jesters missus
Well-Known Member
Nutrition
The methods and processes carried out by a plant/animal to gather and utilize food for growth, development and tissue replacement is referred to as nutrition.
In plant nutrition there are many interrelationships between ALL the elements in your medium and fertilizer that creates an intricate balance that is “essential” to attain optimum growth.
In 1939 Arnon and Stout devised and proposed a set of three criteria to decide whether or not an element is considered “essential” to a plant.
The methods and processes carried out by a plant/animal to gather and utilize food for growth, development and tissue replacement is referred to as nutrition.
In plant nutrition there are many interrelationships between ALL the elements in your medium and fertilizer that creates an intricate balance that is “essential” to attain optimum growth.
In 1939 Arnon and Stout devised and proposed a set of three criteria to decide whether or not an element is considered “essential” to a plant.
1.A plant must be unable to complete its lifecycle in the absence of the mineral element.
2.The function of the element must not be replaceable by another element.
3.The element must be directly involved in plant metabolism.
2.The function of the element must not be replaceable by another element.
3.The element must be directly involved in plant metabolism.
If an element can replace or compensate for the negative effect and consequences of other elements then it is considered to be “beneficial”.
Let’s take a look at the “essential” elements.
The first three “essential” elements are quite obviously carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which are readily available in our air and the water you apply to your plants.
Nitrogen (N) – Plays the biggest role in vegetative growth in all plants, as we all know, and is also a major component in proteins, hormones, chlorophyll, vitamins and nucleic acid.
Phosphorus (P) – Is a component of the genetic makeup of life, RNA and DNA and is it is therefore essential for bud formation, along with many other things like metabolism, growth, germination, rooting, photosynthesis and protein synthesis.
Potassium (K) – Is the activator of many photosynthesis and respiratory enzymes and is a vital component in several of a plant’s processes like cell division and phloem transport. It is also required for sugars and carbohydrates (more sugars=more energy=optimum growth). Potassium improves cold hardiness, stem rigidity, water balance and bud flavour.
Calcium (Ca) – Is also an enzyme activator and a component of plant processes. It is a structural component of cell walls, it helps to regulate the movement of water in and out of cells and also plays a part in cell division.
Magnesium (Mg) –Is essential to plants in so many ways. From germination to budding, to the functions and activations of many enzymes to produce sugars, carbs, fats and proteins all rely on magnesium.
Sulfur (S) – Yet another major structural component of many vitamins, amino acids, enzymes and proteins. It is also necessary for respiratory functions and lipid metabolism.
Boron (B) – Affects at least 16 functions of a plant, including pollen germination, calcium uptake, budding, movement of hormones and root growth.
Chlorine (Cl) – Essential to the movement of water and its solutes in and out of cells, cell division and stomata activity.
Copper (Cu) – A component to many enzymes and biological proteins and is required for processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and several metabolisms.
Iron (Fe) – Structural and enzymatic protein component that is essential for major processes in a plant like photosynthesis, respiration, biosynthesis, electron transport and metabolism.
Manganese (Mn) – Is required for photosynthetic evolution of oxygen, and metabolism.
Zinc (Zn) – Structural component and cofactor in enzymes and is needed for metabolism, DNA replication, protein synthesis and gene expression, along with others.
Nickel (Ni) – Vital to the break down of urea into useable forms of nitrogen, germination and the functions of some enzymes.
Molybdenum (Mo) – Structural component of biologically important enzymes.
Sodium (Na) – Needed for water movement and ionic balance.
Silicon (Si) – Component of cell walls, increases weather tolerance and stimulates a natural defense process.
Cobalt (Co) – Essential for nitrogen fixation.
Sugary Supplements.
There is a lot on controversy on adding sugary supplements like molasses to your plant like that “it’s a cheap-skate’s way of making the buds weigh more at harvest”.. This is true, however, not for the reason the many people are misconceded with.
Plants need sugars to live; sugar=energy.
They produce their own sugars all the time to use as energy for growth and all the various functions that a plants needs to carry out in order to survive.
They do this by using inorganic compounds and light: Photosynthesis. The products of photosynthesis are glucose, a simple sugar and oxygen. Another way that a plant creates its own sugars is by way of carbon fixation.
A plant then uses these sugars as energy (or food) to carry out the functions and processes that it needs to.
This is all very energy consuming, therefore a plant’s energy for growth and development is decreased because it’s being used to make those sugars.
This is why adding a sugar supplement to you plant will make your harvest weight more: because your plant has received sufficient sugars to use as energy to carry out all functions in order to achieve optimum growth.
There is a lot on controversy on adding sugary supplements like molasses to your plant like that “it’s a cheap-skate’s way of making the buds weigh more at harvest”.. This is true, however, not for the reason the many people are misconceded with.
Plants need sugars to live; sugar=energy.
They produce their own sugars all the time to use as energy for growth and all the various functions that a plants needs to carry out in order to survive.
They do this by using inorganic compounds and light: Photosynthesis. The products of photosynthesis are glucose, a simple sugar and oxygen. Another way that a plant creates its own sugars is by way of carbon fixation.
A plant then uses these sugars as energy (or food) to carry out the functions and processes that it needs to.
This is all very energy consuming, therefore a plant’s energy for growth and development is decreased because it’s being used to make those sugars.
This is why adding a sugar supplement to you plant will make your harvest weight more: because your plant has received sufficient sugars to use as energy to carry out all functions in order to achieve optimum growth.
All my own words. Info gathered from MY Magazine 
-Peace
Hope this helps some newbs and refreshes some old timers!
-Peace
Hope this helps some newbs and refreshes some old timers!
. 
Appreciate the share.
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