Perennial Forage Chicory Seed

A deep-rooted herb such as chicory is worth considering. Six Point Chicory has a very deep tap root that is known to help break up the soil and draw moisture from deep in the profile, while still giving stock high-quality grazing. It suits light sands through to heavy soils in areas with 550 mm of rainfall or more. Sow 4–8 kg/ha on its own or 2–5 kg/ha in a grass and clover mix. A severe hardpan may still need deep ripping first.

Chicory is a good one. Six Point Chicory is a perennial forage herb that gives high-quality summer feed for more than one season from a single sowing, and it can regenerate if allowed to go to seed. It needs 550 mm of rainfall or more, and does best with some summer rain or irrigation. As a pure stand, sow 4–8 kg/ha; it's also commonly sown at 2–5 kg/ha with grasses and clovers. Unlike a summer crop, it needs rotational grazing to persist.

It can help as part of a worm control plan, but it won't replace drenching and monitoring. Six Point Chicory has parasite-inhibiting properties, and research has found sheep grazing chicory carry lower worm burdens than on conventional pasture, possibly from natural compounds in the plant and its upright growth keeping larvae out of reach. Keep doing worm egg counts, and talk to your vet or adviser about where chicory fits in your drench program.

That's normal. Chicory is a summer-active herb that grows slowly in cold weather, and it is particularly sensitive to grazing while it is semi-dormant from late autumn to early spring. Graze lightly in winter, only when the paddock is dry enough to avoid pugging, and give it long rests between grazings. Look after the crowns now and Six Point Chicory will come away again as soils warm, giving high-quality summer feed when grass quality has dropped.

Slugs are the usual suspect, especially in direct-drilled sowings and moist conditions, and they can wipe out a germinating crop. Earth mites, including red-legged earth mite, and white-fringed weevil can also damage seedlings. Check for slugs before and after sowing and bait where needed, and control mites ahead of sowing. Established chicory is fairly tolerant of insects such as diamondback moth and heliothis, so the seedling stage is when monitoring pays off most.

Yes, provided there's enough moisture. Six Point Chicory is rated for light sands through to heavy soils, and its deep tap root helps it reach water that shallower-rooted pasture can't. It needs 550 mm of rainfall or more, and performs best with some summer rain or irrigation. Sandy soils are often low in nutrients, so fertility matters. Chicory doesn't fix its own nitrogen and needs phosphorus, sulphur and nitrogen to grow well, so soil test before sowing.

Both work. Autumn sowing on an early break gets plants established before winter. Spring sowing, once soils are above about 12°C, suits irrigated paddocks and longer-season districts, and spring-sown chicory usually stays leafy through its first summer instead of flowering. Autumn-sown chicory goes through winter and will flower the following spring and summer, so plan to graze off flowering stems then to keep it leafy.

Chicory is a high-producing herb that doesn't fix its own nitrogen, so it needs regular feeding. As a guide, NSW DPI suggests about 20 kg P/ha and 30 kg N/ha at or just before sowing, then annual maintenance phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, plus ongoing nitrogen. Sown with clovers, it gets some nitrogen from the legumes. Base your program on a soil test, as WA soils, particularly sands, vary widely in what they need.

It can. Six Point Chicory is a perennial that can regenerate if allowed to go to seed, which helps a stand last longer. When plant numbers start to fall, lengthen the rests between grazings in late spring and summer so some plants flower and set seed. The trade-off is feed quality, as flowering stems are less palatable. Choose a paddock you can spare for a few weeks, then graze the stalks off once seed has set.

Six Point Chicory is usually sown with grasses and clovers, which spread feed across the year, with the clovers supplying nitrogen. Red and white clover are classic partners in higher-rainfall and irrigated paddocks, and plantain adds more cool-season feed. Sow chicory at 2–5 kg/ha in a mix. Avoid sowing chicory straight after lucerne or a pulse crop, as they can carry diseases such as sclerotinia that also attack chicory.