Benefine Organic

SKU: MS563
We love the flavour of this trés fine frisée endive as much as its amazing uniform growth. The green outer edges of the rosette have a mature, bitter flavour, and this matches perfectly with the succulent and sweet blanched interior leaves. Read More

Exposure Full-sun

Matures in 48 days

Season Cool season

Seed type OP ?

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Organic Canada Organic Certified USDA Organic Certified
Shipping & Returns

West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada. We regret, we cannot accept returns or damages for orders outside of Canada. The minimum shipping charge to the US is $9.99.

Benefine Organic Endive Seeds

Product Details

CERTIFIED ORGANIC! We love the flavour of this trés fine frisée endive as much as its amazing uniform growth. The green outer edges of the rosette have a mature, bitter flavour, and this matches perfectly with the succulent and sweet blanched interior leaves. The petioles are thick, with high moisture content, and have that wonderful taste that matches so well with hot oil dressings. Benefine Organic is compact and upright, with well-filled heads that are very bolt resistant. The plants are frost hardy for fall growing, but also do well in warm weather, with high resistance to tipburn.

Matures in 48 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Quick Facts:

    • Certified Organic
    • TFM type frisée
    • Frost hardy
    • Heat tolerant

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All About Benefine Organic

Latin

Latin
Cichorium endiva (endive) & C. intybus (radicchio)
Family: Asteraceae

Difficulty

Difficulty
Endive is easy.
Radicchio is moderately difficult.
Belgian endive (witloof) is downright challenging – but worth the effort.

Season & Zone

Season & Zone
Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full-sun

Timing

Timing
Sow after the last frost date and again in mid-summer to take advantage of the fall growing season. Optimal soil temperature: 10-22°C (50-72°F). Seeds sprout in 2-15 days, depending on conditions. In hot weather plants may go to seed quickly, so have new plantings ready to go.

Starting

Starting
Either direct seed or start indoors and transplant. Sow seeds 5mm (¼”) deep, and thin or transplant to allow 30-45cm (12-18″) between plants in rows 30-45cm (12-18″) apart.

Days to Maturity

Days to Maturity
From direct sowing.

Growing

Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5. Enrich soil with compost and add ¼ cup balanced organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant. Rapid, continuous growth is essential for good yields and high quality. Regular watering is essential. Fall plantings can be protected from rain by putting a cloche over them. Endive heads can be blanched to reduce bitterness by placing a cardboard or plastic disc on top. Radicchio requires a good supply of phosphorus and potassium, but will not head and may bolt if there is too much nitrogen available. Days to maturity shown are from date of direct sowing. If transplanting, subtract 10-15 days.

Harvest

Harvest
Use as a cut and come again crop or let the heads develop and cut at ground level. Many will grow back.

Seed Info

Seed Info
In optimal conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years. Per 100′ row: 140 seeds, per acre: 40.6M seeds.

Diseases & Pests

Diseases & Pests
Aphids – Water can be used to remove aphids from plants. Wash the plant off with water occasionally as needed early in the day.

Moulds and rot from heavy rains can be prevented by growing under cover. Tip burn is a calcium deficiency within the plant that can be caused by an imbalance with over nutrients. Make sure to add lime to the soil, do not over-fertilize, and harvest just before full maturity.

How to Grow Endive

Step 1

Timing

Sow after the last frost date and again in mid-summer to take advantage of the fall growing season. Optimal soil temperature: 10-22°C (50-72°F). Seeds sprout in 2-15 days, depending on conditions. In hot weather plants may go to seed quickly, so have new plantings ready to go.

Step 2

Starting

Either direct seed or start indoors and transplant. Sow seeds 5mm (¼”) deep, and thin or transplant to allow 30-45cm (12-18″) between plants in rows 30-45cm (12-18″) apart.

Step 3

Growing

Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5.

Enrich soil with compost and add ¼ cup balanced organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant. Rapid, continuous growth is essential for good yields and high quality. Regular watering is essential.

Fall plantings can be protected from rain by putting a cloche over them. Endive heads can be blanched to reduce bitterness by placing a cardboard or plastic disc on top. Radicchio requires a good supply of phosphorus and potassium, but will not head and may bolt if there is too much nitrogen available. Days to maturity shown are from date of direct sowing. If transplanting, subtract 10-15 days.

Step 4

Germination

Days to maturity: From direct sowing.

In optimal conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years. Per 100′ row: 140 seeds, per acre: 40.6M seeds.

Step 5

Harvest

Use as a cut and come again crop or let the heads develop and cut at ground level. Many will grow back.

Tips

Disease & Pests

 Aphids – Water can be used to remove aphids from plants early in the day.

Moulds and rot from heavy rains can be prevented by growing under cover. Tip burn is a calcium deficiency within the plant that can be caused by an imbalance with over nutrients. Make sure to add lime to the soil, do not over-fertilize, and harvest just before full maturity.

Customer Reviews & Questions