Curlesi Endive is a compact, slow-bolting cultivar of Cichorium endivia that reaches maturity in just 52 days from transplants. This hardy, frost-tolerant variety thrives in cool-season gardens and produces tight, manageable plants on 6-inch spacing, making it excellent for both small plots and intensive production. Its open-pollinated genetics mean you can save seed year to year, connecting you to generations of endive growers who've valued this dependable, slow-to-bolt form.
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Moderate
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Curlesi's compact growth habit and slow-bolting tendency make it remarkably stable for a cool-season crop that often challenges gardeners with premature flowering. At just 52 days to harvest from transplants, it delivers results quickly without sacrificing the dense, quality heads that define excellent endive. Its frost tolerance extends your harvest window into shoulder seasons, while the tight plant spacing of 6 inches means you can pack productivity into small garden areas.
Curlesi endive is grown for its leafy heads, typically blanched or used fresh in salads where its characteristically bitter endive flavor brings complexity and edge to mixed greens. The compact heads harvest whole, making them easy to prepare and store for fresh market or home kitchen use.
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Start Curlesi seeds indoors in controlled conditions between 50 and 75°F. Plan to produce an average of 500 transplants per 1,000 seeds by sowing 2 seeds per cell and thinning to one seedling per cell. Time your seed starting so transplants are ready to move to the garden as soon as soil can be worked in spring, or 8 to 10 weeks before your expected first fall frost.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings to the garden when soil is workable in spring or 8 to 10 weeks before fall frost. Space plants 6 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. Endive is hardy and can tolerate cool soil conditions; plant as early as conditions allow to give plants a long cool season for development.
Harvest Curlesi endive at 52 days after transplanting by cutting the whole head with a knife just above the root attachment. After cutting, cool the head quickly by dunking it in cold water, then drain thoroughly before storing. This quick cooling locks in crispness and extends refrigerator life.
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