Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ in a Minute
Episode Archive

Episode #378 | Original Air Date: August 11, 2021

Related Resources

• Ask IFAS: Soil Organic Matter and Organic Amendments
• Ask IFAS: Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide
• Gardening Solutions: Organic Soil Amendments

Transcript

Florida’s native soils are often sandy and low in organic matter, making it tough for some vegetables and bedding plants to thrive.

One thing you can do to improve growing conditions is to add organic amendments to your soil. By doing so, you’ll increase the nutrient content of the soil, help soil retain moisture, and also stabilize soil pH.

Organic amendments should be added before you plant an area. Use a shovel or tiller to incorporate composted yard waste or composted cow or horse manure into the soil.

Soil amendments are especially helpful for flower beds and vegetable gardens, since these plants need plenty of nutrients and moisture to perform well.

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ in a Minute is a production of the University of Florida’s Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program, IFAS Extension, and WUFT-FM in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.