 'rossa di treviso'?
A free-draining, gritty mix dries too fast for radicchio 'rossa di treviso' — you get crispy brown edges and frond or leaf drop within days of one missed watering. A good peat-free houseplant compost works for radicchio 'rossa di treviso' straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
Does radicchio 'rossa di treviso' need a special pH?
Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' prefers a slightly acidic mix (around pH 5.5-6.5); a peat-free compost-and-coir blend sits there naturally, so routine pH testing is unnecessary.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for radicchio 'rossa di treviso'?
A good peat-free houseplant compost works for radicchio 'rossa di treviso' straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
How often should I refresh the soil for radicchio 'rossa di treviso'?
Peat-free mixes slump and compact as they hold moisture, so refresh radicchio 'rossa di treviso''s mix every 12-18 months to keep air in the rootball even if the pot size is unchanged. Use a pot with a drainage hole but a less-porous material (plastic or glazed) so it does not dry too fast. Bottom-watering keeps the mix evenly moist without sogging the crown.
Keep reading
- Radicchio 'Rossa di Treviso' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water radicchio 'rossa di treviso' — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting radicchio 'rossa di treviso' — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Underwatered plant — signs and how to rehydrate it
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
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