Questions about planting in sandy soil

[Gonzo65]

So I recently bought a few new trees I’m looking to plant at my parents house in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Their soil is very sandy, and at about 8-12 inches deep it’s like rock. I tried planting a lychee there earlier this year and it died- I believe it was due to the sandy soil. The trees I will be planting include: jackfruit, pickering mango, 2 atemoya, abiu, avocado, star fruit, passion fruit, and bananas.

Do I need to add anything to the soil before I plant the trees?
What should I be adding after I plant them, besides mulch?
Should I avoid planting any of these specific trees next to each other?
I appreciate any other tips and feedback. Thanks!

Gonzo

[FMfruitforest]

not sure what to do about the bedrock but before i plant, i like to amend the soil with compost, azomite, bone meal, blood meal, and all purpose organic fert.
Compost can make the soil heavy so be sure to mix with native soil well

[Frog Valley Farm]

Organic matter.  If you want a sustainable solution and care at all about the environment that doesn’t pollute the best way to get organic matter in the sand is with living roots.  A mix of uncut grasses, weeds legumes is best as this puts the organic matter into the sand and provides a home for the microbiology.  A hay mulch with small amounts of biological inputs like a couple handfuls of worm castings followed with a couple handfuls of a quality finished compost applied every couple weeks, followed by chop and drop works great.  Diversity in inputs is the best.  Most people seem to use wood chips.  These all work at building organic matter.  Adding small amounts of alfalfa pellets or rabbit manure will speed the process some people add synthetic fertilizers as this also speeds up the system. To truly grow healthy nutrient dense food plants should cycle their own nutrients naturally.  Keeping your sand covered with some sort of carbon either with a living mulch or with wood chips or hay or a chop and drop is important. The microbiology found in the compost and in worm castings will convert the active organic matter (hay/wood chips/plant roots) into stable organic matter that will provide all the nutrients your tree needs to flourish.  Adding carbon followed by very small amounts of a variety of biological inputs every couple weeks and keeping the sand covered will solve the problem.  Synthetic fertilizers will speed up the process but if they do not have enough organic matter they will eventually starve the microbiology and eat up the stable organic matter that is needed to feed your plants and turn your sand into soil and should therefore be avoided.  Synthetic fertilizers over time deplete the soil of organic matter which is the opposite of what you need for your sand.

[pineislander]

If you have rock it needs special treatment but since this is a house lot you may have some unusual fill dirt maybe even fill rock. Some places add fill which is special stuff which compacts for a stable foundation and may include some clay. I am building and they use this under the foundation plus compacted it with a 19 ton vibrating 'steam roller' which packed it very tight. You need to get a post hole digger and go down about 2 feet to actually see your soil profile. You might ask around folks who were there when houses were built and check who has had success to emulate what they did. Just because one tree died doesn't mean it was a soil problem, could have been aftercare or even drainage issues.
On a house lot a mixture of uncut grasses and weeds may not be easy to achieve.

Organics are great and I use them plus a diversity of companion pants and legumes but I highly recommend starting with a full slow release total fertilizer with micronutrients. The one I use is called Nutricote Total.
I put a double handful directly in the hole before planting. DO NOT do this with ordinary fertilizer. However, this one is 100% slow release and lasts through the rainy season for six months. I think the benefit is that the fertilizer is directly under the roots and slowly released with no chance of washout or burning. I have planted seeds directly on top of a spoonful of this fert, it does not burn. It is very popular with the nursery trade. I do not see permanent harm using synthetic fertilizer and have observed good soil microbiology and legume nodulation on soil which has had this fertilizer added.Best of all I have never had any nutrient deficiency symptoms

https://www.arysta-na.com/Nutricote/files/NUT_18-6-8_PIS.pdf

[sahai1]

story of my life here, I only plant trees after digging a 6-8 foot pit, till I hit the good sand which the water table flows through. 

Many stunted trees I dug up underneath and found the source of the problem was rocks or clay fill, low quality fill, they cause drainage issues, but also cause drought issues, as the problem is a disconnect with the water table.

If you have rock it needs special treatment but since this is a house lot you may have some unusual fill dirt maybe even fill rock. Some places add fill which is special stuff which compacts for a stable foundation and may include some clay. I am building and they use this under the foundation plus compacted it with a 19 ton vibrating 'steam roller' which packed it very tight. You need to get a post hole digger and go down about 2 feet to actually see your soil profile. You might ask around folks who were there when houses were built and check who has had success to emulate what they did. Just because one tree died doesn't mean it was a soil problem, could have been aftercare or even drainage issues.
On a house lot a mixture of uncut grasses and weeds may not be easy to achieve.

Organics are great and I use them plus a diversity of companion pants and legumes but I highly recommend starting with a full slow release total fertilizer with micronutrients. The one I use is called Nutricote Total.
I put a double handful directly in the hole before planting. DO NOT do this with ordinary fertilizer. However, this one is 100% slow release and lasts through the rainy season for six months. I think the benefit is that the fertilizer is directly under the roots and slowly released with no chance of washout or burning. I have planted seeds directly on top of a spoonful of this fert, it does not burn. It is very popular with the nursery trade. I do not see permanent harm using synthetic fertilizer and have observed good soil microbiology and legume nodulation on soil which has had this fertilizer added.Best of all I have never had any nutrient deficiency symptoms

https://www.arysta-na.com/Nutricote/files/NUT_18-6-8_PIS.pdf

[Gonzo65]

Would growing sweet potatoes before I plant the trees help build up the soil? As well as adding other amendments such as worm castings, biochar, azemite, and mulch. Thanks!

[Frog Valley Farm]

Yes roots in the ground are good.  We plant sweet potatoes in our mix between trees.  Getting away from a mono crop system is what you need to do. Plant a variety of dicots and monocots. It is easier to turn sand into soil than getting people to understand the importance of planting diversity. Our sole focus has been soil health and repairing our fine white sandy soil.  This is what we achieved with a biodiverse uncut/undisturbed living cover and a variety of biological sprays in a very short time, black humus and soil with structure on a large scale, one living organism.  Our on farm inspectors are amazed at our soil quality.  It’s been well researched that if you truly want to repair your soil you need to follow the 5 soil health principals.



Annual and perennial vegetables, grass, weeds are all a part of our bio diverse mix, all working in unison to build soil health.


Asparagus, perennial leeks, longevity spinach, torpedo grass and fruit trees all producing for some life form and building soil health


Taro, Biden’s, grass, weeds, sugar Apple, mango, sapodilla, Garcinias, Moringa, legumes all mixed and producing black rich soil from sand. 


Getting this system to look more palatable thereby making it acceptable has been the most challenging aspect.


It’s getting there.

[SeaWalnut]

Would growing sweet potatoes before I plant the trees help build up the soil? As well as adding other amendments such as worm castings, biochar, azemite, and mulch. Thanks!

Biochar is great if you have compacted clay soil but you have to mix it in the soil .

[pineislander]

Would growing sweet potatoes before I plant the trees help build up the soil? As well as adding other amendments such as worm castings, biochar, azemite, and mulch. Thanks!

Sweet potatoes will grow on fairly poor soil and like sand but don't really build up soil, and removing the harvest removes nutrients from the soil. They do make a good ground cover but I had some potatoes form around the roots of newly planted fruit trees and had to dig deep into the root ball to get them out.
One easy thing you could plant under new trees are ordinary raw peanuts, not to eat because you have to dig them out but just as a ground cover they like sandy soil and they should generate some nitrogen. I've had some last a year plus. Plant a shelled peeanut every six inches and cover with some mulch they can push through very easily.

[Orkine]

If you have Biochar, I believe it will help, even with sandy soil.
Remember to prep the biochar before application (moisten and inoculate)

[Gonzo65]

Would growing sweet potatoes before I plant the trees help build up the soil? As well as adding other amendments such as worm castings, biochar, azemite, and mulch. Thanks!

Sweet potatoes will grow on fairly poor soil and like sand but don't really build up soil, and removing the harvest removes nutrients from the soil. They do make a good ground cover but I had some potatoes form around the roots of newly planted fruit trees and had to dig deep into the root ball to get them out.
One easy thing you could plant under new trees are ordinary raw peanuts, not to eat because you have to dig them out but just as a ground cover they like sandy soil and they should generate some nitrogen. I've had some last a year plus. Plant a shelled peeanut every six inches and cover with some mulch they can push through very easily.

Yeah I was in between sweet potatoes and perennial peanut. I think the peanut is more beneficial.

[SeaWalnut]

Nobody mentioned but you can till the soil for like 2 years or so to get rid of the weeds and improove the soil aeration and water retention until the trees become established.
While tilling you can mix woodchips,compost and biochar in the soil.

[pineislander]

Would growing sweet potatoes before I plant the trees help build up the soil? As well as adding other amendments such as worm castings, biochar, azemite, and mulch. Thanks!

Sweet potatoes will grow on fairly poor soil and like sand but don't really build up soil, and removing the harvest removes nutrients from the soil. They do make a good ground cover but I had some potatoes form around the roots of newly planted fruit trees and had to dig deep into the root ball to get them out.
One easy thing you could plant under new trees are ordinary raw peanuts, not to eat because you have to dig them out but just as a ground cover they like sandy soil and they should generate some nitrogen. I've had some last a year plus. Plant a shelled peeanut every six inches and cover with some mulch they can push through very easily.

Yeah I was in between sweet potatoes and perennial peanut. I think the peanut is more beneficial.

I was mentioning raw eating type peanuts you can get at the grocery store but perennial peanut is good too.

[zands]

I have dug holes as deep as two feet.

#1 remove the black top soil and put in a five gallon bucket or two. Set it aside.

#2 dig into that rocky subsoil with a pick axe and an iron digging bar. Remove and set aside. I am fairly sure your subsoil is no more rocky than mine. You can also breakup that soil with a hammer and hammering a tough flat blade screw driver into it

#3 Now you have a nice hole. I place more emphasis on digging downward than making a really wide hole

#4 remove the limestone rocks from you subsoil. Throw them in the garbage. If you have a sifter you siftt out the stones and rocks, you can save some for mixing with cement.

#5 look very carefully at the hole and estimate its volume

#6 take the topsoil you set aside and mix it with one bag topsoil from Home Depot or Lowes.....Guess the volume of what you have

#7 FIRST Toss enough rock-free subsoil into yer hole >>>> So that the hole will be filled to the top when you toss in your mix of HD topsoil and your own topsoil. Pat down your holes topsoil to remove the air that fluffs it up

#8 BEFORE you plant your tree get yer garden hose and water that hole heavily so that the new soil mix sinks down as much as it likes

#9      wait 24 hours ....The next day add more HD topsoil if the soil in your hole has sunk down too much

#10 plant your tree that day

#11 mulch around your newly planted tree

#12 Water new tree every second day

#13 wait a few weeks before starting to fertilize

[Gonzo65]

I have dug holes as deep as two feet.

#1 remove the black top soil and put in a five gallon bucket or two. Set it aside.

#2 dig into that rocky subsoil with a pick axe and an iron digging bar. Remove and set aside. I am fairly sure your subsoil is no more rocky than mine. You can also breakup that soil with a hammer and hammering a tough flat blade screw driver into it

#3 Now you have a nice hole. I place more emphasis on digging downward than making a really wide hole

#4 remove the limestone rocks from you subsoil. Throw them in the garbage. If you have a sifter you siftt out the stones and rocks, you can save some for mixing with cement.

#5 look very carefully at the hole and estimate its volume

#6 take the topsoil you set aside and mix it with one bag topsoil from Home Depot or Lowes.....Guess the volume of what you have

#7 FIRST Toss enough rock-free subsoil into yer hole >>>> So that the hole will be filled to the top when you toss in your mix of HD topsoil and your own topsoil. Pat down your holes topsoil to remove the air that fluffs it up

#8 BEFORE you plant your tree get yer garden hose and water that hole heavily so that the new soil mix sinks down as much as it likes

#9      wait 24 hours ....The next day add more HD topsoil if the soil in your hole has sunk down too much

#10 plant your tree that day

#11 mulch around your newly planted tree

#12 Water new tree every second day

#13 wait a few weeks before starting to fertilize

What is the best time of year to do this? Thanks for the advice!

[zands]

I have dug holes as deep as two feet.

#1 remove the black top soil and put in a five gallon bucket or two. Set it aside.

#2 dig into that rocky subsoil with a pick axe and an iron digging bar. Remove and set aside. I am fairly sure your subsoil is no more rocky than mine. You can also breakup that soil with a hammer and hammering a tough flat blade screw driver into it

#3 Now you have a nice hole. I place more emphasis on digging downward than making a really wide hole

#4 remove the limestone rocks from you subsoil. Throw them in the garbage. If you have a sifter you siftt out the stones and rocks, you can save some for mixing with cement.

#5 look very carefully at the hole and estimate its volume

#6 take the topsoil you set aside and mix it with one bag topsoil from Home Depot or Lowes.....Guess the volume of what you have

#7 FIRST Toss enough rock-free subsoil into yer hole >>>> So that the hole will be filled to the top when you toss in your mix of HD topsoil and your own topsoil. Pat down your holes topsoil to remove the air that fluffs it up

#8 BEFORE you plant your tree get yer garden hose and water that hole heavily so that the new soil mix sinks down as much as it likes

#9      wait 24 hours ....The next day add more HD topsoil if the soil in your hole has sunk down too much

#10 plant your tree that day

#11 mulch around your newly planted tree

#12 Water new tree every second day

#13 wait a few weeks before starting to fertilize

What is the best time of year to do this? Thanks for the advice!

Spring is always best. You also have the best selection of trees in spring so you can pick out a strong ones that have thicker trunks, are well branched out and leafy. My favorite strength indicator is a thick trunk at the base and lower part of the tree. If the tree has this foundation then it can grow into well branched out and leafy even if it does not have branched out and leafy when you buy it.

But planting any time during the warm months is best. Due to plants growing faster. I planted a mango tree two months ago which is not optimum and if a frost comes (came) it can get killed. With our warm winter this year it has been rooting in and establishing itself, so will take off as it warms up.

You can buy fruit trees now. The chance of frost looks very minimal this year, so plant now if you like. Or now plant half the trees you bought. And half when all chance of frost is gone, say February 1st

[Tropheus76]

Just research which trees will do well. I know its sounds simple but there are other factors to consider. For example, don't waste your time on figs it this is your first time trying them. Sure they grow fine in sand and every site will tell you so. The problem is what is living in the sand that will kill pretty much any fig in a matter of 2 years or less. I just planted kiwi and after research I found that they can grow fine in my zone. Awesome. But then about a week later I was doing some further research and found a paragraph on a site I hadn't looked at before and found they are very susceptible to root knot nematodes. The same voracious nematodes that doom in ground figs in Florida.

[skhan]

So I recently bought a few new trees I’m looking to plant at my parents house in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Their soil is very sandy, and at about 8-12 inches deep it’s like rock. I tried planting a lychee there earlier this year and it died- I believe it was due to the sandy soil. The trees I will be planting include: jackfruit, pickering mango, 2 atemoya, abiu, avocado, star fruit, passion fruit, and bananas.

Do I need to add anything to the soil before I plant the trees?
What should I be adding after I plant them, besides mulch?
Should I avoid planting any of these specific trees next to each other?
I appreciate any other tips and feedback. Thanks!

Gonzo

I wouldn't do anything except try to remove some of the rocks on the bottom.
In my yard it's sand and limestone rubble for the first 2ft, after that its nice sand.

I don't think any of the major farms in WPB (sandy soil) add anything into theirs, you can look up some videos from truly tropical.
The main problem with amending soils is the possibility of rot, root burn could be a problem too.

The only exception I'd make is the Abiu, I'd add a bunch of peat moss since they like acidic soil and water.

Once you plant it I'd try to "build the soil" by whatever means you prefer.
I've added tree trimmers mulch 2 years ago to increase the carbon content of my soil, seems like the worms worked it in well so I new have black sand for the first few inches.