Chicory is a perennial forb that deer seek out, and it holds up in conditions that stress many other plot plants. Tecomate Champion Chicory deer food plot seed is Tecomate's premium chicory, a hardy perennial that produces high-quality forage for 3 to 5 years. Here is why chicory food plot seed is worth adding to your plan and how to plant it.
What is Champion Chicory?
Champion Chicory is made up of Tecomate's premium chicory varieties. Tecomate calls chicory a wildlife "super forb." It provides high-protein forage that supports antler growth, improves digestion and helps strengthen a deer's immune system. The highly digestible forb supplies protein and energy while stimulating the rumen to work more efficiently.
Chicory has a deep tap root that stores carbohydrates, which lets the plant go dormant during extreme winter or summer stress and come back. That root is also why chicory is very drought tolerant. The seed includes Tecomate's "Teco-Coat" seed coating for better germination and overall plant health.
Key features of this chicory food plot seed
- Protein content: 24% to 32%
- Fast growing, highly preferred and nutritious
- Drought resistant, survives tough soil and is cold tolerant
- Grows virtually anywhere, year-round for 3 to 5 years
- Excellent fall attraction
- Blends well with other seeds for custom mixtures
- Contributes to rumen health in deer
Plant it alone or in a blend
Champion Chicory can be planted as a monostand or combined with other species. Tecomate recommends it especially with Tecomate King Ladino White Clover, and chicory is already one of the three components of Tecomate Monster Mix. Adding chicory to a clover plot brings plant diversity and drought tolerance, since chicory's deep root keeps working when shallow-rooted plants struggle.
Tecomate notes that chicory is adapted to most regions of the US and is ideal for use in all zones. You can see Champion Chicory bag sizes on the product page.
How to plant Champion Chicory
- Planting time: zones 1 and 2 in spring or fall; zones 3 and 4 in fall
- Seeding rate: 3 lbs plants 1/2 acre; 25 lbs plants 6 1/2 acres
- Planting depth: 1/8 to 1/4 inch
- Lime and fertilizer: lime if pH is below 5.8, and use a balanced fertilizer such as 13-13-13 at 200 to 300 lbs per acre
Plant in a sunny location that has been disked to create a clean, level and firm seedbed. You can no-till drill, cultivate and broadcast, or cultivate and drill. Chicory seed is small, so avoid planting too deep. When broadcasting, cover the seed by dragging or cultipacking; an Impact Implements cultipacker with weight tray presses seed into firm soil without burying it.
Maintaining your chicory plot
Tecomate notes that deer will frequent chicory plots when overfeeding on corn and acorn crops, since the root contains benefits that aid digestion. That makes a chicory plot a useful part of a property with heavy mast or agricultural crops nearby. To keep it productive, use a grass-selective herbicide or mow to about 6 inches high in spring and early summer. Re-fertilize at recommended rates based on routine soil samples, and overseed to refresh the plot as it ages.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a chicory food plot last?
Tecomate lists Champion Chicory as a hardy perennial that produces year-round forage for 3 to 5 years.
Can I mix Champion Chicory with clover?
Yes. It is great as a standalone and blends well with other seeds, especially Tecomate King Ladino White Clover.
Is chicory drought tolerant?
Yes. Its deep tap root stores carbohydrates, letting the plant go dormant during extreme stress, and it is very drought tolerant.
To add a drought-tolerant perennial to your plots, order Tecomate Champion Chicory food plot seed. Browse more options in our fall food plot seed mix collection. Questions? Contact us.