d. Species . 



(1) Smooth Cordgrass . This is the most widely planted marsh 

 plant along the Atlantic and gulf coasts. It is relatively easy to 

 plant, and is capable of growing on a variety of substrates, from coarse 

 sands to clays to peat. 



(a) Planting Method . Seeds should be broadcast at low 

 tide and covered 1 to 3 centimeters deep by tillage. It is usually ad- 

 visable to till both before and after broadcasting to ensure more uni- 

 form coverage. Wet seeds will separate satisfactorily for broadcasting 

 if mixed with dry sand. Field-grown transplants may be hand-planted 



by inserting them 10 to 15 centimeters deep in holes opened by a dibble 

 or shovel (Fig. 31) or by machine in furrows (Fig. 32), taking care to 

 firm the soil around them immediately to prevent "float out." Planting 

 is generally feasible only during low water when the substrate surface 

 is exposed. Plugs are planted in the same general way, usually by hand 

 in holes large enough to accommodate them. Plugs should be set slightly 

 below the substrate surface and soil firmed tightly around them. Peat- 

 pot seedlings are planted in the same manner as plugs. Transplanting 

 machines may be adapted to handle them. 



(b) Elevation. Seeding is usually feasible only in the 

 upper 20 to 30 percent of the tidal range. Stands established by seed- 

 ing will spread downslope by rhizome extension to the lower limit for 

 the site. Smooth cordgrass can be established by vegetative transplants 

 from about MHW to MTL in areas with wide tidal ranges and regular tides. 

 Where tidal ranges are low and tides frequently affected by wind setup, 

 planting may be feasible down to mean low water (MLW) . Observations of 

 natural marsh in the vicinity will usually provide reliable estimates 



of plantable elevations. 



(c) Density . The optimum density for seeding appears to 

 be around 100 viable seeds per square meter but adequate stands have been 

 obtained under favorable conditions with less than half this rate. Vege- 

 tative transplants (field-grown, plug, or peat-pot) set on 1-meter centers 

 will, under average conditions, provide complete cover by early spring 



of the second growing season. Denser spacing (0.5 and sometimes 0.3 

 meter) may be warranted on exposed sites or where early stabilization is 

 required. Planting costs are in almost direct proportion to the number 

 of plants planted. A 0.5-meter planting will require four times as many 

 plants as a 1.0-meter spacing and cost about four times as much. Differ- 

 ences between them will often not be distinguishable after the first 

 growing season. 



(d) Planting Date . Smooth cordgrass seeds germinate in 

 nature rather early (late February or March, along the coast of the 

 Carolinas; December and January in Florida). However, direct seeding 

 has generally been more successful where seeds were held in cold storage 

 and seeded in April or early May after storm hazards have diminished. 



73 



