How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Endive

The endive plant can be a little confusing. Several plants are referred to as ‘endive,’ and some endive plants are mistaken for vegetables such as lettuce and other leafy greens, which have a milder flavor. Hopefully, this article will help explain the differences between the different types of endive and give you some tips on how to grow the lettuce-type leaves you may recognize from supermarket salad bags.

The main types of endive discussed here are Batavian or escarole, an upright variety with large, broad salad-like leaves, and curly endive, also called frisée, with wide rosettes of finely serrated leaves. Both are very easy to grow and delicious to eat.

So why grow endive? It is packed full of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin K, folate, and manganese, and high in complex fibers that help you feel fuller for longer. The slightly bitter flavor naturally promotes digestive health and signals your stomach to prepare for food. You can use the leaves raw in salads or wilted and cooked in soups and stews.

Endive is mainly grown as a cold-season or fall crop, but the curly or frisée types grow well during summer, giving you endive options across the whole year.

What is Endive?

You may be surprised to learn that endive comes from the daisy family, Asteraceae. If you ever let your endive plants flower, you will understand why. The botanical name for endive is Cichorium endivia with two key varieties: escarole endive, C. endivia var. latifolia, and curly endive, C. endivia var. crispum.

Belgian endive and radicchio are also part of the Cichorium genus but are not from the endivia species, despite often being referred to as ‘endive.’ It’s easy to see how this can be confusing. Common names include endive, escarole, frisée, curly endive, and endive lettuce.

Endive is believed to originate in Europe and Asia, where it remains a popular vegetable today. Curly or frisée-type plants have narrow, deeply cut curly leaves that grow from a large central rosette of light green leaves to dark green at the edges. The darker the leaf, the more bitter the flavor. Red varieties of frisée are also available and make a nice contrast in a salad bowl.

Characteristics

Escarole endive has broad, smooth leaves and is a hardier cool-season plant. The flavor is less bitter than other endives, especially the lighter-colored inner leaves, which you can use in salads the same way as frisée. The slightly tougher outer leaves are perfect for cooking like leafy greens or chopping into soups.

If plants are left to go to seed, they will produce a tall, branching flower stalk with pale blue, daisy-like flowers. Endive seeds are small and light brown, enveloped in a little paper capsule, easy to collect, and will readily self-seed.

Although the leaves of all endive plants are the main edible part, all endives have a taproot of various sizes containing a milky liquid that can be slightly toxic when fresh. Roots are often dried and ground to make a chicory alternative to coffee. The best varieties for a coffee substitute are from the C. intybus species and are called ‘Magdeburg’ or ‘Brunswick.’

Many growers blanch endive plants to produce lighter-colored, less bitter leaves. This is done by placing a pot over the top of the plant or securing the leafy heads together with a rubber band or string to block light from the center of the plant. Do this two to three weeks before harvest and use blanched plants as soon as possible, as they can go to seed quickly after the blanching process.

Types Of Endive

As mentioned above, there are many plants in the genus Cichorium commonly referred to as endive. In general, the name ‘endive’ is given to the bitter-flavored, leafy parts of most plants in the chicory family, even if they are not from the species endivia.

In addition to the curly and escarole endives described earlier, there is another type called Belgian endive or ‘Witloof,’ which belongs to the species C. intybus var. foliosum. Belgian endive is small, four to six inches long, and has cylindrical-shaped heads called ‘chicons’ with creamy, yellow leaves that are slightly bitter. The heads are produced after harvesting the plants in the previous season, digging up the roots, and forcing them to resprout in the same way mushrooms and rhubarb are grown in darkness to develop a firm, closed head with crisp leaves and a delicate flavor.

Belgian endive can be baked, braised on the barbecue, and even used as a healthy alternative to crackers and chips with dips. A red version of Belgian endive known as radicchio makes an excellent addition to salads. It can also be forced to produce crisp, lighter-colored leaves.

Varieties of curly and escarole endive to look out for include:

• Jeti: Curly/frisee type with light green upright leaves and easy to blanch.
• Pancalieri: An excellent self-blanching frisee type with very curled leaves.
• Avance: Escarole type, fast-growing, cold-tolerant with densely filled hearts.

Planting

As a cool-weather vegetable, endive should be sown during the cooler months. In northern climates, sow in early spring for harvesting up to early summer and sow again in mid to late summer to harvest into winter. In warmer climates, sow endive in early fall to harvest right through to the following spring.

Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date and transplant outside after the last frost when air temperatures are stable. Fluctuations in temperature up or down can cause plants to bolt.

Sow seeds directly in mid to late spring in rows 18 inches apart, thinning to seven to eight inches apart. Don’t let the thinnings go to waste! These young leaves are perfect for salads. Grow in full sun to part shade in well-drained, consistently moist soil.

Curly and escarole endive are perfect for growing in large containers and work well as a cut-and-come-again type of salad leaf. We stock several options in our shop that will improve your gardening experience. Try a tiered GreenStalk planter to save space. Keep containers well watered to prevent plants from drying out and running to seed.

How to Grow

Curly and escarole endive are as easy to grow as lettuce! Follow our tips below and you can’t go wrong.

Light

A minimum of four hours of direct sunlight is needed to grow endive, so full sun to part shade works best. 

Water

Growing endive requires consistently moist soil in planting beds to prevent plants from becoming stressed and bolting. Check soil moisture levels regularly and water as needed. Mornings are best, allowing plants to absorb moisture before the full heat of the day. Use soaker hoses or a watering can, directing the water to the soil and not the leaves.

Soil

Light, fertile, well-drained soil is best for growing endive. Most soil types work well except heavy clay, which can cause waterlogging that rots endive roots and leaves. Loose soil is best. Dig in lots of well-rotted manure or add aged compost prior to planting to help retain moisture while providing nutrients. Endive likes its pH on the slightly acidic side, preferring a range of 5 to 6.8.

Temperature

As a cool-season crop, endive grows best in temperatures around 60°F (16°C). Too much fluctuation in temperature up or down will cause plants to bolt, so it’s best to sow a bit later in spring when temperatures are more stable. Bolting causes leaves to become bitter and unpalatable.

Escarole endive is hardier than curly varieties and is the better option for fall and early winter harvests, but it will still need some frost protection with a frost blanket. On the other hand, prolonged high temperatures will cause escarole leaves to become bitter, so it’s best to grow curly types in summer. USDA zones for growing endive are 4 through 9.

Fertilizing

Endive benefits from fertilizer throughout the growing season. Dig in some fish emulsion, blood meal, bone meal, or well-rotted manure a few weeks before planting, or use a balanced liquid general fertilizer once or twice a month during the growing season.

Pruning

Endive doesn’t require any formal pruning apart from the odd tidy-up to keep plants healthy and of course to harvest. If you grow endive as a cut-and-come-again crop, harvest often to encourage fresh new growth. Remove any debris around plants as well as damaged or diseased outer leaves to prevent fungus developing in the soil and to discourage slugs and snails. Remove entire plants at soil level after bolting to prevent self-seeding.

Propagation

Sow endive seeds indoors in module trays six to eight weeks before the last frost date for transplanting outdoors in mid to late spring when daily temperatures are more consistent. Harden them off slowly to acclimatize them before finally planting out into their final growing positions.

Alternatively, sow seeds directly into the ground from mid to late spring when soil temperatures are a minimum of 59°F (15°C). Seeds will not germinate when soil temperatures exceed 80°F (27°C). Sow thinly half an inch deep.

Harvesting

Curly or frisée endive is grown mainly as a summer crop and can be harvested as cut and come again by simply snipping a few leaves as needed, or as a mature head from late spring onwards, usually around three months from the sowing date. To harvest an entire head, cut the stem at the base of the leaves with a sharp knife. The broader leaves of escarole types can also be harvested in the same way but usually later in the year.

Storing

Endive is best used soon after harvesting (especially blanched plants, which deteriorate more quickly). Loose leaves and whole heads will store in the refrigerator for up to a week if wrapped in damp kitchen paper.

Troubleshooting

Endive leaves aren’t very tasty to most common pests, although there are a couple of insects to look out for, as well as one or two diseases.

Growing Problems

As a temperature-sensitive plant, one of the main growing problems when growing endive is bolting. All plants eventually go to seed, but you want to make sure you can harvest first. To avoid bolting, ensure you are sowing and growing your plants at the right time of year for your climate and keep the soil moist at all times.

Pests

Slugs and snails can be a problem when growing endive, as they thrive in the moist soil conditions that endive prefers. Handpicking, particularly at night, and removing hiding spots such as damp wood, logs, and plant debris will help reduce populations. An organic slug and snail bait may be useful as well.

Aphids enjoy the fresh new leaves produced at the heart of endive plants, making them unattractive and difficult to clean. Grow companion plants like marigolds to help deter aphids and encourage beneficial insects. Alternatively, spray them with an organic insecticidal soap or neem oil. Squishing aphids with your fingers or a quick blast of water can also help reduce numbers.

Flea beetles are shiny black insects that feed on leaf matter, leaving behind yellow stippling. They look like tiny, black grasshoppers and leap when you try to catch them. Yellow sticky traps will capture them, but these can also trap beneficial insects. A light mist of neem oil applied before the sun rises, and outside times when temperatures reach 90°F (32°C), will kill them and keep them away.

Diseases

Endive is a cool-season plant that also creates the perfect environment for bacterial leaf spot to thrive. This disease can be carried in soil and water and causes brownish, water-soaked spots on foliage that eventually turn yellow as the leaves rot. Avoid disturbing the soil around plants when the area is wet and avoid overhead watering whenever possible. Remove infected plants immediately to prevent the bacteria from spreading and rotate crops each year.

If endive plants are sitting in soil that is too wet or after a prolonged period of rain, the bottom leaves can begin to rot, known as bottom rot. Symptoms include reddish-brown spots on the underside of leaves that quickly deteriorate. In very wet conditions, remove the outermost leaves so they are not resting on the soil and avoid overhead watering. Remove infected plants and avoid crowding by providing adequate spacing. Rotate crops each year.

Downy mildew can also affect endive in cool, wet weather. It appears in stark white patches on leaves, indicating this fungal disease has taken hold. The best treatment is prevention in the form of copper fungicide sprayed as the plant is growing.

Frequently Asked Questions