Chicory in Kansas

[THE LLC]

Any of you Kansas guys ever use chicory in plots? If so, how does it do, especially in summer, and how do deer respond to it?

 

[catscratch]

I love it! Deer love it! It grows great. If you plant it make sure to put up an exclusion cage, otherwise you might not see much of it.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[MarkDarvin]

I love it! Deer love it! It grows great. If you plant it make sure to put up an exclusion cage, otherwise you might not see much of it.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

You know, now that you say that, I see lots of small chicory plants in mine, and very few that make it to 6' and flowered.

 

[catscratch]

You know, now that you say that, I see lots of small chicory plants in mine, and very few that make it to 6' and flowered.

The first year I planted it was the only yr that I got to see a field of chicory blooms. Since then I only get to see a blossom in a cage.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[KSQ2]

I just started experimenting with it this last year. After seeing the plants consistently nipped off, I've decided to continue to include it in our t&m mixes. It is similar sized to clover seed and shaped like a football, so I just dump it in our clover overseed mix. Chicory isn't a legume, so it should use up some the excess nitrogen in established clover. I'm gonna try some hairy vetch this year too, which will add nitrogen, but oh well.

 

[catscratch]

I just started experimenting with it this last year. After seeing the plants consistently nipped off, I've decided to continue to include it in our t&m mixes. It is similar sized to clover seed and shaped like a football, so I just dump it in our clover overseed mix. Chicory isn't a legume, so it should use up some the excess nitrogen in established clover. I'm gonna try some hairy vetch this year too, which will add nitrogen, but oh well.

You are one of very few who I've heard mention seed shape. I feel many seeds are shaped in a way to fall through duff, it's something I look at when doing throw-n-mow. Chicory is a plant that I use too for soaking up excess nitrogen. It's good stuff.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[THE LLC]

So it performs well over-sown into existing clover/alfalfa stands with no tillage? I would assume the time to do that is August?

 

[MarkDarvin]

I just started experimenting with it this last year. After seeing the plants consistently nipped off, I've decided to continue to include it in our t&m mixes. It is similar sized to clover seed and shaped like a football, so I just dump it in our clover overseed mix. Chicory isn't a legume, so it should use up some the excess nitrogen in established clover. I'm gonna try some hairy vetch this year too, which will add nitrogen, but oh well.

I'm redoing most of my plots this year after some major remodeling of the landscape and when I put my perennial blend back, it's going to be nearly 40% chicory coming into next season. If I remember correctly, my blend is going to be (after mowing out the biennials):

20% alfalfa
20% ladino clover
20% fixation balansa
40% chicory

Then of course I'll be pumping cereals into it year round.

 

[KSQ2]

You are one of very few who I've heard mention seed shape. I feel many seeds are shaped in a way to fall through duff, it's something I look at when doing throw-n-mow. Chicory is a plant that I use too for soaking up excess nitrogen. It's good stuff.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Yeah, KU football players know all about football shapes slipping through duff and hands too..... but I digress......... The life of a KU Football fan!

 

[KSQ2]

So it performs well over-sown into existing clover/alfalfa stands with no tillage? I would assume the time to do that is August?

I plan to do my t&m's in September, hopefully timed with rain. I don't include any brassicas (except a little forage radish) when throwing into established clover though.

 

[KSQ2]

I'm redoing most of my plots this year after some major remodeling of the landscape and when I put my perennial blend back, it's going to be nearly 40% chicory coming into next season. If I remember correctly, my blend is going to be (after mowing out the biennials):

20% alfalfa
20% ladino clover
20% fixation balansa
40% chicory

Then of course I'll be pumping cereals into it year round.

I don't put in that much chicory, not because I don't think it's a great addition, but because it's pricey compared to clover.

 

[MarkDarvin]

I don't put in that much chicory, not because I don't think it's a great addition, but because it's pricey compared to clover.

It is. It stings when I put these perennial blends together, cause they get expensive. I try to think of their costs over 4+ years to help justify it.

 

[THE LLC]

Figured over 4+ years there is no comparison between perennials and annuals. Perennials WAY cheaper!