When to Plant Chicory and Radicchio in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
Jump to section
This Chicory and Radicchio guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Mar to Jun
- Days to harvest
- about 9 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.0–7.0
Chicory and radicchio are the same species, Cichorium intybus. Radicchio forms red and white heads. Chicory is grown for its leaves, or its roots are forced to make blanched witloof. Both are cool season crops.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar S
- Apr S/T
- May S/T
- Jun T
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Tropical zone right now, Chicory and Radicchio included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Chicory and Radicchio in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich soil with compost, well rotted manure or worm castings (Succeed Heirlooms).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun or light shade (Succeed Heirlooms).
- Spacing
- 30cm apart
- Watering
- Water deeply and regularly. Mulch well to keep roots cool and hold moisture (Succeed Heirlooms).
- Good companions
- Lettuce, Onion, Carrot, Radish, Dill
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before leafy greens go back in. Leaf crops want the nitrogen the legumes left behind.
Tropical Growing Tips for Chicory and Radicchio
Key Challenges
- Heat
- Bolting
- Humidity
Pro Tips
- Sow in the coolest months
- Mulch to keep roots cool
Pests and problems for Chicory and Radicchio in Tropical
Harvesting Chicory and Radicchio
When ready: The central head is ready 9 to 13 weeks after sowing, when it is about the size of a grapefruit (Succeed Heirlooms).
How to harvest: Pick outer leaves once large enough, or cut the whole head (Succeed Heirlooms).
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Chicory and Radicchio
When do you plant chicory and radicchio in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Jun
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to May, Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to May, Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to May, Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): May to Jul
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to May, Dec
Can you grow chicory and radicchio all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Mar to Jun. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Chicory and Radicchio in Cairns?
Gardenate lists March to June for the tropics. Succeed Heirlooms says radicchio is unlikely to grow well there. Heads form best in cool weather, so sow in the coolest months. Our rating is a judgement.
What soil temperature do Chicory and Radicchio need?
Chicory and Radicchio germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 20°C.
How do I know when Chicory and Radicchio are ready to harvest?
The central head is ready 9 to 13 weeks after sowing, when it is about the size of a grapefruit (Succeed Heirlooms).
What grows well with Chicory and Radicchio?
Good companion plants for Chicory and Radicchio include: Lettuce, Onion, Carrot, Radish, Dill.
Are chicory and radicchio salt tolerant?
Only a little. Chicory and radicchio are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.