Plant Life Basics
What Plants Need

The basic requirements for what plants need to survive are water, nutrients, temperature (warmth) and light, all in differing amounts depending on the type of plant. Plants also need air and a growing medium (somewhere to put their roots down).

So lets look at each element of what garden ( backyard ) plants need:.....

Water is essential for a plants survival, not only to stop them from dehydrating, but also to enable them to absorb nutrients, which they can only do in soluble form. Water also cools the leaves as it evaporates. With too little water there will poor root, leaf and stem growth and small or no flowers.

Rain and snow will percolate down through the soil, some will run off into streams or ditches, some will sink down to the water table, some will be lost to evaporation and some will be retained in the soil. Plants will use the water retained in the soil, which can be up to two thirds of any rainfall.

In very dry spells it may prove impossible for plants to find sufficient water to satisfy their needs.

So, it is essential to provide correct watering for any plant to survive, grow and flourish.

It is even more essential to provide correct watering for plants in pots and containers as they are unable to find water for themselves.

Nutrients are what plants need to promote healthy growth. There are three major nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They are shown as chemical symbols, N, P, K, which appear (in different amounts) on fertiliser packets.

Nitrogen ensures stem and leaf growth.

Phosphorus provides for root growth.

Potassium produces flowers and fruit.

Moderate amounts of intermediate nutrients are required in the form of, calcium (Ca), sulpher (S) and magnesium (Mg).

Other nutrients as well as N, P, K, and intermediate nutrients are required, in minute amounts, and these are known as trace elements.

Trace elements include iron (Fe), boron (B), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu).

Temperature (Warmth) plays a vital role in what plants need to survive and flourish. The amount of warmth required depends on the type of plant and where it originates from.

For a plant to flourish you need to provide the correct temperature they need. This may mean keeping the plant in a greenhouse or conservatory all year round or just in the cold periods of the year. It all depends on the plants origins.

So, it is important to position your plants in the right place. Don't forget, some like it hot and sunny. Other's prefer it cool and shady. And there are those that like it on the wet side and those that like it on the dry side.

Light, like warmth, plays a vital role in what plants need to survive and flourish.

Sunlight is converted by plants through photosynthesis, to food, sugar and oxygen. But the amount of light required, again like warmth, depends on the type of plant and where it originates from. Sun loving plants will not do their best in the shade of a tree, hedge or fence. And conversely, shade loving plants will not give it their all in full sun.

Choose the right plants for sun and shade.

Air is vital for a plants roots and for the growth of microscopic soil organisms which are beneficial to plant life. Most soils normally have enough air naturally which is sufficient for roots to function properly and provide for healthy plant growth.

Compacted soil (soil that has been constantly walked on, common in our gardens) holds less air. This can create waterlogging around roots causing poor plant growth or even worse a complete collapse of the plant.

And lst but not least of what plants need:.....

Growing Medium is somewhere for a plant to put it's roots down.

In gardens soil comes in basically five different types. Clay, chalk, sand, silt, loam and indeed any combination of two or three or more.

Some types are better at holding water and nutrients than others. Whilst some are better than others for drainage.

Acidity and alkalinity also plays a role in the types of plants that will flourish, just grow or not survive at all in a garden.

However, with the addition of various elements such as lime or the addition of bulky organic materials the soil condition can be improved and modified to allow for the growing of plants that otherwise would not do well in an unconditioned soil.

Composts as used in pots and containers are easy to use. Various types are available depending on the type of plant you wish to grow.

With composts it is usually just a case of buying a bag of compost, filling a pot or container and adding the plants.

And that is, basically, more or less what plants need.

If you want any further information on what plants need or how to propagate and grow any of your favourite garden ( yard ) plants please feel free to contact us