Nitrogen

The primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (potash); otherwise known as NPK. These three nutrients can drastically shift processes within the plant affecting both health and yield very quickly. Nitrogen and Phosphorus in particular can swiftly affect things. Lack of either Nitrogen or Phosphorus can cause severe discoloration and malformation in plants. Increasing levels of these nutrients also drastically affect yields as well as the varying levels of chemical components within plants. This week we’ll take a closer look at Nitrogen (N).

Nitrogen is an extremely important nutrient in plant physiology and health. It is a major component in chlorophyll (the molecule responsible for the green color you see in most plants) as well as the primary component in plant and animal proteins, meaning it is responsible for the proper creation of DNA and RNA. It is also a component in essential amino acids as well as the process of photosynthesis. Plant-based forms of nitrogen are environmentally safe and are usually derived from legumes or leafy greens that produce/fix nitrogen as they grow. The form of nitrogen also affects how bioavailable the nitrogen is for the plants that you are trying to produce.

Check back next week for a discussion on the P in NPK...Phosphorus.