There is very little information available on the propagation and 

 management of this species. The following suggestions are tentative 

 and speculative. 



1 Planting Methods . American dunegrass should be 

 planted in the same way as the beachgrasses. It should be set 30 centi- 

 meters or more deep in moist sand and the sand firmed around the plant 

 to exclude air pockets. Barbour (1976) found that adding peat moss to 

 the planting hole improved survival. Dipping the plant bases in a clay 

 slurry as is done with American beachgrass may be worthwhile. It is 

 cheaper than peat moss and may serve the same purpose. 



2_ Planting Date . This grass has been transplanted 

 satisfactorily on the Oregon coast only when dormant (late November 

 through February). It does not become dormant in winter at Pt. Reyes, 

 California, which may partially explain poor survival there (Ann L. 

 Johnson, Botanist, University of California, Davis, personal communi- 

 cation, 1977). Temperature is also critical; planting is limited to 

 temperatures below 13° Celsius. 



3^ Planting Stock . There is little information on 

 plantings. Many stems grow from horizontal rhizomes or runners so more 

 care should be taken with this species than with others. Because of the 

 poor survival rate of this species, planting several stems per hill would 

 be desired but may be too expensive. Closer spacing with one stem per 

 hill makes better use of scarce planting stock. 



£ Spacing . Barbour (1976) suggested planting at a 

 density of 25 plants per square meter to attain comparability with nat- 

 ural stands. This would make planting too expensive for large-scale use. 

 Other methods of thickening stands, such as the use of fertilizers, 

 should be explored. Propagation techniques and more experience are 

 needed to develop suitable planting patterns. However, the same 

 general principles for spacing of other foredune grasses should apply 

 with American dunegrass. 



5_ Fertilization and Management . There are no published 

 reports of fertilizer response of American dunegrass from the northwest. 

 However, the European version of this plant (a subspecies or variety) , 

 lyme grass {Elmus arenarius) , thickens markedly when fertilized (Adriani 

 and Terwindt, 1974). Fertilizer should equally benefit new plantings of 

 American dunegrass in this region. Its response to fresh sand strongly 

 suggests that it would benefit from fertilization. A suggested applica- 

 tion rate is 40 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare from a soluble source 

 applied as soon as new growth starts. 



Protection of new plantings from rabbits may be essential in some 

 areas. Both American dunegrass and lyme grass are attractive to rabbits; 

 small plantings would be particularly vulnerable. Other management re- 

 quirements are the same as those described for the beachgrasses. 



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