Among the various kinds of nutrients that plants require for their growth, water-soluble nutrients form a major component. Let’s understand them deeper.
Water-soluble nutrients are nutritional components that can be dissolved in water and leached out of the soil easily. With water-soluble nutrients, it is easy to control the exact amount of nutrients that plants intake.
Out of the 16 known elements needed for plant life, N-P-K are the three most important ones. Water-soluble nutrients usually have N-P-K numbers listed on the label, where N stands for nitrogen, P for phosphorus and K for potassium. It is an indication of the percentage of these elements contained in the fertilizer.
Let us now see how N-P-K matter the most to the plants:
Nitrogen (N) is the most vital nutrient amongst the three. It is responsible for proper leaf growth and the production of chlorophyll. Nitrogen controls the production of proteins which is essential to the new protoplasm in leaf cells.
Phosphorus (P) aids photosynthesis and paves way for the transfer of energy within the plant. It is associated with overall strength and is useful during germination, seedling, flowering and fruiting stages of plant growth.
Potassium (K) helps the processing and movement of sugars and starches, contributing to the growth of the plant by cell division. It also increases the chlorophyll level in leaves and helps regulate the stomatal openings in leaves to help plants make better use of air and light and plays an indispensable part of plant life.
Potassium (K) helps the processing and movement of sugars and starches, contributing to the growth of the plant by cell division. It also increases the chlorophyll level in leaves and helps regulate the stomatal openings in leaves to help plants make better use of air and light and plays an indispensable part of plant life.
Aside from N-P-K, there are other water-soluble nutrients that contribute to the plant’s growth, they are:
Calcium (Ca) helps in the manufacturing of cells and the overall growth of the plant.
Magnesium (Mg) is the main component in every chlorophyll molecule and is needed for the absorption of light. It helps in the absorption of nutrients and also neutralizes soil acidity and toxic compounds manufactured by the plant.
The main goal of fertilizing is to give your plant the right amount of nutrients. The soil is new, the plant will have enough nutrients to last a month and then need to be supplied nutrition for continued growth.
With a regular fertilization system your plants can produce amazing results and, in some cases, can almost double the growth of a sickly, slow growing plant. Using water-soluble nutrients is the easiest way to keep your plants constantly receiving the most nutrients that they are able to absorb, which accelerates the growth. It is also the easiest to apply for a beginner or seasoned gardener and therefore most widely used. Try it with your plants and see the amazing results you can yield with proper usage of water-soluble nutrients!