Because celery is such a slow-growing, rather difficult crop to raise, it's not for the beginning gardener. It is successfully produced, however, by many experienced gardeners who take the necessary time and care and who garden in areas favorable to celery growth. This variety forms into loose heads and exhibits a white midrib through its leaf, with a partly blanched inner foliage. Endive is more tolerant of summer heat and low soil moisture than most lettuce varieties. Harvest by cutting at base or carefully pulling entire plant when inner leaves are partly or wholly blanched.
Outer leaves are apt to be bitter and usually are discarded.
Cress Garden cress is both easy to grow and extremely fast to form edible leaves. The seeds are medium-sized and, under moderate temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees F, germinate in 4 to 7 days. The young seedlings grow rapidly. The immature leaves are tender and mildly pungent, much like water cress. Hot summer weather causes garden cress plants to bolt quickly and lose quality, so early cropping is necessary.