SOIL NUTRIENTS

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

Nutrients reach the soil in many different ways: from decomposed animal waste and dead plants, the atmosphere, weathering of rocks, and bacteria conversions.

To complete their life cycle, plants need ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS, each in varying degrees.

• CARBON, OXYGEN and HYDROGEN are essential to plant growth and are supplied by air and water. 
• The other essential elements are referred to as mineral nutrients and enter plants almost exclusively through the roots. These nutrients are divided into two groups.

- MACRONUTRIENTS (primary/secondary nutrients) are required by plants in larger        amounts and include nitrogen, phosphorus,  potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur.

- MICRONUTRIENTS (trace elements) are tiny amounts of nutrients that include iron,       chlorine, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, and molybdenum.

• ALL MACRO/MICRO nutrients are critical to normal plant growth and development; they are simply needed in different amounts.
• IF growing conditions are good, a plant will absorb nutrients from the soil.
   
• IF a plant experiences extremes in temperature, incorrect light levels, or water- logged or compacted soil, it will have a limited ability to absorb nutrients (*plants in dormant stages absorb few nutrients).

Sources:
North Carolina State Extension. North Carolina State Extension Gardener Handbook. Soils & Plant Nutrients,
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/1-soils-and-plant-nutrients