Choosing the right chicory seed mix helps deer forage quality and forage year-round. This guide highlights five well-regarded chicory-based food plot seeds that balance palatability, drought tolerance, and cold resilience. Each option includes practical attributes like soil tolerance and multi-season appeal, helping hunters plan reliable plots for different regions. The featured selections are presented with objective notes on performance, growability, and longevity to support informed decisions.
| Product | Brand | Type | Coverage | Year-Round Attractant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hale Habitat & Seed Clovers, Alfalfa, & Chicory | Hale Habitat & Seed | Perennial mix | Approximately 1/2 acre per bag | Yes |
| Domain Outdoor Hot Chic Seeds | DOMAIN THIS IS YOUR LAND | Chicory + clover mix | 1/2 acre | Yes |
| Whitetail Institute Chic Magnet | Whitetail Institute | Chicory perennial | 1 acre | Yes |
| Antler King Chicory Seed | Antler King | Chicory perennial | Approximately 1/4 acre | Yes |
| Domain Outdoor Sugar Momma | DOMAIN THIS IS YOUR LAND | Cold-season mix with chicory | 1/2 acre | Yes |
Hale Habitat & Seed Chicory Food Plot Mix
Hale Habitat & Seed’s mixture targets a broad deer plot with clovers, alfalfa, and chicory crafted for year-round attraction. The seed mix emphasizes certified seed quality and a design aimed at robust growth and high attractant density. A single bag covers roughly half an acre, offering a ready-to-use option for mid-season plantings or ongoing maintenance in established plots. The blend supports dependable emergence and forage availability across multiple seasons, making it a versatile choice for diverse climates.
Domain Outdoor Hot Chic Food Plot Seeds
This hardy mix centers on chicory with two clover varieties to provide nutrient-rich forage and stable yields across seasons. Packaged in a reusable container, the seed blend tolerates colder conditions and acidic soils while still delivering high-quality deer attractant. The formulation is designed to endure drought and outcompete weeds, helping to establish a resilient plot that remains productive from spring through winter in favorable conditions.
Whitetail Institute Chic Magnet Forage
Whitetail Institute’s Chic Magnet features a WINA-100 perennial chicory blend touted for tenderness and palatability compared with traditional chicories. It is designed to attract and sustain antler-building nutrition, offering a broad tolerance to heat, drought, and cold. This option emphasizes improved seedling survivability with enhanced drought resistance, supporting stable deer forage across seasons and helping establish long-lasting plots where chicory is a primary attractant.
Antler King Chicory Seed
Antler King offers a 1 lb bag of chicory designed for cool-season growth and rapid establishment. This perennial seed is noted for adaptability across soil conditions, pH tolerance, and drought resilience. It grows quickly and tends to crowd out weeds, making it suitable for proving cover and nutrition in smaller plots or tight spaces. The variety supports multiple years of harvest with adequate moisture, contributing to a sustainable food plot strategy.
Domain Outdoor Sugar Momma
Sugar Momma blends turnip, rape, kale, clovers, and chicory into a comprehensive year-round forage mix. It targets extreme seasonal shifts with fast-growth brassicas for cold-season forage, paired with perennials for ongoing protein supply. This approach aims to maintain a high-protein forage base through summer, fall, and winter, supporting deer nutrition and consistent plot appeal regardless of climate or conditions.
Buying Guide
- Plot goals: Decide whether you want year-round forage, winter hardiness, or peak summer attraction, and choose mixes that emphasize the corresponding traits (chicory for longevity, brassicas for cold-season forage, clover for year-round palatability).
- Soil tolerance: Look for pH tolerance and drought resistance to ensure establishment in marginal soils. Chicory varieties often tolerate lower fertility and can crowd out weeds when established.
- Coverage and maintenance: Pay attention to recommended acreage per bag and whether the mix requires multiple plantings or ongoing maintenance for sustained yields.
- Perennial vs. annual: Perennial chicory can provide multi-year forage, reducing reseeding needs, but may require a longer initial establishment period.
- Environmental compatibility: Consider local climate, precipitation patterns, and deer pressure. In hotter regions, drought-tolerant blends may perform better, while cooler areas may benefit from cold-tolerant options.
- Seed quality: Opt for certified or tested seeds when possible to ensure germination rates and reduce weed pressure from inert materials.
- Plot size and equipment: Ensure you have appropriate seeding equipment and seed bags sized for your plot dimensions (1/4 to 1/2 acre is common for many chicory seed campaigns).
- Longevity vs. maintenance: If you prefer fewer annual plantings, favor perennial chicory blends with proven drought and cold resilience and weed suppression capability.
- Label and safety: Read product labels for any regional restrictions or soil amendments recommended by the manufacturer to maximize germination success.