Sugarloaf/Greenwood - set of 5 pieces

Sugarloaf (or Green Lettuce) is a typical autumn vegetable, related to chicory and radicchio(red-leaf). They all belong to the family Cichorium intybus. The plant forms an elongated closed head that is green on the outside and light yellow inside. Sugarloaf can be eaten raw or cooked. The taste is somewhere between that of chicory and endive.

CULTIVATION TIPS:
Sugarloaf can be grown well on almost any soil type and requires a rather poor soil. A place in the garden in half shade is better than in full sun. Planting distance: 35 x 35 cm. Don't plant the press-pots too deep, put them on the ground with about ½ of the root ball under the soil. This way you reduce the contact with the soil and the chance of fungal infections is reduced. Allégrow's sugarloaf plants are grown in a heated and lighted greenhouse, necessary to prevent overshooting. This shootiness is ample when planting early in the spring (cold shot) and in full summer (warm shot). When the planting temperature exceeds 25°, growth stops and uneven growth of the sugarloaf plant is ideal for overshooting. Be careful with nitrogen: if there is too much, the taste will suffer. The heads will become more bitter and less sweet. A little night frost won't hurt, otherwise cover up is recommended. You can leave sugar loaf in the field until the end of November. After a little frost the sugar bread will have a richer taste.

CULINARY:
The leaves of sugarloaf are quite bitter and are stewed. The inner part, cut into strips, can be used in salads to which it then gives a spicy flavor. It is also a vegetable that can be eaten fresh from the field long into the autumn.

HARVESTING AND STORAGE:
Sugarloaf forms a closed growth habit from the very beginning. You can quickly harvest small heads but you can also let the head thicken without much problems.

PROBLEMS AND DISEASES:
Sugarloaf and aphids go hand in hand.... But it's about the only difficulty (out of shot, of course) that you can experience with sugarloaf. Try to prevent the infestation of aphids by taking preventive action. Consult your garden center.