Nutrients

Hi again Sorry if this is a bit technical but Plant Health and Nutritionis quite a technical subject so I will try to keep things as understandable as possible.

From seedling to mature crop, your salads, veg and flowers need Macro, Micro and trace fertilizers.

Macro Fertilizers are the three main requirements for plant growth

Nitrogen provides the energy, it is the element needed for plant cell division, growth and development. It is necessary for photosynthesis which is the green in plants which help turn sunlight into sugars to feed the plant and us when we literally eat the fruits of our labour. Nitrogen is needed to build the proteins and amino acids in the plant and it accounts for nearly 6% of all plant tissue so is a vital plant food. 

Nitrogen is quite soluble, so it leeches readily from the rooting area so we need to keep topping up Nitrogen levels during the growing season to feed the growing crop. Heavy rain will wash nitrogen from the soil. This is why we get Nitrites in our drinking water, but that’s another story. 

Phosphorus is essential for energy transfer in the plant. It is the element that makes all other elements in the plant available to the growing tissue. Its essential for photosynthesis, it helps with plant respiration, that’s taking in Carbon Dioxide and breathing out Oxygen. Phosphate is essential for cell division and growth, flower formation and seed production. Phosphate is very immobile in the soil, The plant does not need much of the element but because its not readily available and not very soluble there needs to be a lot in the soil for the plant to take up what it needs.

Potassium is vital for the plant to use water efficiently. It helps the plant produce sugars, carbohydrates, starch and cellulose. It also helps to strengthen the plant and aid disease resistance. Potash is one of the vital elements for good root growth. 

Secondary Nutrients include Calcium which is needed for cell wall structure, plant stability and strength. It provides pectin in cell walls for good long crop storage. It is essential for cell division and elongation, helps protein formation and is needed for the uptake and availability of other nutrients. 

Another secondary nutrient is Magnesium which is an essential building block for Chlorophyll and Photosynthesis. It helps with the production and movement of starch and sugars in the plant, absorption of carbon dioxide and it helps control uniform plant maturity.

Sulphur is another secondary which helps form amino acids and enzyme activation, needed for protein formation and photosynthesis. It also promotes root nodule fixation of Nitrogen in legumes like peas and beans.

Micronutrients are also essential 

Boron for cell development, transportation of plant sugars, flowering and transpiration and for plant utilisation of Calcium.

Copper is needed for the binding of solar energy during photosynthesis, it helps prevent cell breakdown and it helps the plant take up Iron.

Zinc is needed for starch formation and helps the plant use calcium

Iron for the formation of chlorophyll, movement of oxygen and with cell division.

There are lots of other elements essential for plant growth and health but nothing works in isolation. Some crops need different amounts of all the elements, but all are needed at some time during the plants life. Most element are in the soils we use for cultivation and are available naturally, but we sometimes need to add to what is there already. A good dose of well rotted farmyard manure does the trick for most plant needs.