Understanding Plant Nutrition

Have you ever wondered what those numbers on the fertilizer package means and what other elements are needed for healthy plant growth?

If the package lists the fertilizer as 5-10-5 (N-P-K), the first number is Nitrogen, the second is phosphorous and the third is potassium. These are known as the primary nutrients.

Nineteen elements are considered essential for plant growth. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are primarily supplied by air and water. Plant roots absorb the remaining 16 elements from the surrounding soil. These elements are divided into three groups based on their relative abundance in plants: Primary Nutrients (or Major Nutrients), Secondary Nutrients (or Minor Nutrients), and Trace Nutrients (or Micronutrients). Although the Major Nutrients are needed in the greatest quantities, a deficiency of any one nutrient can prevent plant growth, or reduce it to unsatisfactory levels. Even though some soils may already contain these nutrients, they may not be in a form available for plant growth. The best way to ensure that all of the nutrients are available in the soil is through regular applications of plant foods.

The table below provides more information on each nutrient, its deficiency symptoms, and possible plant foods to cure the deficiency.

Primary Nutrients	Function	DeficiencySymptoms	*Solutions
Nitrogen	Vigorous growth & dark green color	Light green leaves; stunted growth	Dried Blood, Garden Manure, Cottonseed Meal, Urea
Phosporus	Root development & flowering	Smaller yields of seeds & fruit; purplish leaves, stems & branches;	Rock Phosphate, Bone Meal, Single Super Phosphate, Triple Super Phosphate
Potassium	Overall hardiness & disease resistance	Reduced yields; Spotted or curled leaves; Weak root system	Muriate of Potash, Greensand
Secondary Nutrients	Function	Deficiency Symptoms	*Solutions
Calcium	Plant vigor; Aids in uptake of nutrients	Deformed terminal leaves; Poor root growth	Garden Lime, Garden Gypsum
Magnesium	Essential part of chlorophyll	Yellowing of older leaves	Garden Lime
Sulfur	Dark green color; Seed production	Yellow leaves; Stunted, spindly plants	Garden Sulfur, Gypsum
Trace Nutrients	Function	Deficiency Symptoms
Boron	Increases flowering & fruit development	Terminal buds die; Less flowers & fruit develop	Garden Manure, Bone Meal
Chlorine	Helps control water loss & moisture stress	Plants wilt; yellow leaves	Garden Manure, Greensand
Cobalt	Improves growth & transpiration	Reduced growth and yellowing of foliage	Greensand, Kelp, Cottonseed Meal
Copper	Helps produce chlorophyll	Yellow, wilted leaves; Lack of flowering	Garden Manure, Greensand
Iron	Promotes dark green leaves	Yellow leaves	Greensand, Garden Manure, Cottonseed Meal
Manganese	Helps produce chlorophyll	Intervenous chlorosis in younger leaves	Garden Manure, Greensand
Molybdenum	Essential in some enzyme systems	Pale green, rolled or cupped leaves	Greensand, Lime (makes it more available)
Nickel	Enzyme Producton	Yellow Leaves	Greensand
Sodium	Aids water regulation & photosynthesis	Plants wilt	Kelp, Garden Manure, Bone Meal, Greensand
Zinc	Enzyme & growth hormone production	Yellow leaves, Rosetted (clustered) leaves	Garden Manure, Greensand, Cottonseed meal

Did you get to our spring gardening seminar here in May? We had a great turnout and the weather was perfect. Usually it occurs after Easter, but due to the late holiday this year, we were surrounded by the bright colors and intoxoicating smells of the Easter plants. If you did miss it, try to make it next year. It really helps to get you in the gardening mood.

Created on 05 May 2014.

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Understanding Plant Nutrition