Endive
Cichorium endivia
Endive is a slightly bitter salad green with frilly (frisée) or broad (escarole) leaves. Blanching the centre for a week or two before harvest makes it milder and paler.
Photo: Montréalais · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Keep moist to prevent bolting and bitterness.
Soil
Fertile, moisture-retentive soil; pH 6.0–7.0.
Temperature and humidity
-3–25 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Light feeding every few weeks.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed
Blanch by covering the centre with a plate for 7–10 days before cutting.
Endive is safe to eat.
Top Cultivation Tips
Grow in spring or late summer for fall.
Blanch only dry plants to avoid rot.
Pick outer leaves as cut-and-come-again.
Belgian endive (witloof) is a different forced chicory.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseaseDowny mildew
A water-mould disease that causes yellow patches on top of leaves and grey-purple fuzz underneath, spreading fast in cool, wet weather.
How to treat it →PestSnails and slugs
Night-feeding molluscs that chew ragged holes in leaves, seedlings and soft stems, especially in wet weather.
How to treat it →
