South Florida soil question

17 years ago

I live in SW Florida, inland, on a freshwater lake. Some parts of my yard, when I dig, are sugar sand. Others are sand, but very compact to where I can not dig well, I have to jump on the shovel to break up the sand.

The part of my yard where I planted my avacado, clementine and lemon are in the area where its hard sand. Im just wondering if anyone else has soil like this and will the roots penitrate the hard sand or should I move the plants to the other side of the yard to where the sand is sugar like.

Ill add to the description. In the sugar area, I can just use the weight of the shovel to burry the spade. On the hard part, I have to jump on the shovel, then it breaks up into large chunks, then I have to smash or chop them up. Once that is done the sand is dry and sugar like. Im wondering if this is just a lack of roots keeping the soil broken up. The area where its hard, very little grass grows. I dont know what is the cause and effect. Grass does not grow cause its hard and compact or grass does not grow because its bad soil and I should plant elsewhere. Then I think if I put down some top soil and get some grass growing, would the roots dig down and break up the soil.

The trees were 5 and 7 gallon pots, certified varities, so they were not cheap so I want to do every thing I can to get them to grow.

What would you do, leave them or move them to the sugar sand areas?

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Comments (3)

gatormomx2
17 years ago
Get your soil tested at your local Extension Office .
Take samples from the two different areas .
Follow the University of Florida's citrus advice and you will have gorgeous healthy trees .
This link might be of interest to you and can help you target your county .
Go to this home page and search for the info for your county Ag Center .

Here is a link that might be useful: Common Soils Used for Citrus Production in Florida
gonebananas_gw
17 years ago
Most freshwater lakes in SW Florida are dug, so you may be on spoil rather than natural soil (Lake Trafford near Immokalee is the main exception). However, a natural soil with two distinct layers and a hardened lower layer is extremely common there. It is a spodosol and the second layer is very dark and commonly called "hardpan." Citrus normally grows fine on this. Perhaps it got uncovered by preparing your lot for building. But a hard light-colored sand would be pretty unusual in Florida and might be carbonate silt-rich dredge spoil. Carbonates there more have nutritional problems, mainly iron and manganese (not magnesium) deficiencies.
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botanical_bill
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for the replies. I guess Ill keep the tress there and see. Ill know by summer if they are growing or not. Ill do a pH test and check that out, my well water smells like sulphur and would guess my soil is acidic (low pH).
I have contacted my extension for water tests, they do not do them here and refered me to the EPA local office. Ill assume they do soil tests here or in Gainsville.

Thanks again.