Plants need nutrients
Like us, plants need nutrients in varying amounts for healthy growth. There are 17 necessary nutrient elements that plants need, including carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which plants receive air and water. The remainder 14 are obtained from soil but may have to be supplemented with fertilizers or organic materials including compost.
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are required in larger amounts than other nutrients; these are considered primary macronutrients.
Secondary macronutrients include sulfur, calcium, and magnesium.
Micronutrients for example iron and copper are important in more compact amounts.
Nutrient availability in soils
Nutrient availability in soils is often a purpose of several factors including soil texture (loam, loamy sand, silt loam), organic matter content and pH.
Texture
Clay particles and organic matter in soils are chemically reactive and may hold and slowly release nutrient ions that can be used by plants.
Soils which might be finer-textured (more clay) and higher in organic matter (5-10%) have greater nutrient-holding ability than sandy soils with little if any clay or organic matter. Sandy soils in Minnesota are also more prone to nutrient losses through leaching, as water carries nutrients including nitrogen, potassium or sulfur under the root zone where plants still can't access them.
pH
Soil pH will be the degree of alkalinity or acidity of soils. When pH is too low or way too high, chemical reactions can modify the nutrient availability and biological activity in soils. Most fruits and vegetables grow best when soil pH is slightly acidic to neutral, or between 5.5 and 7.0.
There are several exceptions; blueberries, as an example, require a low pH (4.2-5.2). Soil pH can be modified using materials like lime (ground limestone) to increase pH or elemental sulfur to reduce pH.
Nutrient availability
Generally speaking, most Minnesota soils have enough calcium, magnesium, sulfur and micronutrients to aid healthy plant growth. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium include the nutrients that appears to be deficient and will be supplemented with fertilizers for optimal plant growth.
The best method for assessing nutrient availability within your garden would be to do a soil test. A fundamental soil test in the University of Minnesota’s Soil Testing Laboratory gives a soil texture estimate, organic matter content (accustomed to estimate nitrogen availability), phosphorus, potassium, pH and lime requirement.
Your analysis may also have a basic interpretation of results and provide strategies for fertilizing.
Choosing fertilizers
There are numerous alternatives for fertilizers and quite often the alternatives may seem overwhelming. It is important to remember is always that plants take up nutrients in the form of ions, and the way to obtain those ions is not a element in plant nutrition.
For instance, plants get nitrogen via NO3- (nitrate) or NH4+ (ammonium), and those ions will come from either organic or synthetic sources and in various formulations (liquid, granular, pellets or compost).
The fertilizer you choose ought to be based totally on soil test results and plant needs, in the relation to its nutrients and speed of delivery.
Other factors to think about include soil and environmental health as well as your budget.
Common nutrient issues in vegetables
Diagnosing nutrient deficiencies or excesses in fruits and vegetables is challenging. Many nutrient issues look alike, often several nutrient is involved, and the reasons behind them might be highly variable.
For example of issues you often see within the garden.
Plants lacking nitrogen will demonstrate yellowing on older, lower leaves; excessive nitrogen can cause excessive leafy growth and delayed fruiting.
Plants lacking phosphorus may show stunted growth or perhaps a reddish-purple tint in leaf tissue.
A potassium deficiency can cause browning of leaf tissue across the leaf edges, applying lower, older leaves.
A calcium deficiency often leads to “tip burn” on younger leaves or blossom end rot in tomatoes or zucchini. However, calcium deficiencies will often be not only a response to low calcium from the soil, but you are caused by uneven watering, excessive soil moisture, or injury to roots.
Insufficient sulfur on sandy soils may cause stunted, spindly growth and yellowing leaves; potatoes, onions, corn and plants from the cabbage family are usually most sensitive.
For more details about Che pham sinh hoc visit this internet page