Growing Belgian Endive (Witloof): A Complete Profile
By Growing Home Greens Team · August 10, 2026
Belgian endive, also called witloof, is a two-stage crop. It’s grown in the garden through the regular season for its root, like a chicory-family parsnip, then dug and forced indoors in total darkness to produce the pale, tightly furled chicons sold in stores as Belgian endive.
Growing the root
Direct-seed, sowing three-quarters to 1 inch apart, a quarter to a half inch deep, in rows 16 to 24 inches apart, thinning to 2 to 3 inches apart a few weeks after emergence. Unlike carrots and parsnips, Belgian endive seed is vigorous and germinates quickly, one less thing to worry about compared to those other long-season root crops.
Digging and cold storage
Dig roots in mid- to late fall, or after a few light frosts, and store them like carrots at 32°F.
The forcing step
This is what makes Belgian endive different from every other root vegetable here. After 6 to 10 weeks in cold storage, move the roots to a cool, 55-70°F room kept in complete darkness. Harvest the chicons once they become dense, in roughly 21 to 29 days. Skipping the darkness produces bitter, green, loose-leaved chicory instead of the pale, tightly wrapped chicon the crop is grown for.
Belgian endive has no well-established companion pairings, and nothing it needs to be kept away from. At 4 plants per square foot, plan for both a garden row in the Garden Designer and a dark indoor space for forcing once the roots come in.
Source: Chicory: Belgian Endive (Witloof): Key Growing Information, Johnny’s Selected Seeds.
Companion planting guide for Belgian Endive (Witloof) · Find your planting dates
Typically viable in USDA zones 3-9. Not sure your zone? Look it up by ZIP code.
Mature height: 0.5-1 ft
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. It doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
When to plant Belgian endive (witloof), by zone
Every zone Belgian endive (witloof) grows in. Pick your zone in the header and it will be highlighted here. Each zone links to its full page.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3a & 3b | Not usually | May 30–Jun 6 | Sep 27–Oct 4 |
| 4a & 4b | Not usually | May 15–May 22 | Sep 12–Sep 19 |
| 5a & 5b | Not usually | May 10–May 17 | Sep 7–Sep 14 |
| 6a & 6b | Not usually | Apr 25–May 2 | Aug 23–Aug 30 |
| 7a & 7b | Not usually | Apr 10–Apr 17 | Aug 8–Aug 15 |
| 8a & 8b | Not usually | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Jul 23–Jul 30 |
| 9a & 9b | Not usually | Feb 15–Feb 22 | Jun 15–Jun 22 |
Harvest dates are about 120 days after the sow or plant-out date.
See exact start-indoors, direct-sow, and harvest dates for your zone →
How many Belgian Endive (Witloof) plants fit per square foot?
Spacing: 4 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1 ft.
Varieties worth considering
- 'Bingo' Belgian endive (best for: early, adaptable forcing): Johnny's Selected Seeds lists this as an early, adaptable witloof variety, their standard offering for growing and forcing Belgian endive. (source)
Why each variety is listed comes from the source shown next to it. We haven't grown these ourselves yet, so treat this as a research-backed starting point, not a personal endorsement. The buy links are separate from those sources: they go to seed suppliers that sell that exact variety, and we may earn a commission on some of them.
Where to buy Belgian endive seeds
None of the seed suppliers we list carries Belgian endive seeds right now. A local garden center or a specialty seed house is the place to look.
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing Belgian endive (witloof)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
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Growing Belgian Endive (Witloof): A two-stage crop: grown in the garden through the season for its root, then dug and forced indoors in total darkness to produce the pale chicons sold as Belgian endive.
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