Recent laboratory studies have shown that pretreating eastern gamagrass seed with 30 percent hydrogen peroxide for 1-2 hours breaks dormancy and surface sterilizes seed. Germinable seed can then be handled dry. Commercialization of this technique could make eastern gamagrass easier to establish. Eastern gamagrass should be planted in a prepared seedbed in 30-inch rows at 10 pounds of pure live seed per acre using a corn planter. Establishment of one plant per square yard is considered an acceptable stand since individual plant crowns can be 4 feet in diameter.
Annual grasses can cause problems in the establishment year.
Establishment is the most critical period for weed control. Few herbicides are labeled for eastern gamagrass, although several are in development. See MU publication MP581, Weed and Brush Control Guide for Forages, Pastures and Non-Cropland, for the most current information on herbicides. Several options exist for weed control during establishment. Eastern gamagrass can be seeded into fields that have been planted to corn or sorghum for several years prior to seeding where atrazine was used to control weeds in these crops.