_!_ Planting Methods . Planting is done with the same 

 equipment as American beachgrass. Transplants tend to be more variable 

 in size and are slightly more difficult to machine plant than American 

 beachgrass plants. 



2_ Depth . Planting depth is the same as for American 

 beachgrass, 20 to 30 centimeters. However, sea oats is a slow starter 

 and it is essential that it be set to the full depth to prevent drying 

 before establishment and to avoid blowouts. 



_3 Planting Date . Results of planting trials have 

 been quite variable. Moisture conditions at and immediately following 

 planting are more critical in the survival of sea oats than the season 

 of the year or physiological condition of the plant. Transplanting is 

 probably successful in any month of the year in the southern part of the 

 region. Dahl, et al. (1975) obtained satisfactory survival in July and 

 September during a wet summer. However, after 5 years they concluded 

 that January and February were usually the best months. In the more 

 severe climate of the South Atlantic coast, February to April appears 

 to be the optimum time; later planting is feasible only under very 

 favorable moisture conditions. 



4_ Planting Stock . The number of stems (culms) per 

 transplant is not a factor in the survival and growth of sea oats. Dahl, 

 et al. (1975) found little difference between one, three, and six stems 

 per hill. Single-stem transplants survived well under favorable condi- 

 tions; under poor conditions survival of three or six stems was slightly 

 better. Multistem transplants do not appear to be justified. 



The range in stem size is greater in sea oats than in American 

 beachgrass (Fig. 27). Small plants survive poorly. Dahl, et al. (1975) 

 obtained substantially better survival from medium to large stems (75 cen- 

 timeters to 1.5 meters tall) as compared with very small to small (45 to 

 75 centimeters tall) stems. However, they concluded that the difficulty 

 in digging and processing very large plants negates the survival advan- 

 tage. Dahl, et al. concluded that there is an advantage in using 2-year- 

 Old nursery-grown sea oats as this will furnish a large proportion of 

 intermediate-size plants. 



5_ Spacing . The slow starting of sea oats makes it 

 necessary to use a denser spacing than is used with American beachgrass. 

 However, sea oats is not usually planted in pure stands because of the 

 high cost of the stock, and because sand-trapping capacity and stabili- 

 zation can be developed quicker by including a high proportion of one or 

 two less expensive species in the planting. Sea oats plants become unusu- 

 ally effective as sand trappers once they become well established. Dahl, 

 et al, (1975) described a sea oats strip, spaced 60 by 120 centimeters, 

 15 meters wide, planted in April 1972, with only 36-percent survival, 

 that effectively stopped sand moving across it by the end of the first 

 growing season. The strip had built a dune over 2 meters high by March 

 1974. In view of this, it is doubtful that spacing closer than 60 centi- 

 meters on centers would be economically justified. 



