These soils are often used for pastures, field crops, and vegetables even though they are relatively low in nutrients. Fertilizers must be used to obtain good yields of those crops. Surface horizons are generally loamy sands to sandy loams. The relatively high clay content of these soils causes them to have good capacity to retain moisture and nutrients and are excellent sites for growing loblolly pine. They are also exceptional agricultural soils.
Water deficits limit responses to fertilizers even on the most nutrient-deficient sites.
In general, fertilizers are not recommended for pine plantations in the sandhills due to moisture limitations. Eric Jokela and Alan Long of the University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conervation recently developed a useful extension publication which gives fertilizer recommendations for these groupings.