The Key Component - Balance

I have recently found that learning how to grow plants is like learning many other things, for example; Riding a bicycle. Learning to ride a bicycle is a good example because learning how to do it requires balancing yourself upon two wheels while working against gravity. You use the controls you have, the handle-bars, the pedals, and your body to keep yourself upright. Balance is a hard concept to teach because of its nature as a skill rather than knowledge. Humans often learn quickly and automatically when presented with a stable test vehicle which is why teaching a child to ride a bike is often done using either training wheels and/or personal guidance rather than deep explanations of gravity and the controls. It may not seem that this relates at all to plants but please read on.

Learning how to balance is the key component when growing plants, and is often explained by those who can do it as "Knowing what the plant needs." The controls in the case of growing plants are each aspect of the plant's environment which you have control of. The feeling of growing plants is much like that of riding a bike. It is fun to successfully keep plants alive, and losing any of them is like having a bruise on your arm for a week.

The similarities of learning any balancing act are abundant, but what is most important are the differences. Growing plants for starters is a much slower process, requiring more than just hopping on a bike and pedaling down the street. The effect of each action takes much more time to effect the plant and it is certainly never as dramatic as seeing pavement heading rapidly toward your head. Learning how to read the effects of your actions is the first and most important process. Like riding a bike the only way to learn how to read these signals is through experience.

I have learned how to grow plants by getting on the bicycle and trying what I have learned from others. Luckily killing a plant doesn't cause me physical damage otherwise I would need another learning method, but I have found my balance by trial and error. Now with the ability to read the signals which signify my actions I can experiment with techniques and document their results over time.

Balance will remain a constant aspect of the process of growing plants and will provide improving results through time. Every environmental aspect must be balanced within possibility to provide the most efficiency. Balance cannot be taught, but must be learned and is a skill which requires sharpening, and in my opinion is the single most important aspect of growing plants.

Defining 'Plant'

Like many words in common usage that apply to biological entities or concepts, the term plant is more difficult to define than might be at first obvious. Although botanists describe a Kingdom Plantae, the boundaries defining members of Plantae are more exclusive than our common concept of a "plant". We are tempted to regard plant as meaning a multicellular, eukaryotic organism that generally does not have sensory organs or voluntary motion and has, when complete, a root, stem, and leaves. However, botanically only vascular plants have a root, stem, and leaves, and even some vascular plants, such as certain carnivorous plants and duckweed, fall afoul of that definition. But to be fair, the vascular plants are the plants we tend to encounter every day and that most people would readily regard as "plants".

A more significant point of departure between Plantae and plants occurs among the seaweeds. Technically, only a relatively minor group of seaweeds (the chlorophytes or green algae) are members of the Kingdom Plantae. The majority of seaweeds are not Plantae; but are they not plants? Certainly if we regard the green algae as plants, it is difficult to exclude the more prominent red and brown algae of our coastal waters.

Another, much broader definition for plant is that it refers to any organism that is photoautotrophic—produces its own food from raw inorganic materials and sunlight. This is not an unreasonable definition, and is one that focuses on the role plants typically play in an ecosystem. However, there are photoautotrophs among the Prokaryotes, specifically photoautotrophic bacteria and cyanophytes. The latter are sometimes called (for good reasons) blue-green algae. Then there arises the problem that many people would consider that a mushroom is a plant; a mushroom is the fruiting body of a fungus (Kingdom Fungi) and not photoautotrophic at all, but saprophytic. However, there are more than a few species of flowering plants, fungi, and bacteria that are not autotrophic, but parasitic.

We cannot hope to offer a firm answer. The list of characteristics that separate the Plantae from the other biological kingdoms provides at least a technical definition, but realize it is only a technical definition. The problem this lack of precision or agreement in the definition of "plant" presents is one of understanding statements, often encountered in Wikipedia (and other) articles, of the sort: ...xylem is one of the two transport tissues of plants. In general it cannot be assumed this means all plants, algae through flowering plants. It very probably does not include fungi or bacteria. Indeed, it is usually safest to assume the discussion is about vascular plants (essentially the ferns, conifers, flowering plants, and a few others; see discusion below on "General Terminology") unless stated differently (e.g., ...in vascular and non-vascular plants this is such and such).

From Study Guide to the Science of Botany on Wikibooks.org. This text and its source is copyright under the GNU Free Documentation License.

Nutrients

I recently wrote this version of the information I found on www.agr.state.nc.us - Plant Nutrients for a report I am writing about horticulture. I plan on updating it later with information from other resources...

All plants will require certain amounts of various nutrients during it's growth. The type and amount of the nutrients required will differ in various stages of growth, and like water too much of a good thing can hurt if not kill your plant. It's very important to note the optimum nutrient solution for your plant selection for each of it's stages of growth. This will be a long studied subject, because there are many different nutrients, many different sources of these nutrients, and like other factors each stage of growth calls for different levels of these nutrients.

Technically Oxygen (O), Carbon (C), and Hydrogen (H) are nutrients used by plants but the nutrients most important in this section are the mineral nutrients. There are 13 mineral nutrients divided into two groups; Macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are used in higher quantity than micronutrients by the plant. Within macronutrients there are also two groups; Primary and Secondary. The primary macronutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) which is where the N-P-K value comes from on fertilizer solutions. The secondary macronutrients are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S.) As you may have guessed, the secondary macronutrients are used less than the primary macronutrients. The micronutrients (also referred to as microelements, trace elements, and micronutrients) are; Boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chloride (Cl), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), and zinc (Zn.)

Primary Macronutrients

Nitrogen (N)
Nitrogen is a part of all living cells and is a necessary part of all proteins, enzymes, and metabolic processes involved in creating and transferring energy. It is a part of chlorophyll which gives plants their green color and is essential to photosynthesis. Nitrogen is used by the plant when it is growing leaves, fruit, and flowers. Over all nitrogen is the most used nutrient by plants. Nitrogen often comes from fertilizer and from the air.

Phosphorus (P)
Phosphorous is also essential to the process of photosynthesis. It is used when energy from light is converted into oils, sugars, starches, etc. Phosphorous is attributed to helping plants withstand stress and properly maturing. Phosphorus often comes from fertilizer, bone meal, and superphosphate.

Potassium (K)
Potassium helps plants build proteins during photosynthesis. It is attributed to reduction of diseases and fruit quality, and is usually the second most used nutrient by plants. Potassium is supplied to plants by minerals in soil, organic materials, and fertilizer.

Secondary Macronutrients

Calcium (Ca)
Calcium is used by plants in building cell walls and provides for normal transport and retention of other elements. It is believed that calcium can counteract the effect of alkali salts and organic acids inside a plant. Calcium often comes from dolomitic lime, gypsum, and superphosphate.

Magnesium (Mg)
Magnesium like nitrogen is a part of the chlorophyll in all green plants and is essential to the process of photosynthesis. Magnesium is often found in minerals in the soil, organic material, fertilizers, and dolomitic lime.

Sulfur (S)
Sulfur is used by the plant to produce proteins, enzymes, and vitamins. It is used in the formation of chlorophyll. Sulfur is attributed to root and seed growth, resistance to cold temperatures, and vigorous foliage growth. Sulfur is often found in rainwater, fertilizer, and gypsum.

Micronutrients

Boron (B)
Boron helps plants use and regulate other nutrients. It also aids in the production of sugar and carbohydrates. Boron is considered essential to seed and fruit growth. Boron is often found in organic material and borax.

Copper (Cu)
Copper is used by the plant for growth of its reproductive organs. It is also attributed to aiding root metabolism and utilization of proteins.

Iron (Fe)
Iron is essential for the formation of chlorophyll. Iron is often found in soil, iron sulfate, and iron chelate.

Chloride (Cl)
Chloride is attributed to aiding plant metabolism. Chloride is often found in soil.

Manganese (Mn)
Manganese functions with enzyme systems involved in breaking down carbohydrates and nitrogen. Manganese is often found in soil.

Molybdenum (Mo)
Molybdenum like manganese aids in the use of nitrogen. Molybdenum is often found in soil.

Zinc (Zn)
Zinc is essential for the transformation of carbohydrates within plants. It also regulates consumption of sugars and is part of the enzyme systems which regulate plant growth. Zinc is often found in soil, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, and zinc chelate.