Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Cultivated endive does not develop a head.
GROWING FOR SEED
Endives are normally grown for seed as biennials. Some endive varieties (espe-
cially escaroles and cultivated endives) can flower in the first year but are unable to produce ripe seeds
in a temperate climate. The exception that proves the rule: at Dreschflegel in Germany, a curly endive
variety is sown early and seed is harvested the same year. When overwintering in a root cellar, the
ideal time to start seeds is mid to late summer.
Where winters are frost-free and not too wet, endive can be overwintered in the ground outdoors.
For overwintering in a root cellar, dig up plants in mid to late autumn, cut leaves back to about 2 in. (5
cm), and trim smaller and branched roots. Plants will store in sand or sandy soil for the winter at
32-39°F (0-4°C) and around 80% humidity for three to four months. Larger plants are more suscept-
ible to rot than smaller ones; you may choose to overwinter only small plants for this reason. Curly en-
dive doesn't store as well as other endives. For this reason, Arche Noah waits until early autumn to
sow curly endive seed and then overwinters young plants in pots in a frost-free tunnel or cold frame.
The best plants are selected the following spring once they have developed more leaves before flower-
ing. The plants flower in early summer and grow to 24-48 in. (60-120 cm); the flower stalks are cum-
bersomely branched and have a light blue flower in each leaf axil.
HARVEST
Plants often flower until late in autumn, which may give the impression that the harvest
must wait until at least then. The best endive seeds, however, as with most crop plants, come from the
first flowers to bloom, so pay close attention. Wait to harvest these early seeds, and you risk that
finches and other birds get to them first, or that they'll be overcome by fungi. Better to harvest seeds
as they ripen by plucking them from the plant, or cut whole stalks and hang them indoors to complete
the ripening process. When plucking ripe seed, make sure you are actually getting seed and not empty
pods, as storms can knock seeds free.
Seeds can be freed from pods with a rolling pin. Winnow with sieves and the wind.
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS
• typical or exceptional leaf shape or size
• tight, well-developed rosette
• late bolting
• plants with lots of yellow (= low amounts of bitter compounds)
