Growing plants outdoors
Do I need basic nutrition?
Do I need basic nutrition?
Growing outdoors for beginners. Plants need certain elements to reach flowering. Three of these elements can be gotten from air and water: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. But apart from these, a plant needs other essential nutrients. An element is called essential if a plant cannot complete its life cycle without this element and no other element can take over its role. To supply your plants with these nutrient elements, you need an NPK plant fertiliser.
NPK nutrition
Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the best known nutrients that plants require. But you’re not done with only these three elements because your plants need several others in order to grow and flower. Sure, they need less of each of these elements, but they’re still essential to the end result of your harvest. Basic nutrients provide your plants with these minerals.
Secondary nutrients
Calcium. Helps with nutrient uptake and increases the stability of the cell wall.
Magnesium. This is a component of chlorophyll, it stimulates photosynthesis and the transportation of potassium.
Sulphur. Essential to the formation and transportation of proteins. It also catalyses the production of chlorophyll and is good for the taste of your end product.
Micronutrients
Iron. Helps with the production of chlorophyll, proteins and carbohydrates.
Molybdenum. Promotes the uptake of nutrients and transforms nitrates (nitrogen) into amino acids.
Copper. Important to carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Strengthens cells.
Zinc. Forms growth hormones like auxine and influences de production of chlorophyll.
Manganese. Promotes cell division (mitosis) and enhances the plants’ metabolism.
Boron. Important to the formation of the cell walls. It also assists in the regulation of water flow.
Silicon. One of the building blocks of cell walls.