Endive · Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

When to plant endive in Cairo

Main outdoor window

1 Oct - 15 Nov

A climate estimate. Check your soil, forecast and cultivar.

Timed from temperature

October to April

No frost on record in Cairo, so the months this crop fits in our temperature model set the timing. This does not confirm local suitability.

First autumn frost

no autumn frost

The far end of the outdoor season.

Temperature-based estimate. Cairo has no dependable frost season. These dates do not account for rain, humidity or waterlogging. Check the local growing season, especially in monsoon climates, before treating this window as a planting recommendation.
Rainfall check: the wettest month is November (about 17 mm), and the driest is August (about 0 mm). Compare all months and check the limitations before choosing the season.

Step by step in Cairo

Download these planting dates (.ics)

Import into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook. Dates use the selected risk level and are planning estimates, not frost alerts.

Each window is a planning range. Check the forecast, soil and cultivar before planting; a later date is not automatically safer in hot or wet conditions.

Sow direct

1 Oct - 15 Nov

The opening weeks of the stretch when the average temperature suits this crop, which here runs from October to April. There is no frost to work around, so heat is what sets the timing.

Frost tolerance
Hardy
Damaged below
-6°C (21.2°F)
Days to maturity
80–100
Min soil temp
7°C (44.6°F)
Spacing
30 cm
Sowing depth
6 mm (0.2 in)
Sun
Full

Endive through the year

Against the monthly temperature record in Cairo

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Frost risk Sow direct Today
Open My Garden

Seasonal context

Rainfall and the growing season in Cairo

November has the highest average precipitation (17 mm); August has the lowest (0 mm). Compare this pattern with the planting windows and your water supply.

Jan 8 mm
Feb 7 mm
Mar 7 mm
Apr 9 mm
May 0 mm
Jun 0 mm
Jul 0 mm
Aug 0 mm
Sep 0 mm
Oct 5 mm
Nov 17 mm
Dec 7 mm

During wetter months, check that beds and containers drain after heavy rain. During drier months, plan how you will keep seeds and new transplants watered. Monthly averages can hide long dry spells and intense storms; they do not show soil moisture, humidity or this week's weather.

Frost-free does not mean every month is suitable. In tropical and monsoon climates, rainfall, heat, drainage and the cultivar can set the practical growing season. Match the temperature window to these conditions and check advice from a local grower before buying planting material.

Source: NASA POWER, corrected MERRA-2 precipitation, 2001–2020. Values are approximate monthly totals, including the water equivalent of snow, from the nearest 0.5° × 0.625° grid cell. This reference period differs from the temperature record. Rainfall provides context and does not change the calculated planting dates. Method and limitations.

Monthly growing conditions in Cairo

Compare the planting window with the local temperature pattern. These are historical monthly averages, not this year's forecast or measured soil temperatures. Average frost days do not tell you whether a particular night will freeze.

NASA POWER climate averages, 1995–2024
MonthAverage lowAverage highFrost days
January 7°C (44.5°F) 19.1°C (66.4°F) 0.0
February 7.6°C (45.8°F) 20.9°C (69.6°F) 0.0
March 9.7°C (49.4°F) 24.9°C (76.8°F) 0.0
April 12.9°C (55.3°F) 29.6°C (85.3°F) 0.0
May 16.9°C (62.5°F) 34.2°C (93.6°F) 0.0
June 19.8°C (67.6°F) 37.5°C (99.4°F) 0.0
July 21.5°C (70.8°F) 38.8°C (101.8°F) 0.0
August 22°C (71.5°F) 38.5°C (101.2°F) 0.0
September 20.3°C (68.5°F) 35.9°C (96.7°F) 0.0
October 17.4°C (63.4°F) 31.2°C (88.1°F) 0.0
November 13.3°C (55.9°F) 25.8°C (78.5°F) 0.0
December 9.2°C (48.5°F) 20.9°C (69.6°F) 0.0

For endive, also check drainage, sunlight and cultivar requirements. See the rainfall context above; humidity, irrigation and local pest pressure are not calculated.

The catalog flowering or harvest months are not verified for this frost-free climate. Ask a local grower about the cultivar’s seasonal cycle.

Local growing check

Before choosing endive for Cairo

  • November is the wettest month in the rainfall grid, averaging about 17 mm. Check how your own bed drains and plan watering around actual soil moisture; monthly rain totals are not an irrigation schedule.

The temperature and rainfall tables on this page show the underlying climate estimates. How these suitability checks work · Record what happens in your garden.

Before you plant endive

Use the calendar to plan ahead, then check the conditions in your own garden.

  • Measure the soil at sowing depth. Aim for at least 7°C (44.6°F); the calendar estimates soil warmth from air temperatures and cannot measure your bed.
  • In a frost-free climate, check seasonal rainfall, humidity and heat before planting. A month with suitable average temperatures can still be too wet, dry or hot for this crop.
  • Harden off plants raised indoors: gradually expose them to outdoor light, wind and temperature before their final move into the bed.
  • Use the maturity range on your seed packet when choosing a variety. Cold, short days and transplant stress can make harvest later than the calendar estimate.

Choose curly endive or escarole and manage bitterness

Use a cool suitable season with moist, drained soil. Keep growth steady and allow room for a rosette rather than crowding plants as if they were a tray of microgreens.

If blanching to reduce bitterness, exclude light only as harvest approaches and when leaves are dry enough to avoid trapping rot. Self-blanching varieties offer another option. Inspect the centre regularly and harvest before leaf quality deteriorates.

What to record this season

Did blanching improve flavour without causing decay inside the rosette? Add the cultivar, sowing date and conditions to your growing record so you can compare next season.

Further reading: NC State Extension: Cichorium endivia . General crop guidance; local dates on this site are calculated separately. Source checked 19 September 2026 by Safe to Plant; this is not an expert review.

The reference describes plant identity and cultivation. Its regional calendar months and hardiness observations do not validate the calculated dates for another location.

How the dates are calculated and their limits · Keep a growing record · Report a local discrepancy

Why these dates

Frost-relative timing needs a dependable seasonal frost date. Cairo has no such date in this record, so this page compares monthly temperatures with the crop's model range instead. Local wet and dry seasons, day length and cultivar requirements still need a separate check.

The model uses a growing-temperature band for endive between 7°C (44.6°F) and 25°C (77°F) — and in Cairo that is October to April, 7 months of the year, taken from this location's own monthly averages. The planting window begins near the start of this period.

See every crop timed for Cairo →

Growing endive in Cairo

Can I grow endive in Cairo?

The calendar estimates a planting window, not a guarantee of success. November is the wettest month in the rainfall grid, averaging about 17 mm. Check how your own bed drains and plan watering around actual soil moisture; monthly rain totals are not an irrigation schedule.

When should I plant endive in Cairo?

The temperature-based window is 1 Oct - 15 Nov. Cairo has no dependable frost season: October to April have monthly averages inside the model range for endive. Check seasonal rainfall, heat and cultivar requirements before planting.

How much frost will endive tolerate?

Check the named variety and local forecast before exposing young growth. The catalog cold-damage figure is a reference, not a guarantee: plant age, acclimatisation, wind and the duration of a freeze affect damage.