Like just about everything else, coffee prices are going through the roof so of course, me being both poor & frugal I started looking into ways to make  my coffee stretch as far as possible.  Some brands of coffee already have chicory blended in and you can find chicory in the stores right next to the coffee -but- the price is every bit as high, if not higher than coffee itself ......so.... I did a little research into growing chicory and here's what I found:

How to Grow Chicory to Make Coffee

How to Grow Chicory to Make Coffeethumbnail

  Brew coffee from homegrown chicory. 


Chicory (Chicorium intybus) is a natural, caffeine-free alternative to coffee. When coffee supplies were limited during World War II, most U.S. "coffee" was made from chicory. The plant grows well throughout the United States and can often be seen as a wildflower growing along the roadsides, so it requires only minimal care. The leaves are also edible and can be used in salads. 
Difficulty: Moderately Easy 

Instructions 

things you'll need:
  • Chicory seed 
  • Coffee grinder 
  1. Sow the chicory seed in the ground in mid-spring. The seed should be no more than 1/2 inch deep. Rows should be 18 inches apart. Chicory will grow in full sun or light shade. The optimum soil temperature for germination is 65-75° F. Growth should be visible within 7 to 21 days. 
  2.  Water as needed until plants are growing well. Once established, they require little care. 
  3.  Thin seedlings to leave one plant every 10 inches along the row. The leaves of the plants you pulled out can be used in salads. 
  4.  Dig the roots at the end of the growing season. They should be about 6 inches in diameter and 10 inches long. 
  5.  Wash the roots thoroughly to remove garden soil. 

Dice the roots and bake them until dried, then grind them up for coffee. Chicory can be used alone for a hot drink, or mixed 40-to-60 with coffee.

~Sounds pretty easy yo me so I think I'm going to give it a shot this year.