The shorter growing season in the northern part of the region (coast 

 of the Carolinas) would require closer spacing if this species was planted 

 alone. However, it is usually cheaper and more effective to use it in a 

 mixture with American beachgrass, with or without sea oats. In this case, 

 spacing is the same as that used farther south, 45 to 60 centimeters on 

 centers in uniformly spaced plantings or at appropriate spacings for 

 graduated patterns. 



One stem of bitter panicum is usually planted per hill. Spacing and 

 planting pattern suggestions are based on this. Plantings of multiple 

 stems per hill are not warranted except where planting stock is limited 

 to very small tillers. 



6_ Fertilization and Management . Bitter panicum re- 

 sponds to fertilizers in the same general way as American beachgrass. 

 Fertilizer will speed up plant establishment, help maintain a vigorous 

 protective cover on areas receiving limited amounts of fresh sand, or 

 revive and maintain vigor of old sand-starved stands. Rates of applica- 

 tion are the same as for American beachgrass, ranging from two to three 

 applications per year of 40 to 50 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare and 

 10 to 15 kilograms of phosphate per hectare to establish stands or re- 

 activate old ones to a single similar application at intervals of 1 to 

 several years to maintain vigor. Fertilization should be adjusted to 

 the growth and appearance of the grass. 



Fertilization suggestions are in terms of standard commercial nitrogen 

 and phosphate fertilizer materials. The use of some of the recent types 

 of slow-release materials is justified in some cases but care should be 

 taken to be sure that the type is effective under dune conditions. Fer- 

 tilizers that require fairly constant moisture or certain microorganisms 

 to be available to plants are not effective in the dunes. 



Management of bitter panicum stands after reaching full cover is sim- 

 ilar to that for American beachgrass. The stand requires reasonable pro- 

 tection from foot and vehicular traffic, and replanting of breaks that 

 might lead to blowouts. This grass is very palatable to livestock (Dahl, 

 et al., 1975) and other grazing animals such as rabbits, and may require 

 protection. 



(c) Sea Oats. This grass dominates foredunes from Cape 

 Hatteras south to Mexico. It is more persistent than other foredune 

 species in the back-dune areas of this region, but it is not a good 

 initial stabilizer. It grows slowly, is difficult to propagate, and 

 is not widely available commercially. Consequently, it should not be 

 planted in pure stands. Because sea oats is an excellent sand trapper, 

 well adapted to this region, and very persistent, it is useful to include 

 it as a minor part of a planting mixture. It can be mixed with either 

 American beachgrass or bitter panicum along the coast of the Carolinas, 

 and with bitter panicum farther southo Sea oats will spread as the other 

 grasses die, thin out, or are overcome by excessive sand deposition. 



70 



