Companion Planting around Citrus & Blueberry Orchards: what to plant /put around the sandy soil?

I live in N. Florida (ZONE 9a), property is a sand bar of white sand. I imported all soil to plant 50 BB bushes and 30qty Citrus / Nut trees.

The orchards are spaced out generously. There is just soooo much white SAND around everything. I thought about hauling in 4 truck loads of Wood Chips and let it decompose. But then I also wanted to plant Crimson Clover for the bees to feed on (we have 10qty hives).

I have been trying to read up on Permaculture ideas and what others are doing-- but cannot really find any information on the best approach for N. Florida climate and what to do with the orchards.

Appreciate any experience that you might have to share with us?

Thanks...

Skipper T & Vicki

Except in the densest shade, you might try sweet potatoes as a ground cover.  If you mulch around them with cardboard and woodchips or something like that, most of the potatoes will form right under the initial plant, otherwise the vines will root down in wet weather and they will form everywhere.  If you can work the fertility up to a good level and push them with urine etc. you could try white potatoes early in the spring and harvest by midsummer and so have root staples for much of the year.  The problems with sand are water and nutrients, but some of the root vegetables like these actually prefer it, clay is too tight and soggy for them and they are often a struggle and people have to make fluffy raised beds for them.  Carrots might be worth a try in fall or early spring too.  There are design advantages to growing vegetables and other annuals in a young orchard situation....you are stacking the space, using more of the sunlight, and the young trees will benefit from the additional attention, water, fencing, etc. mostly directed at the annuals.

I recommend two scenarios if you´d like to harvest crops from the companion plants or just amend the soil in the meanwhile.

The clover is also a great idea for ground cover for most scenarios with beehives.

Harvest (basically turn the orchard into a food forest while the trees start fruiting):
You could place a corn, quinoa, and kale along a few peas/lentils/beans for each plant. Also venture into having pineapples as the plant will survive light frost. The kale and quinoa can be planted in batches to ease the harvest and the plants do survive freezing temperatures.
As a ground cover I would keep the clover and add mustard

If you´d like to have some root crops, you could directly plant burdock, carrots, parsnip, turnips. And make a few towers of 1'x1"x(6-12") squares to grow any type of potatoes vertically.

Also, high heat of the summer and water consumption can be avoided with cassava or banana plants in wicking beds/spots to provide shade while the trees and bushes harden.


Amending:
Keep on planting clover, add all types of legumes and aromatics to chop and drop them.