1997-09-29_REVISION - M1988112 - Laserfiche WebLink

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_2_ ~ USES ~. Delay small burnet is a preferred food plant of game animals, particularly in late winter and early spring. Birds, both game and non-game, readily consume the seed. It is very palatable to livestock which utilize it. Delay is good as a component in seed mixtures planted for range, critical aresa treaty ment and wildlife habitat restoration. Delay makes an attractive ground cover (if the flower stems are kept. cut back) and a good container ornamental. It has a fresh pleasant cucumberlike flavor. The leaves can De added to salads, iced drinks, vinegar, bitters and cream cheese. Use only the fresh, Herr leaves. CULTURE Range, minespoil, and other disturbed area seedings should be made in the late fall on weed-free, firm, well prepared seedbeds. Irrigated plantings may De made either in the fall or spring. Seeding can be made by broad- casting, seed dribblers, rangeland or other type drills or aerially. Delay can be grown in the home garden on any well drained soil and in full sun. It requires routine watering and is grown ens%ly from seeds. Pf the flowers are allowed to mature, they will self-sow readily. j" Seeding rates used in mixtures for range and disturbed area plantings should ` be tailored to the needs of specific sites. One pound of pure live seed would provide about one seed per square foot. In most cases, two-to-three pounds per acre (2.25-3.4 kg/ha) would be adequate in mixtures with other species. Seed production fields should be seeded in rows spaced 30-42 inches {76-107 cm) to provide access for machine tillage and/or hand roguing as needed for weed control. Recommended pure live seeding (PLS) rate is 11 pounds per acre (13 kgJha} for seed production. Flower and seed development is indeterminate. Shattering is not as serious in this species as in some other but the grower needs to carefully observe the seed field and select the time when the most seed can be obtained and the least lost from shatter. Seed matures and is ready to harvest about mid- August at Aberdeen, Idaho. MANAGEMENT Small Durnet germinates and emerges readily but establishes slowly, and it should not be grazed until the second growing season after planting. Small burnet plants have been known to persist as long as 20 years on Utah range- lands. It is believed the useful life of the plant can be prolonged if it is periodically permitted to develop a mature seed crop which would shatter and be dispersed on the ground. Generally, Delay should be benefited by ~ good range management systems the same as grasses and other plants.