How to Grow Endive
Cichorium endivia
Hardy Cool Season Single Harvest
Endive is a hardy cool-season salad crop with a pleasantly bitter flavour that softens significantly with blanching. Sow from late spring to late summer in well-drained soil with full sun, and thin to 30 cm apart. The key tip is blanching — covering the plant for two to three weeks before harvest greatly reduces bitterness and produces the pale, tender heart endive is prized for.
When to Start
Direct sow outdoors as soon as soil reaches 5°C — typically early to mid spring. Hardy enough to tolerate light frosts.
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Growth Stages
Sow seeds
Day 0 Germination
~10 days Harvest
~85 days Seed to harvest ~85 days
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Apply a balanced general-purpose fertiliser at planting time. Endive is a fast-growing crop that benefits from a liquid feed every two to three weeks once plants are established, particularly on light soils.
- Sow endive in succession from late spring to late summer for a continuous harvest from summer to autumn. Blanching for two to three weeks before harvest reduces bitterness significantly and is highly recommended — only blanch dry plants to prevent rot.
Growing Conditions
- Min. soil temperature
- 5°C+
- Germination temperature
- 15–22°C
Don't know your frost date? Find it here
- Direct sow
- —
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Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 30 cm |
| Row spacing | 30 cm |
| Sow depth | 0.5 cm |
| Mature height | 30 cm |
| Mature spread | 30 cm |
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 5°C |
| Germination temperature | 15–22°C |
| Base growth temperature | 5°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 10h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | long day |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant Endive?
- Plant Endive 30cm apart with 30cm between rows.
- Is Endive frost hardy?
- Endive is classified as Hardy.
