Soil Dynamics

  What Nutrients Do Plants Need to Grow? A Complete Guide to Plant Nutrition Healthy plants need more than sunlight and water. Just like people need a balanced supply of nutrients to grow and function properly, plants require specific nutrients for healthy roots, leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds. So, what nutrients do plants need to grow? Plants require 17 recognised essential elements to complete their growth and reproductive cycles. These include macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, secondary nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and sulphur, and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, boron and manganese. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are also essential and are primarily obtained from air and water. Understanding plant nutrition can help gardeners make better decisions about soil improvement and fertiliser use. Rather than simply adding more fertiliser, the goal is to create growing conditions where plants can access the nutrients they actually need. What Nutrient...