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Florida's Soils and Climate Zones

© Ellie Goodwin

To really appreciate gardening in Florida we should take a moment this week and understand the soils and the climates. I've purposely used the plural for these elements because there is no one "soil" in Florida and there certainly isn't one "climate". No matter where you live and garden in the state it pays to know as much as possible about the natural conditions. That way you won't find yourself watering endlessly or having to buy new perennials and shrubs each year. A good understanding of Florida's unique soils and climate zones will lead to years of satisfying gardening.

Soil

Many people think of Florida as a state surrounded by beaches with swamps in the middle. (This, of course, does not take into account the multi-billion dollar citrus industry in the central part of Florida.) In the southern part of the state there are more rocky soils, and around swamps and lakes the soil has a more clay-like consistency. In northern Florida, sand is the norm. Florida gardeners might have highly alkaline soil (because of decomposed sea shells), acidic soil, or coastal soil. The sandy nature of most of the state's soil is a blessing and challenge. As you know, sandy soil drains most freely, which means we don't have the same stagnant, sticky muck around the roots of our plants as often as other states may experience. The challenge is that we also have to work extra hard to keep the soil adequately moist and able to retain nutrients. I've gone into my garden after a decent sized summer shower and dug my fingers into the dirt only to find dry sand about two inches below the surface. The water had just run right through! This means we have to add amendments like compost and fertilizers to create a more cohesive structure to the soil. But here's the next part of the puzzle: the amendments you may need can vary depending on where you are in the state! If you're most coast-side and have not only sandy soil but salt breezes to contend with, your pH levels could be very different from a gardener in Alachua County which is inland and in the north central part of the state.

In many parts of Florida the soil can be acidic, which is why acid-loving plants like rhododendron do well here. However, if you're trying to plant a vegetable garden or a specific variety of rose you may need to "sweeten" your soil with lime. Check your most recent soil test to find out how your particular soil rates. The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences (IFAS) has a number of detailed free publications that explain the different types of soil throughout the state. Your first stop should be to visit their Soils of Florida site .

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