near the sea. A well-pulverized seedbed should be prepared and, on very 

 low fertility soils, a complete nitrogen, phosphate, and potash (NPK) fer- 

 tilizer applied as for com. Fumigate with methyl bromide if necessary 

 for weed control. 



(b) Planting . Wild stock may be planted. Seeds are not 

 produced; therefore, only vegetative parts are planted. The best wild 

 transplants come from backshore and young deflation plain areas and the 

 back slope of foredunes where sand accumulation has been minimal. Plants 

 are pulled by hand. They usually break off at the ground surface in the 

 winter when brittle, but come up with roots and rhizomes attached during 

 the growing season. Rooted and rootless stems (culms) are equally satis- 

 factory for transplanting. From spring to fall, two types of panicum 

 stems are available: (1) primary stems from the previous year's growth 

 which have flowered and are firm and brittle, and (2) tillers which are 

 actively growing stems. Tillers survive and grow best following trans- 

 planting during the growing season; primary stems are best when planting 

 from fall to spring (Dahl, et al., 1975). Long primary stems may be 

 divided to form 30- to 50-centimeter transplants. The upper and lower 

 halves survive equally well. It is also possible to stretch planting 

 stock supplies by planting large stems horizontally in furrows. Care 

 must be taken to bury only to a depth of 10 to 15 centimeters, and the 

 stem tip should be left uncovered. This type of planting will result in 

 a new plant at almost every node. 



(c) Harvesting . Planting stock may be harvested from 

 nursery plantings after one growing season. Plants are pulled by hand 

 or, in large-scale production, mowed and raked to obtain the top growth. 

 The smaller stems, typical of old, dense stands, do not make as satis- 

 factory planting stock as the larger, more robust stems, typical of 

 young, well-fertilized stands. 



Pulled or mowed plants may be heeled-in in moist sand for short 

 periods. This species may be stored up to a month by immersing the 

 lower half in freshwater (Dahl, et al., 1975). Plants may be stacked 

 in tubs or baskets for transplanting. For more extensive handling, 

 bundling and clay-dipping, as described for American beachgrass, is 

 suggested. 



Theoretically, a bitter panicum nursery can be left in place and 

 harvested year after year if weeds are controlled. In practice, plants 

 may become too crowded after 2 years or more and it is advisable to 

 make a new start. 



(4) Saltmeadow Cordgrass . This is probably the most plentiful 

 of the dune grasses along much of the Atlantic and gulf coasts, occurring 

 widely on low flats and deflation plains. However, it is difficult to 

 obtain good planting stock from the wild. Stands on moist sites become 

 dense and crowded, making harvesting difficult. Plants on dry infertile 

 deflation plains lose vigor and survive poorly when transplanted. The 

 best transplants are from rapidly growing, uncrowded young stands with 



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