When to Plant Endive in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 21:55 yesterday, not a model.
What this month normally looks like in Subtropical
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 33 postcodes, SILO.
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This Endive guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Feb to Jul
- Days to harvest
- 50 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.0
Endive is a cool-season salad green in the chicory family, available as curly-leaf (frisee) and broad-leaf (escarole/Batavian) types.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Subtropical
- Jan -
- Feb S
- Mar S/T/D
- Apr S/T/D
- May S/T/D
- Jun S/T/D
- Jul T (likely to bolt)
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Amber = likely to bolt if sown this month, it matures into heat or long days.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Endive in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost. Tolerates a range of soils but performs best in loamy, moisture-retentive ground.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- 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.
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Onion, Tomato, Carrot, Radish
- Keep away from
- No major antagonists known
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before leafy greens go back in. Leaf crops want the nitrogen the legumes left behind.
Subtropical Growing Tips for Endive
Recommended Varieties
- Green Curled
- Broad-leaved Batavian
- Tres Fine Maraichere
Key Challenges
- Bolting if warm spells occur
- Slugs in wet weather
- Bitterness increases with heat
Pro Tips
- Plant in part shade if February start to reduce bolt risk
- Blanch by tying outer leaves 2-3 weeks before harvest for milder flavour
- Excellent winter salad green for SEQ
Pests and problems for Endive in Subtropical
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.
Storing and preserving endive
How to keep it
- Blanching and Freezing. Wash and chop. Blanch 2 minutes. Ice bath. Drain, squeeze, pack into freezer bags. Best used in soups and cooked dishes after freezing. Keeps: 8-10 months.
- Fresh Storage. Wrap unwashed heads in damp paper towel, place in plastic bag in crisper drawer of fridge. Best eaten fresh as texture deteriorates with processing. Keeps: 1-2 weeks refrigerated.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
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:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Jul Likely to bolt if sown in June and July.
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Jul Likely to bolt if sown in July.
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to May, Sep to Dec Likely to bolt if sown in September, October and November.
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec Likely to bolt if sown in August, September, October and November.
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec Likely to bolt if sown in September, October and November.
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Feb to Jul Likely to bolt if sown in June and July.
- Mediterranean (Perth): Feb to May, Aug to Sep Likely to bolt if sown in September.
Can you grow endive all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Feb to Jul. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather. Likely to bolt if sown in July.
When should I plant Endive in Brisbane?
Sow from February to June and plant out up to July, for autumn and winter harvests. The best results come from planting between March and May.
What soil temperature do Endive need?
Endive germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 25°C.
How do I know when Endive are ready to harvest?
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.
What are the best Endive varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Green Curled, Broad-leaved Batavian, Tres Fine Maraichere.
What grows well with Endive?
Good companion plants for Endive include: Dwarf Beans, Onion, Tomato, Carrot, Radish.
Are endive salt tolerant?
Only a little. Endive are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.