What's the difference between chicory and endive?

Same family, different species, different uses. Endive (Cichorium endivia, this plant): hardy annual, rosette of curly (frisée) or flat (escarole) leaves, milder bitterness, autumn–winter salad crop. Chicory (Cichorium intybus — see separate chicory slug): hardy perennial (grown as annual), upright growth, sharper bitterness, three main types (forcing/witloof, heading/radicchio, leaf/sugarloaf). Endive is the milder, more salad-friendly cousin; chicory tends to be sharper and more often cooked.

How do I blanch endive?

Two methods, both effective. Method 1 (gathering): when the head is well-developed (3–4 weeks before expected harvest), gather the outer leaves up over the heart and tie loosely with twine. The inner leaves blanch pale yellow over 7–14 days. Method 2 (covering): place an upturned dinner plate, black flowerpot (with the drainage hole covered), or piece of slate over the centre of the plant. Same blanching effect over 7–14 days. Check inside every 2–3 days for slugs.

When can I harvest endive?

Mid-September to late autumn for most types — escarole and overwintering varieties extend the season into February–March in mild gardens. Cut whole heads at ground level when they're well-developed and the heart has been blanched. The harvest window is 2–3 weeks for each plant — after that, leaves get tougher and the plant starts bolting. Stagger sowings to spread the autumn supply.

Why is my endive so bitter?

Two causes. (1) Drought stress — endive grown in dry conditions becomes much more bitter. Water consistently. (2) No blanching — un-blanched endive (the green outer leaves) is much sharper than the blanched pale heart. Blanch the heart for 7–14 days before harvest by gathering outer leaves or covering with a plate. Cool weather and light frost also reduce bitterness — autumn endive tastes milder than summer-stressed plants.

Can endive survive a UK winter?

Hardy varieties yes, in mild gardens. Cornet de Bordeaux is the standard overwintering escarole — survives most UK winters in southern England, sheltered Midlands, and Wales without protection. In colder areas: a cloche or low polytunnel keeps the plant cropping through winter. Light frost actually improves the flavour by reducing bitterness — overwintered endive in February–March is often the best of the year.

Can I grow endive in a pot?

Yes — a 30 cm pot gives a single head. Use peat-free compost, water consistently, place in part shade in summer (delays bolting). Blanch the heart with an upturned plate or pot. Pot endive is useful for slug control (raised off the ground, easier to monitor and protect) and moveable positioning (move to a sheltered spot for winter cropping). One pot per head; sow a fresh pot every 3 weeks for continuous supply.

Cykoria endywia / endywia kędzierzawa

Cichorium endivia

Sow endive direct from May to August, in sun or part shade in moist soil — it's a hardy annual bitter salad green grown for autumn cropping, with two main types: curly endive (frisée) with deeply-cut feathery leaves, and escarole (flat-leaved Batavian) with broader spoon-shaped leaves. Endive is hardy (RHS H4–H5) and crops most reliably in autumn — earlier sowings bolt to flower; later sowings overwinter in mild gardens. Blanch the heart by tying the outer leaves together two weeks before harvest, or covering the centre with a dinner plate — the inner leaves blanch pale yellow and become much less bitter. Distinct from chicory (different species — Cichorium intybus — see separate slug). Less bitter than chicory, more mainstream-friendly. Slug-magnet outdoors — protect young plants.

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