It's All About The Nutrients... Following a good nutrient regime and keeping it simple will go a long way to ensure adequate uptake of all the essential nutrients. It is advisable not to use too many formulations, as it may be very difficult to trace the exact cause of the problem if there are many additives and supplements in the nutrient mix.
Two Types of Nutrients
Plants
require two types of nutrients for healthy growth -- macro-nutrients
and micro-nutrients.
Plants use macro-nutrients in large amounts
while micro-nutrients are required in trace amounts. Following is a
list of Macro and Micro- Nutrients and their functional importance
in plant growth:
Macro Nutrients
Below is a list of effects Marco-Nutrients have
on plant growth.
» Carbon - Formation of organic compounds
» Oxygen - Release of energy from sugar
» Hydrogen - Water formation
» Nitrogen - Chlorophyll, amino acids, proteins synthesis
» Phosphorus - Vital for photosynthesis and growth
» Potassium - Enzyme activity, Sugar and starch formation
» Calcium - Cell growth and division, component of cell wall
» Magnesium - Component of chlorophyll, enzyme activation
» Sulfur - Formation of amino acids and proteins
Micro Nutrients
Below is a list of effects Micro-Nutrients have
on plant growth.
» Boron - Vital for reproduction
» Chlorine - Helps root growth
» Copper - Enzyme activation
» Iron - Used in Photosynthesis
» Manganese - Component of chlorophyll, Enzyme activation
» Sodium - Vital for water movement
» Zinc - Component of enzymes and auxins
» Molybdenum - Nitrogen Fixation
» Nickel - Nitrogen Liberation
» Cobalt - Nitrogen Fixation
» Silicon - Cell wall toughness