Page 16 - ALG Issue 2 2021

the young plotters club How do plants grow?
Haveyoueverwonderedhowputtinga little green seedling into the ground and giving it the occasional drink results in a2-metre-tallgreenbeanplantorabig fat pumpkin?
Well,theanswerisphotosynthesis.This is the process where green leaves turn water H2O, carbon dioxide CO2 and the sun’s energy into sugars C6H12O6 that feed the growth of the plant. Leaves contain Chlorophyll – the element that makes them green. Chlorophyll takes the energy from the sun and uses it
to process carbon dioxide and water into oxygen O2 (a waste product that is released back into the air), and glucose that fuels plant growth.
It is important that plants can obtain the right amount of nutrients from the soil to support this growth, and this is why we use fertilisers, soil conditioners and mulches. Commercial fertilisers will contain the elements below in various percentages:
• Nitrogen(N):
For green leafy growth – it is a key
component of chlorophyll molecules
• Phosphorus(P):
For seed germination, healthy root
and shoot growth
• Potassium(K):
For flowering, fruiting and general hardiness
When you add a layer or dig in manure to your soil, the nutrients in the feed of the animal who excreted the manure
is passed into the soil. Manure is high in nitrogen – rabbit and chicken poo have the highest. Leaf mould is lower in nutrients but improves drainage and aeration and encourages beneficial microbes. Soil also contains minerals such as calcium, which is vital for plant growth and soil structure, helping to store nutrients and water. In extreme growing conditions – too dry, too wet or very acid/alkaline - plants will struggle to take up soil nutrients, photosynthesis will be hindered and the plants will not grow.
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