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Endive Seeds - Green Curled Ruffec - Cicorium endivia

Regular price: $5.99

Unit price: per

Cichorium endivia - Non-GMO, Open-Pollinated, Heirloom, Untreated
Gourmet Salad Green: A classic French heirloom that produces large, deeply cut, and frilly leaves, adding a delightful crunch, texture, and pleasantly bitter flavor to salads.
Excellent for Blanching: The frilly outer leaves can be tied up to blanch the inner heart, turning it a creamy white-yellow and creating a wonderfully tender, mild, and less bitter delicacy.
Superb Cold Tolerance: True to its European heritage, 'Green Curled Ruffec' is exceptionally hardy and performs best in cool weather, making it a perfect choice for fall and overwintering crops.
Large, Vigorous Heads: This variety grows into a large, decorative, spreading rosette, providing a substantial and continuous harvest from a single plant.
Cut-and-Come-Again Option: While best grown for its full head, you can also harvest the outer leaves as needed, allowing the plant to continue producing from the center.
Versatile Culinary Use: Delicious raw in salads with a strong vinaigrette, it is also fantastic when braised, grilled, or added to soups, where cooking mellows its flavor.

$5.99

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USDA Hardiness Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

USDA Zones 3-11 - Endive is cultivated as a cool-season annual across all zones. Planting times are critical and must be scheduled to avoid maturing in the peak heat of summer, which causes bolting.

Best Performance - Achieved in Zones 4-8, where it can be grown as a spring crop and an outstanding fall crop. The cool autumn temperatures enhance its flavor and crispness.

Northern Zones (3-5) - Sow seeds in late spring for a summer harvest, or in early summer for a fall crop. Its excellent frost tolerance allows the harvest to extend late into the autumn season.

Hot Climate Zones (9-11) - Endive is an ideal crop for the fall, winter, and early spring months. Sow seeds in late summer or early fall for a harvest that will last through the mild winter. Spring-sown crops should be harvested before the intense summer heat arrives.

Soil Temperature - Germinates best in cool soil, with an optimal temperature range of 60-75 degrees F. Germination can be slow or fail entirely in soil temperatures above 80 degrees F.

Growing Season - This variety matures in approximately 85-95 days. It requires a long spell of cool, stable weather to form a full head without bolting.

Learn more about USDA Hardiness Zones here

USDA Hardiness Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

USDA Zones 3-11 - Endive is cultivated as a cool-season annual across all zones. Planting times are critical and must be scheduled to avoid maturing in the peak heat of summer, which causes bolting.

Best Performance - Achieved in Zones 4-8, where it can be grown as a spring crop and an outstanding fall crop. The cool autumn temperatures enhance its flavor and crispness.

Northern Zones (3-5) - Sow seeds in late spring for a summer harvest, or in early summer for a fall crop. Its excellent frost tolerance allows the harvest to extend late into the autumn season.

Hot Climate Zones (9-11) - Endive is an ideal crop for the fall, winter, and early spring months. Sow seeds in late summer or early fall for a harvest that will last through the mild winter. Spring-sown crops should be harvested before the intense summer heat arrives.

Soil Temperature - Germinates best in cool soil, with an optimal temperature range of 60-75 degrees F. Germination can be slow or fail entirely in soil temperatures above 80 degrees F.

Growing Season - This variety matures in approximately 85-95 days. It requires a long spell of cool, stable weather to form a full head without bolting.

Learn more about USDA Hardiness Zones here

Planting Tips

When to Sow:
For a spring/summer crop, direct sow outdoors 2-4 weeks before your last average frost date. For a superior fall crop, sow seeds directly into the garden in mid-to-late summer, about 90 days before your first expected fall frost. Starting seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting is also an option.

Sowing and Spacing:

Seed Depth: Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep.

Spacing: Sow seeds 1-2 inches apart in rows that are 18-24 inches apart.

Thinning: Once seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, thin them to a final spacing of 10-12 inches apart to give each head ample room to grow.

Ongoing Care:

Light: Plant in full sun. In warmer regions or for late spring crops, some afternoon shade can be beneficial to keep the soil cool and delay bolting.

Soil: Endive requires fertile, well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter. A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 is ideal.

Water: Provide consistent and even moisture. Water stress can lead to increased bitterness and will encourage the plant to bolt prematurely.

Blanching (Optional, for best flavor): About 2-3 weeks before you plan to harvest, blanch the heads to create a tender, milder heart. On a dry day, gather the outer leaves and tie them loosely together over the center of the plant with twine. This blocks sunlight from the inner leaves. Be careful not to tie too tightly.

Harvesting: Harvest the entire head when it is full, firm, and the blanched heart is a creamy yellow. Cut the plant at the soil level. Alternatively, you can harvest individual outer leaves at any time. The entire plant should be harvested before a hard freeze.

Planting Tips

When to Sow:
For a spring/summer crop, direct sow outdoors 2-4 weeks before your last average frost date. For a superior fall crop, sow seeds directly into the garden in mid-to-late summer, about 90 days before your first expected fall frost. Starting seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting is also an option.

Sowing and Spacing:

Seed Depth: Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep.

Spacing: Sow seeds 1-2 inches apart in rows that are 18-24 inches apart.

Thinning: Once seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, thin them to a final spacing of 10-12 inches apart to give each head ample room to grow.

Ongoing Care:

Light: Plant in full sun. In warmer regions or for late spring crops, some afternoon shade can be beneficial to keep the soil cool and delay bolting.

Soil: Endive requires fertile, well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter. A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 is ideal.

Water: Provide consistent and even moisture. Water stress can lead to increased bitterness and will encourage the plant to bolt prematurely.

Blanching (Optional, for best flavor): About 2-3 weeks before you plan to harvest, blanch the heads to create a tender, milder heart. On a dry day, gather the outer leaves and tie them loosely together over the center of the plant with twine. This blocks sunlight from the inner leaves. Be careful not to tie too tightly.

Harvesting: Harvest the entire head when it is full, firm, and the blanched heart is a creamy yellow. Cut the plant at the soil level. Alternatively, you can harvest individual outer leaves at any time. The entire plant should be harvested before a hard freeze.

Endive Seeds - Green Curled Ruffec - Cicorium endivia

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