Question on establishing chicory into existing alfalfa/clover plots

Hoytvectrix

5 year old buck +
I've got a quick question for you all. I have a few plots of clover and/or alfalfa+clover. I am looking to plant some chicory into them to add some more diversity and to try it out for the first time on our place. I have some predominately alfalfa plots that range anywhere from 0.1 to 1.0 acres that have some clover mixed in. The deer are and have been absolutely hammering the alfalfa and not really touching the clover. I was thinking of incorporating some chicory into these plots to thicken them up and see if deer could give the alfalfa a break. Because of browse pressure, the alfalfa has been set back a bit compared to the clover, and I want to make sure I plant something that isn't going to add insult to injury for the alfalfa. The plots are currently clear of all grasses thanks to a few apps of clethodim, so I am not quite as worried about losing the ability of controlling grasses after planting the chicory.

My questions are related to how to establish the chicory? Should I plan on frost seeding it? I will be renting a drill in the spring when we plant the beans. Could I drill in chicory? To make things even more interesting, I will be establishing a few other smaller plots (~0.25 acres) of alfalfa via frost seeding this spring and I might just include the chicory with them from the start if you all think this would work. The newer establishments of frost seeded alfalfa will hopefully be going into a field that has been burned.
 
I'm no expert but have used it before in a mix with clover, throw and mow. I had the same experience as your alfalfa. The deer ate the chicory down to nothing and it never came back while lightly browsing the clover. At the time I had a very small plot. Probably less than 0.1 acre. Now that it's about 1/3 acre, I'd like to try it again.
It grew well after broadcasting, but I have had trouble keeping perennials going.
 
In my experience, clover is overrated and chicory is the shit. Plant as much of it as you can. The ONLY reason I plant clover anymore is to feed my chicory and prepare for brassica rotation which is exactly what will be happening to my clover chicory plot next August.
 
In my experience, clover is overrated and chicory is the shit. Plant as much of it as you can. The ONLY reason I plant clover anymore is to feed my chicory and prepare for brassica rotation which is exactly what will be happening to my clover chicory plot next August.
What's your planting ratio for the chicory? I agree with the clover. I've had much better luck with wheat, oats, rye. This year is my first real attempt at brassicas. Do you plant any kind of nurse crop for the chicory other than clover? I would like to add it back in because the deer love it but they kill it in a small plot.
 
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in the past I went 75/25 clover to chicory. I now go about 50/50 but am toying around with the idea of 100% chicory and using liquid fertilizer a couple times a year. Im guessing the next time I plant I will go 75/25 oasis chicory and a alice white freedom mr red clover mix. Time will tell.
 
Thanks for the heads up on what has worked for you guys. Do either of you think it would work overseeding the chicory into an existing stand of alfalfa? Or would I be better served just waiting till I will re-establish the alfalfa plot in a couple of years?

If not overseeding, maybe I just drill the chicory into the alfalfa in May when I'll be drilling the soybeans into adjacent fields?
 
Chicory seed is small and for the size of your plots it isn't going to break the bank. If it were me I think id broadcast the chicory seed into your alfalfa this fall/early winter and see what happens.
 
When do you want hunt? If it's now, I'd replicate what you have. If it's later, I would keep some lower quality forages in there if forage is a draw. I operate way down the preference scale to make sure I've got food for November. Most beans, corn, and brassica guys have been cleaned before the november gun hunt in MN, or they have ponied up an astronomical amount of those crops.
 
I drill 2 lbs/acre chicory in every clover plot every year in the fall { I'm in La. }. Deer use is intermittent depending on time of year. Late summer when everything is struggling chicory can be best game in town . Also see a lot of pressure on the bolts.
 
I've got a quick question for you all. I have a few plots of clover and/or alfalfa+clover. I am looking to plant some chicory into them to add some more diversity and to try it out for the first time on our place. I have some predominately alfalfa plots that range anywhere from 0.1 to 1.0 acres that have some clover mixed in. The deer are and have been absolutely hammering the alfalfa and not really touching the clover. I was thinking of incorporating some chicory into these plots to thicken them up and see if deer could give the alfalfa a break. Because of browse pressure, the alfalfa has been set back a bit compared to the clover, and I want to make sure I plant something that isn't going to add insult to injury for the alfalfa. The plots are currently clear of all grasses thanks to a few apps of clethodim, so I am not quite as worried about losing the ability of controlling grasses after planting the chicory.

My questions are related to how to establish the chicory? Should I plan on frost seeding it? I will be renting a drill in the spring when we plant the beans. Could I drill in chicory? To make things even more interesting, I will be establishing a few other smaller plots (~0.25 acres) of alfalfa via frost seeding this spring and I might just include the chicory with them from the start if you all think this would work. The newer establishments of frost seeded alfalfa will hopefully be going into a field that has been burned.

In my opinion, as opposed to some, perennial clover is underrated. No other plant produces more months of deer food for less cost in time and money than perennial clover. Having said that, I don't think you can plant chicory into established clover without suppressing it. You have two options, one is to spray it with 1 qt/ac of glyphosate and then drill or broadcast and cultipack the chicory. I have not done this with chicory but I have with brassica and cereal. One key is timing. You need the clover to be healthy and have rain in the forecast. The chicory should have enough time to germinate before the clover bounces back from the root system. The other option is to bushhog it flat almost scalping the ground rather than use gly. If the clover is older with a lot of grass infiltration, the gly method will kill the grass.

Thanks,

Jack
 
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