What Are the 17 Essential Plant Nutrients and Their Functions?
What Are the 17 Essential Plant Nutrients and Their Functions? Healthy plants need more than sunlight and water. Just like people need a balanced diet to grow and stay healthy, plants require a balanced supply of essential nutrients to complete their life cycle, develop strong roots and foliage, produce flowers and fruit, and reproduce successfully. So, what are the 17 essential plant nutrients ? The 17 essential nutrients are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, chlorine and nickel . Each performs a specific function, and a deficiency in even one can affect plant growth. For Australian home gardeners and organic growers, understanding these nutrients is an important part of building healthy, productive soil. The goal isn't simply to add more nutrients. It is to create soil conditions where nutrients are present in appropriate forms and can be accessed by plant roots and beneficia...