{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "record_type": "plant",
  "slug": "endive",
  "common_name": "Endive",
  "botanical_name": "Cichorium endivia",
  "family": "Asteraceae",
  "summary": "Endive is a cool-season salad crop grown for baby leaves or mature frisee and escarole heads, with even moisture and optional blanching used to improve tenderness.",
  "categories": [
    "leaf vegetable",
    "salad crop",
    "container crop"
  ],
  "growth_habits": [
    "leaf rosette",
    "heading"
  ],
  "lifecycle": "Biennial, usually grown as an annual",
  "difficulty": "Easy",
  "requirements": {
    "light": {
      "minimum_direct_sun_hours": 4,
      "preferred_direct_sun_hours": 6
    },
    "soil_ph": {
      "minimum": 6.0,
      "maximum": 6.8
    },
    "container": {
      "minimum_volume_litres": 10,
      "minimum_diameter_cm": 25,
      "plants_per_container": 1
    },
    "spacing": {
      "minimum_cm": 20,
      "maximum_cm": 30
    },
    "planting_out": {
      "minimum_reliable_temperature_c": 5,
      "frost_tolerant": true,
      "label": "Sow or plant",
      "note": "Grow in cool conditions; harden transplants and protect young plants from hard frost"
    },
    "harvest": {
      "typical_uk_months": [
        "May",
        "November"
      ]
    }
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "rhs-growing-endive",
      "publisher": "Royal Horticultural Society",
      "url": "https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/endive/grow-your-own",
      "supports": [
        "identity",
        "types",
        "sowing",
        "spacing",
        "containers",
        "watering",
        "blanching",
        "harvest",
        "problems"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "umn-growing-lettuce-endive-radicchio",
      "publisher": "University of Minnesota Extension",
      "url": "https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio",
      "supports": [
        "soil_ph",
        "soil",
        "spacing",
        "cool_season_growth",
        "watering",
        "blanching",
        "harvest"
      ]
    }
  ]
}