Tips to improve your Florida soil

Gardening in the sunshine state is a fulfilling experience, but Florida soil can be challenging to work with. North and central Florida soils tend to be sandy, and some gardeners may encounter clay soil.

Don’t lose hope! We’ve assembled some tips to cultivate rich, fertile soil in your Florida garden.

Why healthy soil matters

If you want to grow your own food or even enjoy some flowers, it all starts with a little seed in a bit of soil. The soil your plants grow in is essential to their health. Healthy soil will hold water and nutrient content to deliver to your growing sprouts.

Unfortunately, the soil in your backyard is often not prepared to encourage plants to thrive. The sandy soil of North Florida isn’t good at holding nutrients or water, and homes are often built on fill soil that is also not designed for growing.

Assessing your soil

The first step to healthy soil is assessing what you have. If you are using the soil in your backyard to get started it’s wise to get it tested at your local extension office. An extension office can test your soil and tell you the Ph, fertility levels of your soil, and the amount of nutrients and fertilizer your soil needs. This is all useful information when planning your garden.

A soil test won’t tell you exactly what kind of plants to grow, but it will help you research what grows best in your current conditions and guide you if you need to make soil amendments to your growing media.

Differences between South Florida soil and North Florida soil

While Florida has great growing weather, the soil quality varies from location to location.

South Florida soils tend to contain more organic matter and are more rich and suitable for growing. North Florida soils tend to be sandy, and you are more likely to find clay soil.

No matter where you live, your home was likely built on fill dirt, which is not ideal for growing. This soil is used for construction and is generally very compacted and low in nutrients. The differences are broad, but you can expect to have success growing in Florida with a little bit of preparation.

Once you’ve tested your soil and started planning your garden, you’ve likely figured out what needs to be improved to get the most out of your Florida garden. Below, we’ve listed some steps to improve your soil if you find it lacking.

Any soil can be improved with hard work and preparation, and it is a worthwhile venture to take some time to improve yours.

Add organic matter

Organic matter is essential to the health of your plants. Composted yard waste is an easy way to add organic material to your soil. Compost not only provides nutrients to your soil, it also conditions it to carry and drain water more effectively.

It promotes a population of garden worms and protects your plants from some diseases. Many guides are available online for starting your own compost heap at home, or you can buy quality compost from your garden store.

If you are interested in adding manure to your garden, be sure to use only aged manure, as fresh manure will burn your plants.

Add mulch

Mulch protects soil and retains moisture and nutrients. It is also a good deterrent against weeds. Eventually, mulch will break down and add nutrients to your garden. Mulch is also known to prevent plant diseases from reaching plant roots and foliage.

Gardeners generally suggest soft mulch that breaks down quickly, like leaves or hay. Hay looks nice and breaks down quickly, adding nutrients to your garden over time.

The most important thing to consider when choosing mulch is the source. You don’t want to choose mulch treated with herbicides that will end up in your soil. Find a reliable, safe source before you add it to your garden.

Aerate your soil

Roots need loose, aerated soil to promote plant growth. Loose soil allows for proper drainage and lets roots grow deep into the ground. It also prevents fungal diseases that occur in compacted wet soil.

Control Weeds

Weeds steal nutrients and root space from your plants, so before you plant, be sure to weed your garden thoroughly and mulch to prevent weeds from growing back. If you plan to grow vegetables, steer clear of herbicides that can leech into your soil and ruin it.

Time to start gardening!

Good soil is a process that takes time, but it’s not impossible, and it is definitely worthwhile. Whether you are working on your soil to promote lawn growth or to grow vegetables for consumption, the key is proper testing and adding organic material over time.

If you don’t want to do the work yourself, consider hiring an experienced landscaper like the ones at bhild.com. Call us today, or fill out our form here for a free estimate on lawn services!