The Science of Fertilizer

With so much in our lives riding on our ability to produce plant life, it’s no wonder that much research has been done on how plants grow and exactly what they need to thrive.

All growing plants need 17 essential elements in the proper amounts to develop and grow to their full genetic potential, in other words the complete expression of the characteristics passed to them by their parents. Of these 17, there are 14 usually absorbed by the plant from the soil through the roots. The other three – carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen – come from air and water.

• Nutrient Table

Understanding the amounts of various nutrients plants need, and providing those nutrients – the right amount, in the right form, in the right place, at the right time – is the essence of crop nutrition. And, site-specific crop nutrition is key to both plant and animal agriculture, since animals are nourished and grow by eating plants. Whether one is growing a beautiful bed of flowers, a great green lawn, hay for horses or a field of wheat, plant nutrition is a foundation for successful growth.