What is soil nutrients?
Plants require seventeen elements or nutrients in order to grow and reproduce. Other than oxygen, hydrogen and carbon, plants source these nutrients from soil
- What is soil nutrients?
- What is soil nutrients role in healthy plant growth?
- What is soil nutrients available from BAC?
What is soil nutrients
importance to plant growth? Some soil nutrients are considered essential as plants simply cannot grow without them. Other soil nutrients that boost plant growth, but aren’t necessary to survive, are considered non-essential. Essential soil nutrients required in large quantities are known as macronutrients, whereas nutrients that plants only need a small amount of are called micronutrients. Other nutrients that promote healthy plant growth but whose absence does not prevent a plant from growing are referred to as non-essential nutrients.
Nutrients end up in the soil in various ways. For instance, decomposed animal and plant material, the atmosphere, rock erosion, bacteria activity and fertiliser. These forms and processes provide nutrients in a water soluble form that seeds and plant roots can absorb. Read more about how to add nutrients to soil here.
What is soil nutrients role in healthy plant growth?
Of the macronutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are the most important. What is soil nutrients ideal balance of these macronutrients? These three macronutrients perform various important functions. Nitrogen primarily helps with vegetative growth, phosphorus with roots and shoots, and potassium with flowers and fruits. Plants need all three of these nutrients throughout their life cycle, though the required amounts vary depending on whether the plant is a seedling, sprouting leaves or flowering. To ensure optimum growing conditions for plants, it’s important to consider the relative amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium present in the soil at different stages of the plant’s growth cycle. This is what’s known as the NPK ratio.
Of the other macronutrients, calcium supports the development of plant cell membranes, as well as aiding cellular learning and development. Magnesium is involved in many of a plant’s catalytic reactions and it helps produce chlorophyll. Sulphur, meanwhile, helps plants use nitrogen to produce proteins and various enzymes.
| Soil macronutrients: | Soil micronutrients: | Non-essential nutrients: |
| Nitrogen (N) | Iron (Fe) | Cobalt (Co) |
| Phosphorus (P) | Manganese (Mn) | Strontium (Sr) |
| Potassium (K) | Copper (Cu) | Vanadium (V) |
| Calcium (Ca) | Zinc (Zn) | Silicon (Si) |
| Magnesium (MG) | Boron (B) | Nickel (Ni) |
| Sulphur (S) | Molybdenum (Mo) |
What is soil nutrients
Known as ‘trace elements’? Micronutrients, also referred to as ‘trace elements,’ are only absorbed by plants in small amounts but they’re still essential to their healthy growth. Micronutrients are therefore as important as macronutrients. Iron, for instance, helps catalyse chlorophyll formation. Boron is crucial to photosynthetic processes, while Manganese, Molybdenum and Copper are vital for enzyme activity. As with NPK, and other macronutrients, getting the quantities and ratios of different soil nutrients is of utmost importance to ensure your plants are neither deficient nor overexposed.
If you have any questions about how to ensure your soil has optimum levels of nutrients for your plant’s needs, visit BAC’s knowledge centre to get tailored advice or read more about the best soil nutrients.
What is soil nutrients available from BAC?
BAC offers two highly concentrated soil nutrition products that provide the nutrients your plants need to grow healthy. One, BAC Soil Nutrients for Growth, is for use during the vegetative stage. The other, BAC Soil Nutrients for Bloom, can be applied as your plants start to flower.
- Soil nutrients are essential to a plant’s growth and reproductive cycle.
- Soil nutrients that plants require a lot of are called macronutrients.
- Soil nutrients that plants don’t need that much of are called micronutrients.
- Ensuring sufficient quantities and balances of micronutrients and micronutrients in the soil is vital for optimal plant growth.
