When to Plant Endive in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide

Sow August to April. Right now in September you can sow.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Endive guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Endive

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Endive is a cool-season salad green in the chicory family, available as curly-leaf (frisee) and broad-leaf (escarole/Batavian) types. It adds a distinctive, slightly bitter flavour to salads and is more heat-tolerant than lettuce. Blanching the inner leaves by tying or covering reduces bitterness. Well-suited to Australian autumn and winter gardens.

Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D T - - - S S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 11.2°C (optimal range: 15–25°C) ✗ Outside optimal range

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.

How to Grow Endive in Cold / Highland Australia

When to Plant

October-February. Short season but endive handles cool conditions well.

Soil
Well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost. Tolerates a range of soils but performs best in loamy, moisture-retentive ground.
pH Range
5.5-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun in cool weather. Part shade (afternoon) in warmer zones to reduce bitterness and bolting.
Spacing
30cm apart, 40cm between rows
Watering
Consistent moisture essential for tender leaves. Water deeply 2-3 times per week. Avoid wetting foliage to prevent rot during blanching. Drip irrigation ideal.

Companion plants: Chives, Radish, Carrot, Bean

Avoid planting near: No major antagonists known

Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Endive

Recommended Varieties

  • Green Curled
  • Broad-leaved Batavian

Key Challenges

  • Hard frosts damage outer leaves
  • Short growing season

Pro Tips

  • Frost cloth protects plants for extended harvest
  • More cold-tolerant than lettuce; a good substitute in late autumn
  • Broad-leaf types are hardier than curly types

Harvesting Endive

When ready: Plant is full and dense (30-40cm diameter). Inner leaves should be pale green to yellow-white if blanched. For baby leaf, harvest at 10-15cm.

How to harvest: Cut entire plant at soil level. Or harvest outer leaves progressively for cut-and-come-again. For blanching, tie outer leaves and harvest entire head after 2-3 weeks.

Common Endive Pests in Cold / Highland Zones

Aphids, risk: MODERATE (score: 48/100)

Organic prevention: Water in morning. Remove hiding places. Protect seedlings with cloches.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the cold and highland zone this September: Sweet Corn, Beetroot, Chilli Peppers and Snow Peas.

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Common Questions About Endive

When do you plant endive in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does endive grow all year round in Canberra?

No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.