Frost seeding Chicory?
- Thread starter Tree Spud
- Start date
SD51555
5 year old buck +
I wouldn't do it. Seed is too expensive to swing and miss.
I plant about 10-15% chicory in my clover plots and I frost seed/over seed them every winter. Because they’re already established, it’s sometimes tough to tell how much of the over seed really takes/germinates. What I have noticed is that if I don’t go heavy (double rate) with the chicory, after a couple years the chicory gets noticeably thinner. So with that said I would say it works, but it’s difficult and requires a much higher seed rate. Not a big deal for me as it’s mixed with clover, but I would be cautious if it was a plot of straight chicory. And as SD said, it’s too expensive to waste.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
My challenge is that I have WR and clover planted from last summer/fall. I did add some chicory to deal with drought conditions.
Well the drought we had last summer impacted growth on the fields that I have always struggled with as they are sandy loam. I don't want to disc these fields and disrupt the WR and clover that should appear in the spring.
I will be frost seeding clover so I thought adding some chicory would allow the seed to get good soil contact. Worth a try as that is what we do here.
Well the drought we had last summer impacted growth on the fields that I have always struggled with as they are sandy loam. I don't want to disc these fields and disrupt the WR and clover that should appear in the spring.
I will be frost seeding clover so I thought adding some chicory would allow the seed to get good soil contact. Worth a try as that is what we do here.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
I have thought about adding some alfalfa. Looking at what is called Vernal alfalfa.
Alfalfa and red clover both do very well in my sandy soil during dry periods. I just used what they offer at the feed store, no clue on varieties.
I didn't get enough chicory going to make a determination on it.
Deer seem to still be feeding on alfalfa later in the season than other things too.
I didn't get enough chicory going to make a determination on it.
Deer seem to still be feeding on alfalfa later in the season than other things too.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
When does frost seeding miss?
You get more predictable spring rains and the freeze/thaw cycle works seed into soil. The last two falls have been moderate to severe drought for most of the midwest. I had plenty of misses the last two falls, even when using a drill. Who knows if this pattern will continue, but I like to be flexible with when things get planted.
The biggest downside to frost seeding in my mind is competition from summer annual grassy weeds. But I have not had an issue with them in the locations where I have frost seeded (former pasture or former food plot).
In my mind, frost seeding is advantageous if you do not have a drill and you were able to reduce competition in the previous fall.
I just wrote about frost seeding I have had success with in a recent thread: https://habitat-talk.com/threads/chicory-filling-an-important-time-gap-for-me.15716/post-371641
I haven't had much luck frost seeding chicory either, so I generally stick with clover for frost seeding. I'm not 100% sure, but I assume the tiny seed size of the clover helps it fall into tiny cracks in the soil and that leads to a higher success rate than larger seeds that probably have a harder time.
I've had really good luck planting my alfalfa/clover/chicory blend in late summer by disking, dragging, cultipacking, broadcasting seed and cultipacking. That plan works good last year until the rain stopped and my young plot stunted from the drought. I'm hoping it was only dormant and not dead, but I won't know for sure until this spring.
I've had really good luck planting my alfalfa/clover/chicory blend in late summer by disking, dragging, cultipacking, broadcasting seed and cultipacking. That plan works good last year until the rain stopped and my young plot stunted from the drought. I'm hoping it was only dormant and not dead, but I won't know for sure until this spring.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
I have thought about adding some alfalfa. Looking at what is called Vernal alfalfa.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
I have had better luck frost seeding alfalfa by itself. The photo below was vernal alfalfa from Welter Seed. This was frost seeded on the same day that I did the chicory in the photos linked above. This particular plot was the corner of a food plot that was previously round-up ready soybeans, so the stand was very clean.
The little bit of clover you can see in there was already there at the time of planting.
SD51555
5 year old buck +
I've never done it. It's always been pitched as a rescue option, or second best option. I only say do it in the fall because that's been the most effective for me to get a solid stand and beat the weeds outta the chute.
Stubborn1VT
5 year old buck +
Frost seeding is as no-till as it gets, and replicates what some seeds do naturally. I don't see it as a second option at all. No tillage, no fuel costs, no spraying.
I use it to maintain clover plantings, on played out brassica plantings, on pastures etc. Maybe it's because I grew up farming, or because I'm from a cold climate, but it's common practice in Vermont.
A mountain of seed still costs less than a drill. Not knocking a drill, just a cost comparison.
I use it to maintain clover plantings, on played out brassica plantings, on pastures etc. Maybe it's because I grew up farming, or because I'm from a cold climate, but it's common practice in Vermont.
A mountain of seed still costs less than a drill. Not knocking a drill, just a cost comparison.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
I am only trying the alfalfa on a whim to see if I can get it to work with frost seeding. My neighbor had 30 acres of horse feed (grasses & alfalfa) panted that he sold. I always wondered why the deer were always in this field as I thoughts was mostly bunch grasses. The deer came and ate all of the alfalfa. He tried overseeding with alfalfa again and the deer did the same thing.
I am trying to get a couple fields into a rotation of nitrogen producing plants that will be good protein sources.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
Keep in mind that alfalfa cannot be replanted into itself because of an auto toxicity quirk. If you do try to frost seed alfalfa and chicory, I would wait until after both have established before overseeding with clover. I have tried using that exact mixture a few times and the clover tends to dominate the other two.
jsasker007
5 year old buck +
I haven't been able to keep the alfalfa going in my plots. Just have a little here and there but nothing that amounts to much. Would like to have a couple acres growing but it's not looking good. Clover and chicory do just fine.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
That could be a soil pH issue or it could possibly be a soil moisture issue. Alfalfa can be fairly particular.
farmlegend
5 year old buck +
I plan on frostseeding some chicory this March and hope to report back on what it looks like this summer.
