Garden Nutrition

Feeding your garden is obviously an important part of garden maintenance if you want it to thrive. As with any living organism, nutrition is vital. Knowing what you put down when you fertilize and what your plants need can make all the difference.

There are 16 essential nutrients that your plants need to grow optimally. If even one of these is in short supply your garden is not thriving. This is not to say you will be killing it. Just not giving it the full range of elements that support plant growth.

Plant food is the fertilizers we apply to the soil to enrich the content of mineral nutrients in it. Plants absorb these minerals from the soil, so when you think about fertilizing, think more about feeding the soil rather than the plant itself. It’s about ratio and relationship. A mineral-rich soil is sure to produce healthy plants.

Mineral nutrients are divided into macronutrients and micronutrients. The former are most important and are needed in the largest quantities, while the latter is essential in smaller doses.

Primary Macronutrients

• Nitrogen – Vital for the growth rate and chlorophyll production.
• Phosphorus – Important for energy transfer on a cellular level
• Potassium – Regulates plant tissue and adaptability

Secondary Macronutrients

Secondary Macronutrients

• Sulfur – Essential for the plant’s metabolism
• Calcium – Regulates the transport of nutrients and is structurally important
• Magnesium – Plays a major role in chlorophyll as a componen

Micronutrients

Synthetic fertilizers typically contain only nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which while very important are not enough to provide a full palette of nutrients for your plant. This is why using organic feed for your garden is a much preferable and eco-friendly alternative. Making your own compost will provide your plants with not only rich food but also beneficial microbial life that supports the nutrient cycle.