Planting Escarole
Escarole is a cool season vegetable in the Asteraceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
Transplant young plants outdoors 0–2 weeks before your last frost — Escarole tolerates cool conditions and benefits from an early start.
You can sow Escarole directly into the garden 0–2 weeks before your last frost.
For a fall crop, sow 8–10 weeks before your first fall frost so plants mature as the weather cools.
Escarole can be grown by direct sowing and transplanting. Direct sowing avoids transplant shock, while direct sowing is simplest where the season is long enough.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Escarole room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 10 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 12 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 1.2 |
| Planting depth | 0.25 inches |
| Sun requirement | Partial sun |
Days to Maturity
Escarole reaches maturity in 70–90 days from sowing.
Escarole is ready to harvest after about 80 days. Harvest before summer heat or, for fall crops, before a hard freeze, to keep quality high.
Conditions and Care
As a cool-season vegetable, Escarole does its best growing in the cooler weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. It is half-hardy — it withstands light frost but should be protected from a hard freeze.
Escarole grows well in partial sun and tolerates some afternoon shade, which can help slow bolting in warm weather. Sow seed about 0.25 inches deep — small seed is sown shallow and barely covered, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Escarole belongs to the Asteraceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Escarole is generally grown as a single planting each season rather than succession sown.
Companion Plants
Pairing Escarole with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Grows well with: Lettuce (Loose-leaf)