General Gardening

Here are some general gardening tips that cross over to any style of gardening.

There are 20 Mineral Elements needed for optimal plant growth.

The Macronutrients, called such because they are required in large amounts

Carbon
C
 Component of all organic compounds
Oxygen
O
 supplied by air & water
Hydrogen
H
 That's why its element #1
Nitrogen
N
 Part of chlorophyll, amino acids, proteins
Phosphorus
P
 Used in photosynthesis and almost all aspects of growth
Potassium
K
 Activates enzymes, used in formation of sugar and starch
Calcium
Ca
 Used in cell growth and division, part of cell wall
Magnesium
Mg
 Part of chlorophyll, activates enzymes
Sulfur
S
 Part of amino acids and proteins

 

N.P.K. = % weight of Nitrogen, % weight of Phosphorus, % weight of Potassium the three nutrients taken up in the largest quantities by plants. Example: if you have a 15-30-15 100 pound bag of fertilitizer 15 lbs are nitrogen, 30 lbs are phosphorus, and 15 lbs of potassium. The rest being filler and inert ingredients.

 

The Micronutrients called such because they are required in trace amounts

Boron B Affects reproduction
Chlorine Cl Aids in root growth
Copper Cu Used in chlorophyl, activates enzymes
Iron Fe Used in Photosynthesis
Manganese Mn Part of chlorophyll, activates enzymes
Sodium Na Used for water movement
Zinc Zn Part of enzymes, used in auxins
Molybdenum Mo Used in nitrogen fixation
Nickel Ni Liberates Nitrogen
Cobalt Co Fixates Nitrogen
Silicon Si Makes tougher cell walls: enhances heat and drought tolerance

 

Common chemicals used in mixing your own nutrient formulas.

CaNO3 Calcium Nitrate
K2SO4 Potassium Sulfate
KNO3 Potassium Nitrate
KH2PO4 Mono Potassium Phosphate
MgSO4 Magnesium Sulfate
TE Trace elements
NH4NO3 Ammonium Nitrate

 

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General Gardening
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Grow Medium FAQ
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Organic Gardening FAQ
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