Vet Judy

            Chicory has a lot of the same characteristics as brassicas: it can be seeded earlier in the year for fall forage, and it withstands colder temperatures.  But chicory is not a brassica; in fact, it’s a member of the sunflower family.

            The chicory that you plant in a deer food plot  is also not the chicory that you might be familiar with—the wild herb that is native to North America.  Forage chicory, or “puna chicory” was developed in New Zealand for livestock grazing.  Puna chicory has wider leaves, almost like the leaves of dandelion in the winter.  It also is a dense plant with a protein content of 18-22%.

            Chicory is a perennial plant that has been shown to withstand between five and seven years of managed livestock grazing.  It has a heavy nitrogen requirement, so it is helpful to plant it in the deer food plot alongside legumes such as clover and alfalfa. 

            Care should be taken when applying fertilizer to chicory stands, however, because over application of nitrogen can cause the stems to form seed heads—which deer will find much less tasty.  Seed chicory in soil with a pH above 5.5 at a rate of 3-4 pounds per acre.

            On our property, I use chicory as an annual—and as a deer attractant.  Though the seed is expensive compared to other annuals, it has fit into our crop rotation.  My experience is that chicory also has some value as a deer attractant when seeded in a well-designed deer food plot that is close to cover.