Home Introduction Physical Setting - Climate - Drainage - Shape of the Land > Soils - Geology Urbanization Natural Hazards Mineral Resources Water System Environmental Quality Outdoor Recreation Everglades N.P. Coastal Zone Fish & Wildlife Miccosukee Indians Conclusion References

The soils of south Dade County are distinctly to the natural province in which they occur. Soils of the poorly drained lowlands of the Everglades, the Mangrove Swamp and Coastal Marshes, and the Transverse Glades are composed largely of marl and peat. The Coastal Ridge and the Rocky Glades have almost no arable soil. The soil that is present generally consists of a veneer of marl, peat, sand and finer materials over pitted limestone.

Despite the paucity of arable soil, farming is practiced on both the Coastal Ridge and Rocky Glades. A rudimentary soil, suitable for row crop cultivation, is created by mechanically pulverizing the limestone and mixing it with whatever sand, silt, clay, marl, and organic debris is naturally present. Domestic gardens and lawns are not dependent largely on the import of soil and sod.

Farming is extensively practiced on the flat marl soils south and east of Homestead.

Farming throughout the regions requires frequent application of fertilizer, enriched in many trace elements additives, including iron.

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