Chickory

[erussell]

Anyone plant it in NY? I have read alot about it lately and was thinking of putting in a chickory and white clover plot for the spring and summer months this yr along with a brassica plot in the fall.

[G-Man]

i've planted it great for dry areas has a deep taproot. I prefer just a white clover/alfalfa plot myself especially if it gets enough moisture. Have moved away from a brassica mix and just go with appin or purple top turnips as the deer hit them during the season, i have standing corn to help through the winter.

[First-light]

I planted it last year along with turnips. Deer never hit either plot????? Now these plots were very close to a 20 acre clover field which could be the reason they were not hit. I hope the deer found the turnips this winter they were real nice. They were the tubers from WI.

[erussell]

My brassica plot got mowed down the first frost. Guess I need to shoot more deer off the land.

[G-Man]

If the deer have never seen tubers(brassica) or chickory before it might take a season or two to find them being used like you think they would/should be.. i just have had better luck with W.I. imperial clover as a draw and food source. I guess it would be like choosing between ice cream and cake for a deer..the ice cream usually wins..

[growalot]

Chicory is one component in all my mixed plots....they take those plots down to dirt every fall.....

[erussell]

Wow, nice plot!! Thats what my brassicas looked like till it frosted on them. They took that right down to the ground to. Chickory should come back again in the spring does it not?

[growalot]

Those plots are several years old..so yes....I finally have the lower turnip plot half melted...I checked it today and it is loaded with 2-3 in turnips that made it through the winter and are actually growing tops...ran into 2 neighbors today and  one said the deer have been there nightly and the other said he's been hearing gobbling from that area ;D ...It should be a great hunting year

[erussell]

how often do you mow them or do the deer keep them mowed down for you during the summer?

[Fantail]

Nice greenage! I was thinking of trying a brassica / clover mix in a plot much like the one in growalot's pic. From some info I found yes it would seem chickory root helps the plant's drought resistance. Tossing some into the mix seems to make sence.

Growalot; I'm wondering how the soil was conditioned - treated? I mean ph, lime, fertelizer. 

[growalot]

Actually I plot like I cook...sight smell and touch  ....my soil is very acidic ...actually last test they called and said one new sight was so low they couldn't find it on the charts....I use a mixture of pelleted and granular lime...one leaches less than the other and works slower....I put my plots on a rotation and start all plots out as 3-4 year annuals...this is to help break the weed cycle and save some on roundup...It also brings me into a perennial plot with a better soil tilth .....All my plots start out in buckwheat...I can't say enough good things about it....It's a good crop to let the critters know something new is in town and it draws up phosphorous that buck crave...deep soil loosening roots ...easy cut and incorporate and if you turkey hunt....great for bringing them in and keeping them coming back...also gives you a first crop while your waiting for the lime to kick in...I also lime every year...building the ph gradually...turnips are another great low cost big draw plot ...and you can over seed them into the buckwheat late fall ...just fertilize 10-10 -10  and over seed before a good rain...after a few years of this ...or other annual plantings you'l have a great base for a low maitanance perennial plot that will draw deer in for several years...in the mean time you can start other lower cost plots building things up as you go    Always start out with a killing spray...2wks later if you have growth kill again...then break ground wait and kill again...2wks and plant....fallow ground has years and years of dormant weed seed just waiting to see the sun...and deep rooted perennial weeds that are difficult to kill...you'll still have time for a quick summer crop and a fall crop...depending on your time and soil...have rocks? ....They are my biggest time eaters...

[erussell]

I hate rocks, My one plot is on a flat spot on a trail on the side of a hill. The rocks were terrible, But the plot came up great after a little work.