How blue can you make me.........

[Native Hunter]

I've held off all summer mowing this chicory and red clover plot because the deer just kept eating it even after it looked too mature. In about two weeks I plan on hitting it with the hog and take it to about 10 inches so we will get some fresh new growth for the fall season.

If anyone has different advice I am all ears..........

And I love chicory so much, I wish I had known more about it when we planted native grasses. It would have been a great forb to seed in with the grasses. Not really all that expensive compared to most of the others that people commonly sew. Not much left of this chicory except stems and flowers since all the leaves have been eaten.

 

[dipper]

Pretty flower, looks like a lot of free seed there

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks guys. I would have liked for that chicory to go to seed before I mowed, but I don't know how to judge when that would be on chicory. The red clover has definitely browned out nicely, so I know I will get those seed.

I have more food than the deer I have can eat. This summer I've probably had only 15 deer total and by fall that will likely go to about 20+ if this year is like last. But I think having this excessive food is a good thing, because the height and thickness of the plots has suppressed the weeds really well.

Still not seeing much eating in the white clover plots, but glad they are there too. I will top clip them a little later too. Pic below:

 

[THunter]

Clover looks like it's growing so well it'd be hard to find deer browse sign without getting down on your hands and knees, but I'll bet they're eating it.

 

[Native Hunter]

Clover looks like it's growing so well it'd be hard to find deer browse sign without getting down on your hands and knees, but I'll bet they're eating it.

Yep, I know you are right about that. I did put a camera on one spot in the white for a while but didn't leave it long. Its much easier to see the browsing on the red because of the long stems and the way they like to top clip it. I also got some nice pics of the big chicory leaves being inhaled. The chicory browsing is so easy to see, and I couldn't believe how much of the stem they took on some of it.

 

[Terrific_tom]

I have a clover/chicory plot that I just let grow. Looks a lot like your picture. The deer love it. They have tunnels thru it and bed in it. Lots of daytime activity. All I do is around Labor Day is roll the whole plot to knock it down so we can see in it for hunting season. Not knowing it the 1st year that I rolled it I knocked the seeds off of chicory and the clover causing them to reseed. From what I was told chicory only lasts about 3 years doing the cutting method. With my method of just letting it grow and rolling it is now 7 years and the chicory and clover is still growing strong. There are a few weeds in it but nothing serious and the deer sure don't mind.

 

[Native Hunter]

I have a clover/chicory plot that I just let grow. Looks a lot like your picture. The deer love it. They have tunnels thru it and bed in it. Lots of daytime activity. All I do is around Labor Day is roll the whole plot to knock it down so we can see in it for hunting season. Not knowing it the 1st year that I rolled it I knocked the seeds off of chicory and the clover causing them to reseed. From what I was told chicory only lasts about 3 years doing the cutting method. With my method of just letting it grow and rolling it is now 7 years and the chicory and clover is still growing strong. There are a few weeds in it but nothing sreious and the deer sure don't mind.

That's some good info Tom and goes along with what Dipper says about the value of reseeding to get longevity. This plot borders a place where I have native grasses/forbs and its almost difficult at some places to tell where the plot begins and the grasses/forbs begin. Pic below shows plot to the right and the edge of the grasses/forbs to the far left.

 

[Deer Kar]

Looks like a nice stand. Hope it turns out in your favor. Keep us updated.

 

[scott44]

I've held off all summer mowing this chicory and red clover plot because the deer just kept eating it even after it looked too mature. In about two weeks I plan on hitting it with the hog and take it to about 10 inches so we will get some fresh new growth for the fall season.

If anyone has different advice I am all ears..........

And I love chicory so much, I wish I had known more about it when we planted native grasses. It would have been a great forb to seed in with the grasses. Not really all that expensive compared to most of the others that people commonly sew. Not much left of this chicory except stems and flowers since all the leaves have been eaten.

Thanks for posting this NH! I did the same this year and was wondering what the blue flowers were.

 

[Native Hunter]

Yours looks great too. I think the red and chicory make a great combo.

 

[dipper]

Makes it a lot easier when you don't have to cut that clover like the experts say you do. I know I told you this earlier in the spring nh. When that red clover starts drying up, it will send out new shoots without being cut. That is the plants way of reloading for next spring.
It also flattens real well with a cultipacker, but there is obviously nothing wrong with cutting it.

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks and I do remember that. I have a few scattered horseweeds and will clip them down to keep them from going to seed in the plot. That should be all I need to do until next year.

 

[Turkey Creek]

NH put out a small exclusion cage or two, it is always neat in my book to see a side to sde comparison of how much deer are utilizing a food source. You will be able to tell for sure if they are browsing your white clover as well that way.

 

[Native Hunter]

NH put out a small exclusion cage or two, it is always neat in my book to see a side to sde comparison of how much deer are utilizing a food source. You will be able to tell for sure if they are browsing your white clover as well that way.

Yep, that is what I need to do. Also will put one on my fall crop that goes in soon.

 

[Native Hunter]

I finally mowed it. Feel like I got a lot of good seed in the ground by waiting so long to mow.

 

[dipper]

Wow that's thick. You inspired me to buy a bag of chickory. The stuff isn't cheap. It's an interesting seed. Wonder if the higher price is a result of seed harvest difficulties. I seeded it at about two pounds/acre. I'm looking forward to those blue flowers next year.

 

[Native Hunter]

Wow that's thick. You inspired me to buy a bag of chickory. The stuff isn't cheap. It's an interesting seed. Wonder if the higher price is a result of seed harvest difficulties. I seeded it at about two pounds/acre. I'm looking forward to those blue flowers next year.

Good luck with the chicory Dipper, and thanks again for the advice on managing the plot.

 

[scott44]

Looks good NH!

 

[Native Hunter]

Looks good NH!

Thanks, and I hope to post some pics of the new plots soon. Great rains so far and seeing stuff poke its head out after only 4 days.