The gardening year is in full swing when the endive salad joins them. Thanks to a high resistance to cold, the harvest lasts until November. Our instructions show you how to properly plant the late bloomer.

Is growing endive lettuce worth it?

Anyone who has the most rational use of the vegetable patch up their sleeve tends to grow in pots. This has the advantage that other types of vegetables can mature in peace in the bed. Meanwhile, the endive is already gaining a head start in growth, including an earlier harvest.

  • At the beginning of June, fill small pots with potting soil and plant 2-3 seeds 2 cm deep
  • keep constantly moist in a semi-shady place
  • after germination, the strongest plant remains in the pot

Which site conditions do you have to pay attention to?

Endive lettuce wants to soak up as much sun as possible. The less often the plant is shaded, the richer it develops. The soil should be humus, nutritious and fresh. A pH of 6.5 to 7 is ideal.

What are the instructions for direct sowing?

The time window for direct sowing opens at the beginning of July. Rake the bed deeply and weed it thoroughly. A seed furrow is made with the handle of the rake. The seeds go in there at a distance of 30-40 cm, at a depth of 2 cm.

Watering is preferably done using a watering can and shower attachment. It makes sense to protect the seed with a fine-meshed net. Constant moisture combined with repeated application of compost allows endive to sprout happily.

Which plant neighbors are suitable for mixed culture?

Endive gets on well with the following plants: Chinese cabbage, beans, lamb's lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi, fennel and leek.

Since the endive develops a fairly high nitrate content, the culture should only colonize the same bed every three years.

How do the endive leaves stay appetizingly white?

To keep the endive leaves tender and white, loosely tie each head together a few days before harvest. Preferably lay garden fleece over it. It should be noted, however, that the risk of rot increases.

When and how to harvest endive?

The endive takes about 12 weeks to ripen. Harvest time begins in August. On a dry day, pull the head of lettuce out of the ground along with the roots.

If the first frosty nights are imminent, protect the endive with foil. Varieties with smooth leaf edges can withstand temperatures down to -5 degrees Celsius.

tips and tricks

If you sow again and again at intervals of 3 weeks from the beginning of the season, you will harvest crisp, fresh endive lettuce without interruption until the beginning of winter.

Category:

Vegetable garden