SALT MARSH GRASS PLANTING
Each of the shoreline stabilization methods have the goal of erosion control by accruing sediment and facilitating a sediment environment for marsh plant colonization . It is crucial to stabilize shorelines to protect and maintain the integrity of the marsh platform . Fostering marsh plant growth is one way to maintain shoreline stabilization by allowing their deep root system to grow and stabilize sediments , especially sites with recently accreted sediments . The establishment of a stabilizing marsh plant network can happen naturally when the appropriate sediment environment is present . Intentionally planting marsh grass is an option however , in situations where a more rapid timeline is needed , or existing marsh vegetation is scarce .
Site Selection
SALT MARSH GRASS PLANTING
The elevation of the sediment should be high enough to be completely exposed and dried at low tide for smooth cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora ; syn . Sporobolus alternifolius ) to be successful . Smooth cordgrass will not survive at sites that are fully submerged . According to SCDNR , smooth cordgrass should not be planted below 3.3 feet ( 1 m ) mean high water ( MHW ) ( SCDNR , 2019 ). Below is a general overview of suitable conditions for marsh grass plantings with Spartina cordgrass :
Materials
›››› Low to Moderate Wave Action
›››› Intertidal elevations between -0.8 inches and 2.26 inches ( NAVD88 )
First , you must identify the surrounding marsh grass species to choose the right species for planting . For example , A Guide to the Salt Marshes and Tidal Creeks of the Southeastern United States ( www . saltmarshguide . org ) provides information about common plants found along estuarine shorelines in South Carolina . Smooth cordgrass and other native marsh plants can be acquired by contacting local plant nurseries that grow native wetland plants . High marsh habitats contain a mix of plant species , including black needlerush ( Juncus roemarinus ), saltgrass ( Distichlis spicata ), glasswort ( Salicornia sp .), Salt hay ( Spartina patens ), and sea ox-eye daisy ( Borrichia frutescens ), among others . Most marsh plantings will be located in the low marsh , which primarily consists of smooth cordgrass .
Preparation and Installation
Mature plants should have developed a stable root network prior to planting . For successful planting of salt marsh grasses , it is recommended that the living shoreline be left unplanted for at least one-year post-installation , so that the sediment behind it has a chance to accumulate and stabilize . However , some practices where novel sediment is introduced , such as marsh sills , planting can occur within 2-3 weeks . When planting , a hole should be dug for each plant to be placed on the soil platform . The holes must be deep enough so that after planting , the roots are completely covered by the displaced sediment to a depth of at least one inch . Success of the planting is measured in two phases ; the first is that plants remain in place throughout the next few tidal cycles . The second is the regrowth of vegetation the following spring . Planted smooth cordgrass often loses a large portion of their leaf area to wave damage after installation , but if the rhizome network is intact , the leaves should rebound the following year .
FALL 2022
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