shoes to provide a deeper furrow in which to set the plant. Wheeled 

 tractors are faster on smooth, relatively level sites but crawlers are 

 needed on rougher terrain. 



2^ Depth . Transplants should be planted 20 to 25 centi- 

 meters deep and deeper (30 to 35 centimeters) in loose, drifted sand. 

 They must be set deep enough for their basal parts to remain in moist 

 sand until new roots develop to anchor them. The deeper into the moist 

 sand, the less chance of being blown out before becoming established. 

 Shallow planting is the most common cause of failure. 



It is difficult to open planting holes or furrows to the proper depth 

 in hard-packed sand, and it is even more difficult to keep them open long 

 enough to insert plants through a thick layer of dry, loose sand. The 

 packed sand problem can be taken care of by using more power but if the 

 sand is dry, it may be necessary to irrigate or wait for rain before 

 planting. 



3^ Planting Date . American beachgrass tolerates trans- 

 planting well and can be transplanted satisfactorily while either dormant 

 or growing. It has a long transplanting season. It can be planted in 

 the fall (October and November) but the preferred period is from March 

 through April or May to avoid exposure to winter storms. 



4_ Planting Stock . Transplants should have one to 

 several healthy, vigorous stems (culms); Multiple stems to be planted 

 in the same hill need not be attached. Larger plants are preferred 

 because first-year growth is related to the number of stems planted per 

 unit area. On critical sites where rapid stabilization is essential, 

 five or more stems per hill are often warranted. However, with normal 

 spacing plantings of one stem per hill will cover over the first growing 

 season. There is little difference in cover between these and multiple 

 stems per hill at the same spacing in the second year. As planting stock 

 represents a significant part of the total cost of planting, one to three 

 stems per hill are usually used on all but the most critical sites. The 

 critical sites are the windward slopes and crests of large, mobile dunes; 

 areas receiving unusually large volumes of sand, blowouts through or be- 

 tween dunes; and areas likely to be subjected to wave overtopping during 

 storm surges. 



5^ Spacing . The correct spacing and pattern is of 

 critical importance in the design of a dunegrass planting. Spacing that 

 is too wide usually results in partial and often total failure; spacing 

 too close is wasteful. Planting stock and transplanting costs are roughly 

 proportional to the number of hills planted. A 30-centimeter spacing 

 requires four times as many hills per unit area as a 60- centimeter 

 spacing and costs roughly four times as much. 



The spacing and pattern should be determined by the characteristics 

 of the particular site and the objective of the planting. A strip of 

 American beachgrass, 12 to 18 meters wide, planted 45 centimeters on 



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