can eliminate the need for wild harvesting or field nurseries and" is 

 normally delivered ready to plant. 



V. STORAGE OF PLANTS 



Most plants may be stored several weeks if their bases are wrapped 

 with wet burlap, covered with moist sand, or placed in containers with 

 1 to 2 inches (25 to 50 millimeters) of freshwater. Survival of sea oats 

 is reduced if stored more than 3 to 4 days. To reduce weight during 

 transport, the roots and basal nodes may be dipped in a clay slurry, and 

 the plants bundled and wrapped in reinforced paper. Plants may be kept 

 longer if refrigerated. Plants dug while dormant (winter) and held in 

 cold storage 1° to 3° Celsius may be used in late spring plantings. 



VI. PLANTING 



1. Planting Methods . 



Transplanting may be by hand or with a tobacco or strawberry planter 

 and a five-man crew. Hand planting is nearly as efficient as machine 

 planting in moist sand. In dry sand, loose particles continually back- 

 fill the hole, making hand planting less efficient than mechanical plant- 

 ing. When planting by hand, holes should be staggered to allow maximum 

 erosion control. Holes may be opened with a dibble, spud bar, or tilling 

 spade. When using a mechanical planter, rows of holes should be oriented 

 parallel to the shorelines. Soil must be packed firmly around all plants 

 to eliminate airspaces, prevent blowouts, and hold moisture. 



2. Plant Spacing . 



Transplants of all recommended species should be planted on 18-inch 

 (46 centimeters) centers at eroding sites and 24-inch (61 centimeters) 

 centers at noneroding sites, or approximately 19,000 transplants per 

 acre (4.7 transplants per square meter) and 11,000 transplants per acre 

 (2.7 transplants per square meter), respectively. 



3. Planting Season . - . , . 

 Table 1 provides a general guide to planting season. 



VII. POSTPLANTING CARE 

 1. Fertilization . 



All plantings should be fertilized during the first growing season 

 to encourage rapid spread. Table 2 is a recommended fertilization sched- 

 ule for the first growing season. 



Only American beachgrass should be routinely fertilized the second 

 growing season with 50 poionds per acre (5.6 grams per square meter) of 

 3-1-0 fertilizer in April and again in September. Other species should 



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