Plants require more than just Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium, they also need, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Boron and Molybdenum; but also in correct amounts.
Simply adding a fertilizer containing Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK), only compounds fertility problems, by throwing these elements into excess. This will then have a knock-on effect to the availability of other nutrients, therefore, causing an unbalanced growing environment, raising the likelihood of pests, diseases and poor crop yields, for example, from occurring.
And, as a result of our soil management practices, our food is less nutritious since the war.
Vegetables have lost: 76% Copper, 49% Sodium, 46% Calcium, 27% Iron, 24% Magnesium and 16% Potassium. Fruit have lost: 29% Sodium, 24% Iron, 22% Potassium, 19% Copper, 16% Calcium and 15% Magnesium.
The following list of nutrients and the role they play within plants, further illustrates the need to achieve optimum soil nutrition through soil testing in order for a plant to function at its optimum best. Deficiencies or excesses of one or more of these nutrients will result in poor plant growth, flowering, fruiting, pest and disease attacks.
Calcium - is the 'Kingpin', it is the single most important nutrient needed for plant, soil and animal nutrition by weight and volume. Calcium carries all other nutrients around plants, with boron being the steering wheel; they both work together. Boron can be toxic in the absence of calcium; it can also affect pH.
Magnesium - is found in chlorophyll and is a nitrogen regulator. It is also involved in enzymes and plant respiration; and can affect pH.
Phosphorous - promotes plant growth, hastens maturity and stimulates seed development. It's contained in every living cell and is considered critical to the process of photosynthesis and energy transfer. Usually there can be sufficient levels of phosphorous in soils, but is often tied-up with calcium and can only be released by micro-organisms and root exudates.
Potassium - is needed to build strong stalks of sizable diameter, increase fruit size and the yield tubers and seeds, and is necessary for the plant to produce starch, sugar and oils. Potassium is present in the soil in large quantities and is insoluble, requiring micro-organisms to make it available; pH is also affected by this element.
Nitrogen - is a constituent of every living cell and is associated with the production of vegetative growth and a dark green leaf colour. It is an essential component of amino acids, proteins and other forms of basic cell building blocks.
Sulphur - is another essential nutrient and is needed in protein and amino acid formation, in the formation of nodules on legumes and in many other plant processes.
Iron - Is one of the essential elements required for biological nitrogen fixation and protein synthesis. An indispensable carrier of oxygen for chlorophyll production. Increases leaf thickness, with increased nutrient flow and therefore, higher yields. Iron makes the leaves darker, enhancing its ability to absorb solar energy.
The following group of elements are termed micro-nutrients, simply because they have a catalytic role in plant growth. In other words, they merely facilitate reactions, but not consumed in the process.
Manganese (The Element of Life) - This element is critically important in the reproductive, seed formation and germination of seeds, and the subsequent early establishment of the seedling. It is thought, manganese electrically charges the seed, enabling it to magnetically attract other elements itself; also, hastens the fruiting and ripening of crops.
Manganese is also required for chlorophyll production, carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism, the assimilation of carbon dioxide in photosynthesis, the uptake of iron, carotene and vitamin C, and is a critical enzyme activator. It will also, hasten the formation and ripening of fruits.
Zinc (The Hormone Catalyst) - Zinc plays an important role in many hormone responses, especially the growth hormone auxin. It is an essential component in many enzymes, as well as playing an important role in the formation and activity of chlorophyll, synthesis of protein and carbohydrate metabolism.
Copper (The Stem Strengthening Fungus-Fighter) - This nutrient is the key to strong shoots and stems, as well as having natural fungicidal properties. Also, it is involved in many enzyme systems, particularly those connected with grain, seed and fruit formation. Copper is essential for chlorophyll formation and thus prevents chlorosis, rosetting and die-back. It is involved with the movement of water within the plant and is a key component of proteins, as well as being vitally important for root metabolism.
Boron (The Calcium Synergist) - Boron is involved in so many functions within a plant, from increasing nitrogen availability and calcium efficiency, to the synthesis of cell wall division to pollen viability, flowering, and good seed and fruit setting. It is also important is the movement of carbohydrates around the plant.
Molybdenum (The Nitrogen Catalyst) - Molybdenum is the least abundant of all the micro-nutrients in the soil, but is critical in the fixation of nitrogen from the atmosphere by nitrogen-fixing bacteria, azotobacter and rhizobium.
The Fertile Earth Consultancy provides an holistic soil testing service, using appropriate soil amendments to improve soil fertility. Testing soil fertility for available nutrients plays an important role in determining the appropriate fertilizer or soil amendment to use.
The Fertile Earth Consultancy use the Reams Method as its benchmark for soil nutrient testing, because it gives a realistic representation of nutrient availability. And as part of testing procedure, we look at the presence of micro-organisms to aide the nutrient cycling process.
Our aim is to use natural products wherever possible, but some appropriate artificial fertilizers maybe justified, to bring the soil back into balance.
For further information on soil testing services and soil amendments, go to http://www.thefertileearthconsultancy.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alistair_David_Olver
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