leafy · transplant
Endive: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating endive a few times a week needs about 4 plants in ~5 sq ft, worth about $12 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$4.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 1 | ~2 sq ft | ~2 | ~$3 |
| 2 people | 2 | ~3 sq ft | ~3 | ~$6 |
| 4 people | 4 | ~5 sq ft | ~5 | ~$12 |
| 6 people | 6 | ~8 sq ft | ~8 | ~$18 |
Spacing
10" in row · 18" between rows
Sow depth
0.25"
Days to harvest
75 from transplant (92 from seed)
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Apr 7 – May 5 | Jun 22 – Jul 27 |
| Zone 4 | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | Jul 2 – Aug 6 |
| Zone 5 | Mar 23 – Apr 20 | Jul 12 – Aug 16 |
| Zone 6 | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | Jul 22 – Aug 26 |
| Zone 7 | Feb 26 – Mar 26 | Aug 1 – Sep 5 |
| Zone 8 | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Aug 22 – Sep 26 |
| Zone 9 | Jan 13 – Feb 10 | Sep 11 – Oct 16 |
| Zone 10 | Dec 24 – Jan 21 | Sep 21 – Oct 26 |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Full rosette with a blanched, pale heart (tie up or cover 2 weeks before cutting for milder flavor).
Yield
About 1 head per plant over ~1 productive weeks (~0.75 lb). Re-sow every ~21 days for a steady supply instead of one glut.
Watch for
Aphids · Slugs & snails · Cutworms, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with carrot, radish, onion.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
17 kcal · 3.1 g fiber · 6.5 mg vitamin C · 314 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Endive planting questions
How many endive plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 1 plant per person. A family of 4 needs about 4 plants, which takes around 5 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does endive need?+
Space plants 10" apart in the row with 18" between rows. Sow 0.25" deep. Start indoors, transplant out.
When should I plant endive?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. It also has a fall window keyed to your first fall frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing endive worth it?+
At about $4.00/lb retail and ~0.75 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $12 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.