\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In order to be a successful gardener, you need to know what a plant needs to grow.\u00a0 Plants are nature\u2019s solar collectors.\u00a0 In order to perform the miracle of photosynthesis, plants need carbon dioxide from the air, water from the soil or air, and sunlight to form carbohydrates and give off oxygen:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Photosynthesis \u00a0<\/strong>is how plants make food for all life on earth (except for extremophiles that live in geochemically active areas such as underwater volcanoes and hot springs).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The opposite of photosynthesis is respiration.<\/strong>\u00a0 All plants and animals respire when they unlock the energy stored in the carbohydrates that were created through photosynthesis.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Other elements are also necessary for plant growth.\u00a0 When I was in school I learned a mnemonic to help remember nutrients essential for plant growth: C HOPKiNS CaF\u00e9 Mg<\/strong>\u2019ed B<\/strong>y Mn<\/strong>e CuZn<\/strong>s Mo<\/strong> & Cl<\/strong>eo.\u00a0 Since then a few more elements have been discovered to be essential or beneficial for plant growth: Co, Ni, Si, Na, V, Se.<\/strong>\u00a0 <\/b>In the following paragraphs, I list just some<\/i> of the key roles and benefits of these elements play in plant growth.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The first three, C<\/strong>arbon, H<\/strong>ydrogen and O<\/strong>xygen are essential for photosynthesis and respiration as described above in the form of carbon dioxide (CO<\/span><\/span>_{2<\/span><\/sub>),<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/sub>oxygen (O<\/span>2 <\/span><\/sub>), and water (H<\/span>2<\/span><\/sub>O).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n}

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The next three are the primary macronutrients; represented by 3 numbers as percents on a fertilizer bag: N<\/strong>itrogen : P<\/strong>hosphorus : potassium (K<\/strong>).\u00a0 Nitrogen is absorbed as nitrate (NO<\/span><\/span>_{3<\/sub>^{–<\/sup><\/span>) or ammonium (NH<\/span>4<\/span><\/sub>+<\/span><\/sup>).\u00a0 It is necessary for the formation of amino acids, the building blocks of protein and is directly involved in energy reactions such as photosynthesis and respiration and is essential for cell division and plant growth.\u00a0 <\/span>Phosphorus is absorbed as phosphate (H<\/span>2<\/span><\/sub>PO<\/span>4<\/span><\/sub>–<\/span><\/sup>).\u00a0 It is also involved in energy reactions and cell division.\u00a0 It promotes root growth and improves the quality of fruits, vegetables, and seeds.\u00a0 <\/span>Potassium (K<\/span>+<\/span><\/sup>) activates enzymes and is essential for protein synthesis.\u00a0 It also is important for the formation of starch and the translocation of sugars.\u00a0 It regulates the opening and closing of stomata and improves winter hardiness, drought tolerance and increases disease resistance.\u00a0 <\/span>You can purchase test kits that will tell you if you need to add these nutrients to the soil\u2014Nitrogen needs to be replenished most frequently.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n}}

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Secondary in importance are calcium (<\/span><\/span>Ca<\/span><\/strong>^{++<\/span><\/sup><\/b>)<\/span><\/sup>, magnesium (<\/span>Mg<\/span><\/strong>++<\/span><\/sup><\/b>) and S<\/strong><\/span>ulfur in the form of Sulfate (SO<\/span>_{4<\/span><\/sub>—<\/span><\/sup>).\u00a0 Calcium is an important structural element in cell walls.\u00a0 It is important for cell division and formation.\u00a0 It is also necessary for good fruit set.\u00a0 Magnesium is a key element used in chlorophyll production and activates many plant enzymes.\u00a0 Sulfur is an integral part of amino acids and helps develop enzymes and vitamins.\u00a0 <\/span>It also promotes nodule formation in legumes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n}}

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Micronutrients are used in very small amounts but are still very important for plant growth.\u00a0 Iron (<\/span><\/span>Fe<\/span>^{+++<\/span><\/sup><\/b>) <\/b>is required for the formation of <\/b>chlorophyll.\u00a0 <\/b>It carries oxygen and is <\/b>an activator for <\/b>many biochemical processes. B<\/strong><\/span>oron is absorbed as borate (H<\/span>_{2<\/span><\/sub>BO<\/span>3<\/span><\/sub>–<\/span><\/sup>).\u00a0 It is essential for the formation of cell walls and seeds, pollen germination and growth of pollen tubes.\u00a0 <\/span>Manganese (<\/span>Mn<\/span><\/strong>++<\/span><\/sup><\/b>) aids in chlorophyll synthesis and activates many enzymes systems.\u00a0 <\/span>Copper (<\/span>Cu<\/span><\/strong>++<\/span><\/sup>) <\/span><\/b>catalyzes several reactions and <\/b>performs major functions in photosynthesis and reproduction.\u00a0 <\/span>Zinc (<\/span>Zn<\/span><\/strong>++<\/span><\/sup><\/b>) aids plant growth hormones, enzyme systems and seed formation. It is necessary for chlorophyll production, and carbohydrate and starch formation.\u00a0 Mo<\/strong><\/span>lybdenum is absorbed as molybdate (MoO<\/span>4<\/span><\/sub>–<\/span><\/sup>).\u00a0 It is required to form enzymes that convert nitrate to ammonium and inorganic phosphates to organic phosphates.\u00a0 <\/span>Chlorine or Chloride (<\/span>Cl<\/span><\/strong>–<\/span><\/sup>) <\/span><\/b>aids photosynthesis and is involved in osmotic transfer regulating the opening and closing of stomata.\u00a0\u00a0 With some exceptions, micronutrients are rarely deficient.\u00a0 <\/span>Check with your local extension agent to find out which are likely to be deficient in your area\u2014some crops are more sensitive to certain deficiencies and are more likely to exhibit typical symptoms of deficiency.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n}}

\u00a0\u00a0 The following elements have also been found to be beneficial in some plants.\u00a0 Cobalt (<\/span><\/span>Co<\/span><\/strong>^{++<\/span><\/sup><\/b>) is required for nitrogen fixation in legumes.\u00a0 Nickel (Ni<\/strong>++<\/b>) is needed for enzymes that break down urea to available nitrogen and is required for seed germination and iron uptake.\u00a0 Si<\/b><\/span>licon is taken up as silicic acid (H<\/span>_{4<\/span><\/sub>SiO<\/span>4<\/span><\/sub>).\u00a0 It is a component of cell walls, helps resist insects and disease and improves heat, drought and cold tolerance.\u00a0 Sodium (Na<\/strong>+) <\/b>can substitute when potassium is deficient.\u00a0 It is used more often in desert and seaside plants.\u00a0 Vanadium is essential for green algae and may be beneficial to larger plants in small quantities.\u00a0 <\/span>In large quantities, vanadium interferes with the uptake of phosphorus (H<\/span>2<\/span><\/sub>VO<\/span>4<\/span><\/sub>–<\/span><\/sup>substitutes for H<\/span>2<\/span><\/sub>PO<\/span>4<\/span><\/sub>–<\/span><\/sup> )\u2014It has been referred to as \u201cjunk food\u201d for plants.\u00a0 Se<\/b><\/span>lenium is taken up by some plants and may be beneficial for some, but it is toxic to others.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n}}

Because of all these nutritional needs I find that it is much easier and less expensive to grow plants in soil, where they may be able to\u00a0absorb essential micronutrients, naturally. High Tech systems such as Hydroponics\u00a0are expensive and failure is common because of missing nutrients or system design flaws and\/or maintenance issues.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 Plants may absorb other minerals\u2014even gold.\u00a0 Many cause no problems; others are pollutants that are toxic to plants and\/or the consumers of plants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Temperature<\/strong> plays a key role in many of the chemical reactions involved in plant growth.\u00a0 Most plants are able to grow at warm temperatures unless water is a limiting factor.\u00a0 Many plant species are adapted to grow at colder temperatures.\u00a0 The USDA plant hardiness map shows different regions in the United States based on average minimum temperatures.\u00a0 Most garden encyclopedias will give hardiness zones for each listed species.\u00a0 This is to help you determine if a plant you are interested in will survive in your climate.\u00a0 In the western states, a better system is used in the Sunset Garden Encyclopedia\u2014it takes other climate variables into account.\u00a0 Consulting hardiness zones for native plants is usually not necessary\u2014they should already be adapted to your climate!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In order to be a successful gardener, you need to know what a plant needs to grow.\u00a0 Plants are nature\u2019s solar collectors.\u00a0 In order to perform the miracle of photosynthesis, plants need carbon dioxide from the air, water from the soil or air, and sunlight to form carbohydrates and give off oxygen: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Photosynthesis<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=376"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":382,"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376\/revisions\/382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/habitathorticulturepnw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}