(a) Planting Methods . Field-grown plants may be planted 

 by hand by inserting them 15 to 20 centimeters deep in holes opened with 

 a dibble or shovel or by machine in furrows. Soil should be firmed 

 around them to minimize blowouts and washouts. Peat-pot plants are 

 planted in the same way with holes or furrows enlarged to accommodate 

 their larger diameter. Some machines can be modified to handle them. 

 Soil should always be moist at planting. 



(b) Elevation . Saltmeadow cordgrass exhibits an unusual 

 reaction to elevation in that it grows lower in the tidal range from 

 south to north. It is found well above MHW in Georgia, in the upper 



10 percent of the mean tidal range in Maine, and in an intermediate 



position on the Delaware coast (Reimold and Linthurst, 1977) . Planting 



elevation for this species should either coincide with that of natural 



stands in the vicinity, or it should overlap a part of the planting 

 zones for other species planted above and below it. 



(c) Density . Spacing of saltmeadow cordgrass plants has 

 generally been about 1 meter on centers. With good survival, plants at 

 this density cover fairly rapidly. Closer spacing (down to 0.5 meter) 

 is probably warranted where early stabilization is required or where 

 poor survival is expected. 



(d) P lanting Date . This plant has a rather wide tolerance 

 to time of planting, from late winter to early summer; Gallagher, Plumley, 

 and Wolf (1977) suggest fall planting but this has not been tested. Late 

 spring is probably the preferred time in most cases. However, where salt 

 buildup is likely, earlier planting is essential. Soil moisture content 

 during and following planting is probably more important for this 

 species than planting date. 



(e) Management . Saltmeadow cordgrass is very responsive 

 to fertilizers under nutrient-poor conditions. Response usually occurs 

 on sandy or peaty substrates but occasionally extends to silts and clays. 

 Under these conditions, fertilizer can be a useful and relatively inex- 

 pensive tool in promoting rapid establishment and resistance to wave 

 stress. Where nutrient deficiency is expected, apply 30 to 50 kilograms 

 of nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P2O5) per hectare from soluble sources 



2 to 4 weeks after planting or as soon as new growth appears. Follow 

 at about 6-week intervals with a second and third application of nitro- 

 gen. Plantings may be smothered by drifted debris in some locations 

 following unusually high tides. Saltmeadow cordgrass plantings may 

 be damaged by animals and insects but the species appears less suscep- 

 tible to this problem than smooth cordgrass. 



(3) Pacific Cordgrass. This species is the dominant flowering 

 plant at the lower elevations of salt marshes along the Pacific Coast 

 from just north of San Francisco southward into Mexico. It has been 

 planted successfully. Pacific cordgrass appears to be similar to smooth 



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