The following are detailed, step-by-step instructions for planting Imperial Chicory Plus. By following all of the steps, you should have phenomenal results from your Imperial Chicory Plus. The only thing left to chance will be Mother Nature. When your Imperial Clover is planted correctly, you will find that you have done one of the, if not the, best things you’ve ever done to improve the quality of your deer and deer hunting. You should see more deer and better quality deer.
Keep These Instructions for Future Maintenance Purposes
Planting and Maintenance Recommendations for
Imperial Chicory Plus
1. Choose the correct soil type. Imperial Chicory Plus should be planted in an area with a good-quality, heavy soils that hold moisture or soils that drain well. Avoid sandy soils, hilltops and hillsides that drain very quickly. Do not plant during hot, dry weather.
2. Follow all instructions below, step-by-step, when planting Imperial Chicory Plus. (See our planting guide video/DVD for further details and instructions.)
3. Stay within the planting times for your state and zone on the back of your Imperial Chicory Plus bag.
4. Proper pH is crucial if your Imperial Chicory Plus is going to grow as quickly and be as attractive and nutritious as it can be. Be sure the pH of the soil is 6.5 or higher. Soil test for a Giant White Clover to determine your lime and fertilizer requirements. Use a soil-test kit that requires that soil be sent away for analysis (not a probe- or slurry-type kit). High-quality soil test kits are available from The Whitetail Institute, county agents, agricultural universities and centers and most farm-supply stores. When submitting your soil for testing, be sure to identify the crop to be grown as Giant White Clover.
5. If a plow is available: Plow the site, add lime if required as per your soil-test report (see 7 below for more information about lime), and disk the plot thoroughly to a depth of four to six inches.
6. If a plow is not available: If possible, spray the plot with a RoundUp-type herbicide a minimum of ten days before you add your lime. (Doing so will not prevent dormant weed seeds from germinating but may make disking more effective and improve the seed bed.) Add lime if required as per your soil-test report (see 7 below for more information about lime), and disk the plot thoroughly to a depth of four to six inches.
7. More Information About Lime: If your soil test shows that your pH is below 6.5, you should incorporate lime into the soil at the rate recommended on your soil-test report, or if no soil test is available add a minimum of two tons of lime per acre. A heavy application of lime can maintain a neutral soil for several years. Buy your lime in bulk, not in bags. Lime is very inexpensive when bought in bulk.).
8. After adding lime (if necessary) and disking your plot, add fertilizer as recommended in your soil test report to the surface of the plot. If no soil test is available, add 400 pounds of 6-24-24 per acre. Harrow, drag or lightly disk the fertilizer into the top 1”-3” of soil.
9. After fertilizing, BUT BEFORE SEEDING, smooth the seed bed with a cultipacker (heavy roller) or weighted, fence-type drag. (It is crucial to prepare a smooth, firm seed bed to fill any cracks that might allow the seed to get too deep.
10. Broadcast your seed onto the surface of the plot. If you smoothed the plot with a cultipacker (heavy roller) in step 8, then roll the plot again after seeding. However, if you used a heavy drag to smooth the plot in step 8, then DO NOT disk, roll, drag or otherwise disturb the surface of the plot after seeding. It is crucial that the seeds not be covered.
11. (Optional) – After planting, place a small wire basket over a portion of your clover so wildlife can’t graze that area. Watch the difference inside and outside the basket.
12. Remember Imperial Chicory Plus is a high-quality forage. Proper site selection, planting effort, favorable weather conditions and good timing can contribute to both the success of your planting and its ultimate impact on the quality of your deer and other wildlife.
The following instructions are strongly recommended for maximum performance and longevity from your Imperial Chicory Plus food plot(s).
Maintenance Instructions
12. Imperial Chicory Plus is capable of producing heavy growth. Depending on your deer and wildlife population and/or how much you plant, you should mow Chicory Plus with a bush hog, mower or weed eater during the spring and summer. Mowing is crucial for weed control in Imperial Chicory Plus. Try to keep the plot mowed so that the clovers in Imperial Chicory Plus and any weeds that reappear in your plot after planting never have the chance to flower (create seed heads). By keeping your plot “topped off” with a mower in this way, you stimulate your Imperial Chicory Plus to put on lush, tender new growth, and you may break the re-seeding cycle on many annual weeds. Mow everything in the plot down to down to 4-6 inches high (except do not mow below 8 inches in the summer). Do not mow when it is excessively hot, dry or you are in droughty conditions. Remove clippings if possible. (Imperial Chicory Plus does not have to re-seed to grow from year to year. It grows from the root system. This is why Imperial Chicory Plus maintains high protein levels (up to 44%) all year, and one of the many reasons that make Imperial Chicory Plus the absolute best food plot choice.)
13. Another very popular way to control many kids of unwanted grass in Imperial Chicory Plus is with the use of selective herbicides. Grass takes up root space and competes with Imperial Chicory Plus for moisture and nutrients. The Whitetail Institute has successfully tested and recommends Arrest herbicide for grass control in Imperial Chicory Plus. For best results, treat grasses with Arrest early in the growing process when they are in seedling stage (6” tall or less). It is much more difficult for herbicides such as Arrest to control mature grass. Arrest begins to work almost immediately. Grass should start to show visible yellowing within a few weeks. Normally it will take 20 to 30 days to see the full effect of the application. Arrest can be applied with a wide variety of application equipment. Arrest is a “systemic herbicide”, meaning that it must be taken in through the leaves of an actively growing plant. Accordingly do not spay Arrest when grass is dormant or partially dormant due to seasonal changes, drought or other conditions. Do not apply Arrest sooner than one week before or after mowing. Do not apply arrest during excessively hot, dry or droughty weather. Arrest is available at many retailers or directly from The Whitetail Institute. We cannot stress too strongly that you should read and closely follow all label directions when using Arrest or any other herbicide.
14. Once Imperial Chicory Plus is established, fertilize once or twice a year using a 0-20-20 or similar fertilizer at the rate of 300 pounds per acre per year. Spring and early fall are the best times to fertilize. Apply fertilizer when plants are dry. Note: Be sure the nitrogen (the first of the three numbers on the fertilizer label) is zero or as low as possible. Imperial Chicory Plus contains legumes that produce their own nitrogen. Adding nitrogen fertilizer will only promote weed and grass competition.
15. If possible, top dress the plot once a year with 1,000 pounds of lime to maintain surface soil pH to slow the return of the soil to an acidic condition. Soil test every 2-3 years to insure proper Ph and fertility.
Following steps 12-15 should help you control weeds and grasses in the long run and help you get the best and longest life from your Imperial Clover planting. If you have any questions please call us at (800) 688-3030.