Soil Properties Pertinent to Horticulture in Florida

摘要: Horticulture is an important industry in Florida despite formidable soil limitations. Favorable climate often makes the expense of overcoming these limitations economically feasible. Challenges arise from high water tables and/or sandy textures, both which limit plant-available and nutrient retention. High flatwoods (Spodosols) marshes (Everglades Histosols) restrict root proliferation commonly require artificial drainage. Upper zones soils are dominated by uncoated sand or organic matter (Histosols) that has minimal sorption capacity for phosphorus (P) such its transport poses environmental risk without careful management. Nitrogen can be lost via denitrification under prolonged near-surface saturation. At other extreme but also prevalent excessively well-drained ‘‘sandhills’’ with limited leaching latter result nitrate contamination groundwater. Soil morphology consideration gauging moisture For example, each enhanced presence sand-grain coatings. Some amendments show promise reducing P loss soils. Precarious balance between horticultural production risks spurred development approaches providing a more accurate determination safe storage capacity. Testing refinement needed.