b. Bitter Panicum. Culms are most easily pulled by hand. Roots are not necessary, and 

 the culms can be broken off at ground level. Culms 1.5 to 3 feet in length should be selected 

 over those under 10 inches. If over 3 feet long, the culm should be broken in half, and both 

 halves planted. The distal part of the culm can be trimmed to reduce bulk; the basal part 

 should be about 15 inches long. For machine planting, dead leaves must be removed from 

 the culm when trimmed. Neither of these procedures is necessary for hand planting. Bitter 

 panicum culms should be bundled or placed in bushel baskets and can be stored in 

 freshwater for at least a month after harvesting with no loss of survival potential. Short-term 

 storage is the same as sea oats (Sec. V, 2f, 3g). 

 3. Planting for Foredune Construction. 



a. Backshore. 



(1) Preparation. Backshore areas denuded by broad overwash or wind erosion, and 

 wliich are generally between 4 to 6 feet MSL, can be easily and successfully restored by 

 planting sea oats and bitter panicum directly on the beach surface. If surface sand is dry to a 

 depth of several inches (during droughts in winter, and regularly in summer) an irrigation 

 system may be installed and the substrate thoroughly wetted before planting. Otherwise, 

 plant after a soaking rain. If many small dunes of barren sand occur, the area should be 

 leveled. Subsurface (6-inch depth) sand should have a salinity of less than 2,000, and 

 preferably less than 1,000 micromhos per centimeter (2:1 dilution, mlH 2 0:gm dry sand). 

 Irregular surges may inundate the backshore area, especially in winter and spring, and 

 salinities will be above 2,000 micromhos per centimeter for a short period following 

 inundation. (Sec. V, 3a, 4a, 4k). 



(2) Season. Best results with sea oats usually can be expected in mid- to late winter. 

 Bitter panicum can be planted at any season, but winter through late spring is 

 recommended. Autumn for either species is generally poorer. Large plantings of botli species 

 are best made in January and February, since the climate is more favorable for physical 

 labor and the substrate is less subject to severe evaporation. The condition of the substrate, 

 i.e., high moisture content at surface and root zone, and low salinity, is the main factor in 

 determining planting time. (Sec. V, 3a, 3b, 3f). 



(3) Methods. Extensive beach plantings should be made with a tobacco transplanter 

 and tractor, with the trimmed culms placed vertically on 2-foot centers, 8 inches deep, and 

 one culm per hill. The planting should be 40 to 50 feet wide, and inland from the shoreline 

 (MSL) about 400 to 500 feet. If the substrate is very moist to the surface, untrimmed culms 

 may be placed horizontally in open 8-inch-deep furrows, and heel-closed. A mixed-species 

 planting, consisting of three or four rows of bitter panicum to one row of sea oats is most 

 desirable, but monospecific plantings may be used. In monospecific planting, bitter panicum 

 is the better choice because it lias higher survival than sea oats, is easier to procure and 

 handle, and begins growth more quickly. Obtaining transplants and machine planting a 

 1-mile-long by 50-foot-wide strip require about 500 man-hours for sea oats and 287 

 man-hours for bitter panicum (Sec. V, 4f, 4i). 



184 



