more uniform job and is far more economical than hand planting in large-scale 

 plantings. The tractor-dravm planters used for planting cabbage, tomatoes, 

 tobacco, etc. , require either no alteration or a simple adjustment of the row 

 opener for certain soils. Barriers to machine planting are inadequate 

 traction on compact substrates, insufficient flotation on soft sites, or the 

 presence of tree roots or stones (Woodhouse, 1979). 



Planting depth is basically independent of the method or material used. 

 Most species do best when planted 1 or 2 inches (3 or 5 centimeters) deeper 

 than they were growing. Where erosion is expected, deeper planting is recom- 

 mended. If, on the other hand, deposition is likely, plants should be set 

 very close to the depth they were growing when dug or when removed from pots 

 (Woodhouse, 1979). 



4. Planting Specifications for Principal Species . 



a. Smooth Cordgrass (Fig. 6). 



(1) Planting techniques — sprigs, pot-grown seedlings or plugs. 



(2) Plant spacing — 3 feet (1 meter) on sheltered sites (4,000 

 transplants per acre), 1.5 feet (0.5 meter) on exposed sites (16,000 

 propagules per acre). 



(3) Planting zone — mean low water to mean high water where the 

 tidal range is less than 6 feet (2 meters); mean tide to mean high 

 water where tidal range is greater than 6 feet. 



(4) Planting width — the entire planting zone should be planted 

 when practicable. However, there is typically no advantage in 

 planting to a width of more than 60 feet (20 meters). A practical 

 minimum width is 20 feet or 60 percent of the intertidal zone, 

 whichever is larger. When only a part of the planting zone is to be 

 planted, the planting should be from mean high water seaward. 



(5) Salinity range — 5 to 35 parts per thousand. 



(6) Optimal planting dates — northern range, April and May; Mid- 

 Atlantic, March, April, and May; southern range, February, March, 

 April, and May. 



b. Pacific Cordgrass (Fig. 7); 



(1) Planting techniques — sprigs, pot-grown seedlings or plugs. 

 Since the natural spread of Pacific cordgrass is relatively slow, no 

 more than 10 percent of harvest area should be disturbed when col- 

 lected in the wild. 



(2) Plant spacing — 1.5 feet (16,000 propagules per acre). 



(3) Planting zone — mean tide to mean low high water. 



(4) Planting width — the entire planting zone should be planted 

 when practicable. However, there is usually no advantage in planting 

 to a width of more than 60 feet. A practical minimum width is 20 

 feet or 60 percent of the upper one-half of the intertidal zone, 

 whichever is larger. When only part of the planting zone is to be 

 planted, the planting should be from mean low high water seaward. 



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