DIY Organic Potting Mix's for Grass - Ace Spicoli

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How do plant roots find the quickest way down? - Cornell Video

Most plants grow towards the light, but roots have to grow down into the soil to find water and nutrients. How do they do this? And what happens to a growing root when it encounters a rock? In this video a group of investigators from the Physics Department and from the Boyce Thompson Institute...

www.cornell.edu

 

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The patterns of randomness in fractals may be seen everywhere, from seashells to spiral galaxies to the structure of human lungs. Branching fractals include trees, ferns, the neurons in our brains, the blood veins in our lungs, lightning bolts, rivers branching, as well as the shoreline and rock formations

Etymology and pronunciation[edit]​

The word hygroscopy (/haɪˈɡrɒskəpi/) uses combining forms of hygro- and -scopy. Unlike any other -scopy word, it no longer refers to a viewing or imaging mode. It did begin that way, with the word hygroscope referring in the 1790s to measuring devices for humidity level. These hygroscopes used materials, such as certain animal hairs, that appreciably changed shape and size when they became damp. Such materials were then said to be hygroscopic because they were suitable for making a hygroscope. Eventually, the word hygroscope ceased to be used for any such instrument in modern usage, but the word hygroscopic (tending to retain moisture) lived on, and thus also hygroscopy (the ability to do so). Nowadays an instrument for measuring humidity is called a hygrometer (hygro- + -meter).

Keratin​

Not to be confused with Carotene or Creatine.

Microscopy of keratin filaments inside cells
Keratin (/ˈkɛrətɪn/[1][2]) is one of a family of structural fibrous proteins also known as scleroproteins. Alpha-keratin (α-keratin) is a type of keratin found in vertebrates. It is the key structural material making up scales, hair, nails, feathers, horns, claws, hooves, and the outer layer of skin among vertebrates. Keratin also protects epithelial cells from damage or stress. Keratin is extremely insoluble in water and organic solvents. Keratin monomers assemble into bundles to form intermediate filaments, which are tough and form strong unmineralized epidermal appendages found in reptiles, birds, amphibians, and mammals.[3][4] Excessive keratinization participate in fortification of certain tissues such as in horns of cattle and rhinos, and armadillos' osteoderm.[5] The only other biological matter known to approximate the toughness of keratinized tissue is chitin.[6][7][8]

 

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The only other biological matter known to approximate the toughness of keratinized tissue is chitin.[6][7][8]

Protein structure - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

groups on cellulose, for instance, high swelling properties in aqueous media can be introduced.[41] Another example are thiolated polysaccharides ( see thiomers).[42] Thiol groups are covalently attached to polysaccharides such as hyaluronic acid or chitosan.[43][44] As thiolated polysaccharides can crosslink via disulfide bond formation, they form stable three-dimensional networks. Furthermore, they can bind to cysteine subunits of proteins via disulfide bonds. Because of these bonds polysaccharides can be covalently attached to endogenous proteins such as mucins or keratins.[42]

Polysaccharide - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Polysaccharides containing sulfate groups can be isolated from algae[34]

Sulfated polysaccharides are of the most common in the cell walls of seaweeds. The number and chemical structure of these polymers vary according to the specific algal species [1]. Marine algae can be classified into three main groups based on the exhibited photosynthetic pigments: red, brown and green.

Most species of seaweeds have soft tissues but some are, to a greater or lesser degree, calcified, an example being calcareous red algae. The growth of the calcium layer is precisely controlled by the polysaccharides that are present on their cell walls.

 

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Scoria - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

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Many soils lack the secondary and trace minerals that plants and trees need for healthy growth, fruit and crop production. Trace elements or micro-nutreints are just as vital to the plants as macro-nutrients. A deficiency of trace minerals can cripple plant growth, lessen nutritional value and potentially limit a soil's productive capacity.

Planters II Trace Mineral is a nutrient dense trace mineral that supports the growth of healthy plants and trees. It is a complex of naturally occurring minerals and contains essential elements needed for plant growth.

Calcium: promotes early root formation and influences the intake of other nutrients; aids genetic stability and improves disease resistance

Magnesium: essential for the formation of chlorophyll; activates enzymes, increases oil production in certain crops

Sulfur: utilized in the devlopment of proteins and vitamins; aids in lowering the pH of some alkaline soils

Boron: enables plants to absorb and use calcium, essential in N fixation by legumes; helps in flower formation, pollination and nutrient movement within the cell

Cobalt: activates enzymes necessary for N fixing bacteria; helps form Vitamin B12, improves growth, watr movement and photosynthesis

Iron: acts as a catalyst in the production of chorophyll, necessary for N fixation by legumes

Molybdenum: needed for nitrogen fixation and nitrogen use within the plant; necessary for amini acid formation; enhances plant vigor

This product is an essential component for good soil preparation and helps feed the beneficial microbes that break down organic matter into humus. Use it on all types of ornamental and edible plants. Xeric plants such as cacti, succulents, native shrubs, Penstemon and other wildflowers are particularly responsive when fertilized with Planters II.

This product is naturally mined near Salida, Colorado and is OMRI Listed.

Application rates:

• 1 level handful per perennial plant
• 1/2 cup per 1 to 5 gal sized shrub or rose
• 6 heaping cups (5 lbs.) per 100 sq ft of bed area
• 150-200 pounds per acre unless otherwise specificed from soil test report

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nation... leads in the production,, and Grade-A helium.

Evidence of dark oxygen production at the abyssal seafloor - Nature Geoscience

Oxygen is generated abiotically at the abyssal seafloor in the presence of polymetallic nodules, potentially by seawater electrolysis, according to in situ chamber and ex situ incubation experiments.

www.nature.com

 

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calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or silica (SiO2)

​

Diatoms​

The unique feature of diatoms is that they are surrounded by a cell wall made of silica (hydrated silicon dioxide), called a frustule.[18] These frustules produce structural coloration, prompting them to be described as "jewels of the sea" and "living opals".

​

Coccolithophores​

Coccolithophores are the most productive calcifying organisms on the planet,
covering themselves with a calcium carbonate shell called a coccosphere.

Assignment to the elements in Kepler's Harmonices Mundi

Types of biogenous sediments​

The two primary types of ooze are siliceous, which is composed primarily of silica (SiO2), and calcareous or carbonate, which is mostly calcium carbonate (CaCO3).[1] In an area in which biogenous is the dominant sediment type, the composition of microorganisms in that location determines to which category it is classified. The primary types of microorganisms used to classify ooze are radiolarians and diatoms (siliceous), and coccolithophores and foraminifera (calcareous). The presence of these organisms can lead to sub-classifications based upon their dominance.[1]

Siliceous​

Along some areas of terrigenous sediment are siliceous ooze. This is due to siliceous ooze being more abundant in areas of cooler, more nutrient rich water. The nutrients allow for the abundant growth of microorganisms, and silica dissolves slower in cooler water, allowing adequate time for deposition.[2]

Radiolarians and diatoms are the primary plankton used to classify siliceous ooze. Radiolaria is a part of a diverse group of plankton with transparent skeletons and come in a variety of shapes. They range in size from 20–400 μm (0.020–0.400 mm). They are most abundant in regions near the equator as well as subpolar regions. Diatoms are single-celled siliceous algae that are a major part of phytoplankton. They come in pinnate and centric shapes and range in size from 10–100 μm (0.010–0.100 mm).[1]

Siliceous oozes lean towards dissolution in warmer waters with lower pressures, meaning they are best preserved in deep ocean.[3]

Calcareous​

Calcareous sediment in the ocean
Calcareous sediments are more common in the deep ocean, comprising about half of its surface area.[4] However, the deepest parts of the ocean are dominated by abyssal clay instead.

Calcareous debris are mostly composed of forminiferal ooze and make about almost 50% of sediments on the seafloor. Calcareous oozes also have a terrigenous fraction made up of quartz and clay minerals.[1]

This is because calcareous ooze is limited by the calcite compensation depth (CCD). The CCD refers to the depth at which the rate of supply of calcareous deposits equal the rate of dissolution and varies around the world and is based upon temperature.[1] The CCD occurs at approximately 4000-5000 meters deep[4] because calcium carbonate dissolves faster in cooler water, so as water temperature decreases with depth, its deposition rate also decreases. The temperature dependence also means that calcareous ooze is more likely to be present in warmer waters, which also leads to its dominance in shallow areas surrounding tropical and subtropical islands that do not have much terrigenous sediment runoff.

Another important depth is the lysocline, also known as the depth where well preserved calcareous grain are separated from poorly preserved ones. The lysocline occurs at approximately 3,000–5,000 metres (1.9–3.1 mi) deep. Calcareous grains above the lysocline are able to accumulate without threat of dissolution.

 

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Enhancing Soil Health and Plant Growth through Microbial Fertilizers:​

Mechanisms, Benefits, and Sustainable Agricultural Practices​

Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030609

 

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AI Overview
Learn more…Opens in new tab

Some microorganisms, called beneficial microbes, can help plants by improving mineral nutrition and soil health:

• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
  Such as Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium, these microbes can reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizers.
• Mycorrhizal fungi
  These microbes form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, extending their reach to help them get more nutrients and water.
• Phosphate solubilizers
  Such as Burkholderia and Pseudomonas, these microbes can help solubilize phosphate.
• Decomposers
  Such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Azotobacter, these microbes can improve soil fertility by decomposing plant residues and increasing organic matter content.

 

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Potting Mix & Soil / Pro Mix BX Bale, Potting & Seeding Mix, 3.8-Cu. Ft.

PRO-MIX​

Pro Mix BX Bale, Potting & Seeding Mix, 3.8-Cu. Ft.​

Description​

Pro-Mix BX 3.8 cu. ft. Compressed Bale. It is a general purpose medium which creates a well balanced growing environment for annuals, perennials, foliage plants, potted flowering plants, vegetable transplants, greenhouse vegetables & indoor gardening. lightweight, low bulk density, and high water holding capacity. Vermiculite improves nutrient retention. Active ingredient Mycorrhizae improves fertilizer uptake, reduces fertilizer costs, increases plant's resistance to stresses, reduces maintenance costs & optimizes results without changing growing practices. Biofungicide suppressed insects and improves plant protection from disease.

• 3.8 cu. ft.
• Compressed Bale.
• General purpose medium.
• Creates a well balanced growing environment for annuals, perennials, foliage plants, potted flowering plants, vegetable transplants, greenhouse vegetables & indoor gardening.
• Light weight.
• Low bulk density.
• High water holding capacity.
• Vermiculite improves nutrient retention.
• Active ingredient Mycorrhizae improves fertilizer uptake, reduces fertilizer costs, increases plant's resistance to stresses, reduces maintenance costs & optimizes results without changing growing practices.
• Biofungicide suppressed insects and improves plant protection from disease.

Specifications​

SKU:	252700
Weight:	70.0
Country of Origin:	CA
Package Width:	14.8
Package Length:	16.6
Package Height:	25.5
Model Number:	1038500RG
Brand:	Pro-Mix
Manufacturer Name:	PREMIER HORTICULTURE INC

 

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Leca is an acronym and it stands for: Lightweight expanded clay aggregate. It sounds very complicated, but it's quite easy to explain. Essentially, Leca is a growing medium, like soil, in which you can grow your plants. Leca is a collection of baked clay balls that expand when you soak them in water.


LECA SIP

Montmorillonite - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It is also used as a soil additive to hold soil water in drought-prone soils,

Montmorillonite has a high cation exchange capacity (CEC), which is a measure of the number of cations that can be exchanged by soil absorption. CEC is measured in milliequivalents (meq) per 100 grams or moles of electric charge per kilogram (cmolc/kg). Montmorillonite's CEC can range from 60–150 meq/100 g or 60–100 cmolc/kg, making it the clay mineral with the highest CEC.

CEC affects many aspects of soil chemistry, and is used as a measure of soil fertility, as it indicates the capacity of the soil to retain several nutrients (e.g. K+, NH4+, Ca2+) in plant-available form. It also indicates the capacity to retain pollutant cations (e.g. Pb2+).

Montmorillonite is a subclass of smectite, a 2:1 phyllosilicate mineral characterized as having greater than 50% octahedral charge; its cation exchange capacity is due to isomorphous substitution of Mg for Al in the central alumina plane. The substitution of lower valence cations in such instances leaves the nearby oxygen atoms with a net negative charge that can attract cations. In contrast, beidellite is smectite with greater than 50% tetrahedral charge originating from isomorphous substitution of Al for Si in the silica sheet.

The individual crystals of montmorillonite clay are not tightly bound hence water can intervene, causing the clay to swell, hence montmorillonite is a characteristic component of swelling soil. The water content of montmorillonite is variable and it increases greatly in volume when it absorbs water. Chemically, it is hydrated sodium calcium aluminium magnesium silicate hydroxide (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2·nH2O. Potassium, iron, and other cations are common substitutes, and the exact ratio of cations varies with source. It often occurs intermixed with chlorite, muscovite, illite, cookeite, and kaolinite.

 

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Common ions​

Common cations[19] Common name Formula Historic name Monatomic cations Polyatomic cations Aluminium Al3+ Barium Ba2+ Beryllium Be2+ Calcium Ca2+ Chromium(III) Cr3+ Copper(I) Cu+ cuprous Copper(II) Cu2+ cupric Gold(I) Au+ aurous Gold(III) Au3+ auric Hydron H+ Iron(II) Fe2+ ferrous Iron(III) Fe3+ ferric Lead(II) Pb2+ plumbous Lead(IV) Pb4+ plumbic Lithium Li+ Magnesium Mg2+ Manganese(II) Mn2+ manganous Manganese(III) Mn3+ manganic Manganese(IV) Mn4+ Mercury(II) Hg2+ mercuric Potassium K+ kalic Silver Ag+ argentous Sodium Na+ natric Strontium Sr2+ Tin(II) Sn2+ stannous Tin(IV) Sn4+ stannic Zinc Zn2+ Ammonium NH+4 Hydronium H3O+ Mercury(I) Hg2+2 mercurous

Common anions[19] Formal name Formula Alt. name Monatomic anions Polyatomic anions Oxoanions (Polyatomic ions)[19] Anions from organic acids Bromide Br− Carbide C− Chloride Cl− Fluoride F− Hydride H− Iodide I− Nitride N3− Phosphide P3− Oxide O2− Sulfide S2− Selenide Se2− Azide N−3 Peroxide O2−2 Triodide I−3 Carbonate CO2−3 Chlorate ClO−3 Chromate CrO2−4 Dichromate Cr2O2−7 Dihydrogen phosphate H2PO−4 Hydrogen carbonate HCO−3 bicarbonate Hydrogen sulfate HSO−4 bisulfate Hydrogen sulfite HSO−3 bisulfite Hydroxide OH− Hypochlorite ClO− Monohydrogen phosphate HPO2−4 Nitrate NO−3 Nitrite NO−2 Perchlorate ClO−4 Permanganate MnO−4 Peroxide O2−2 Phosphate PO3−4 Sulfate SO2−4 Sulfite SO2−3 Superoxide O−2 Thiosulfate S2O2−3 Silicate SiO4−4 Metasilicate SiO2−3 Aluminium silicate AlSiO−4 Acetate CH3COO− ethanoate Formate HCOO− methanoate Oxalate C2O2−4 ethanedioate Cyanide CN−

Cation-exchange capacity - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Cation-exchange capacity (CEC) is a measure of how many cations can be retained on soil particle surfaces.[1] Negative charges on the surfaces of soil particles bind positively-charged atoms or molecules (cations), but allow these to exchange with other positively charged particles in the surrounding soil water.[2] This is one of the ways that solid materials in soil alter the chemistry of the soil. CEC affects many aspects of soil chemistry, and is used as a measure of soil fertility, as it indicates the capacity of the soil to retain several nutrients (e.g. K+, NH4+, Ca2+) in plant-available form. It also indicates the capacity to retain pollutant cations (e.g. Pb2+).

Anion-exchange capacity​

Positive charges of soil minerals can retain anions by the same principle as cation exchange. The surfaces of kaolinite, allophane and iron and aluminium oxides often carry positive charges.[1] In most soils the cation-exchange capacity is much greater than the anion-exchange capacity, but the opposite can occur in highly weathered soils,[1] such as ferralsols (oxisols).



Plants absorb different amounts of cations and anions, which are positively and negatively charged nutrients, respectively:

• Cations
  These include ammonium (NH4++), calcium (Ca2++), magnesium (Mg2++), potassium (K++), and sodium (Na+).
• Anions
  These include bicarbonate (HCO3), chloride (Cl), nitrate (NO3 −), sulfate (SO4 2−), and hydrogen phosphate (H2PO4 −).
  
  The composition of sand varies, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal settings is silica (silicon dioxide, or SiO2), usually in the form of quartz.
  
  
  

PPT - Chapter 27 The Phyllosilicates PowerPoint Presentation, free download - ID:2373308

Chapter 27 The Phyllosilicates. N. MacDonald. Outline. Introduction Phyllosilicates Basic structural units Structure and chemistry of: Micas Chlorites Clay minerals Other sheet silicates. Introduction Phyllosilicates (Sheet silicates).

www.slideserve.com

 

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Cation and anion exchange​

Further information: Cation-exchange capacity
The cation exchange, that takes place between colloids and soil water, buffers (moderates) soil pH, alters soil structure, and purifies percolating water by adsorbing cations of all types, both useful and harmful.

The negative or positive charges on colloid particles make them able to hold cations or anions, respectively, to their surfaces. The charges result from four sources.[90]

1. Isomorphous substitution occurs in clay during its formation, when lower-valence cations substitute for higher-valence cations in the crystal structure.[91] Substitutions in the outermost layers are more effective than for the innermost layers, as the electric charge strength drops off as the square of the distance. The net result is oxygen atoms with net negative charge and the ability to attract cations.
2. Edge-of-clay oxygen atoms are not in balance ionically as the tetrahedral and octahedral structures are incomplete.[92]
3. Hydroxyls may substitute for oxygens of the silica layers, a process called hydroxylation. When the hydrogens of the clay hydroxyls are ionised into solution, they leave the oxygen with a negative charge (anionic clays).[93]
4. Hydrogens of humus hydroxyl groups may also be ionised into solution, leaving, similarly to clay, an oxygen with a negative charge.[94]

Cations held to the negatively charged colloids resist being washed downward by water and are out of reach of plant roots, thereby preserving the soil fertility in areas of moderate rainfall and low temperatures.[95][96]

There is a hierarchy in the process of cation exchange on colloids, as cations differ in the strength of adsorption by the colloid and hence their ability to replace one another (ion exchange). If present in equal amounts in the soil water solution:

Al3+ replaces H+ replaces Ca2+ replaces Mg2+ replaces K+ same as NH+
4 replaces Na+[97]

If one cation is added in large amounts, it may replace the others by the sheer force of its numbers. This is called law of mass action. This is largely what occurs with the addition of cationic fertilisers (potash, lime).[98]

As the soil solution becomes more acidic (low pH, meaning an abundance of H+), the other cations more weakly bound to colloids are pushed into solution as hydrogen ions occupy exchange sites (protonation). A low pH may cause the hydrogen of hydroxyl groups to be pulled into solution, leaving charged sites on the colloid available to be occupied by other cations. This ionisation of hydroxy groups on the surface of soil colloids creates what is described as pH-dependent surface charges.[99] Unlike permanent charges developed by isomorphous substitution, pH-dependent charges are variable and increase with increasing pH.[100] Freed cations can be made available to plants but are also prone to be leached from the soil, possibly making the soil less fertile.[101] Plants are able to excrete H+ into the soil through the synthesis of organic acids and by that means, change the pH of the soil near the root and push cations off the colloids, thus making those available to the plant.[102]

Cation exchange capacity for soils; soil textures; soil colloids[107]

Soil	State	CEC meq/100 g
Charlotte fine sand	Florida	1.0
Ruston fine sandy loam	Texas	1.9
Glouchester loam	New Jersey	11.9
Grundy silt loam	Illinois	26.3
Gleason clay loam	California	31.6
Susquehanna clay loam	Alabama	34.3
Davie mucky fine sand	Florida	100.8
Sands	—	1–5
Fine sandy loams	—	5–10
Loams and silt loams	—	5–15
Clay loams	—	15–30
Clays	—	over 30
Sesquioxides	—	0–3
Kaolinite	—	3–15
Illite	—	25–40
Montmorillonite	—	60–100
Vermiculite (similar to illite)	—	80–150
Humus	—	100–300

Soil - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

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List of Iron-containing Commercial Fertilizers: Source Formula Water Solubility %Fe Ferrous ammonium phosphate Fe(NH4)PO4 . H2O Soluble 29 Ferrous ammonium sulfate NH4SO4.FeSO4 . 6H2O 14 Iron chelates NaFeEDTA NaFeHPDTA NaFeEDDHA NaFeDTPA FeHEDTA FeEDDHA Soluble Soluble Soluble Soluble Soluble Soluble 5 – 11 5 – 9 6 10 5 – 9 6 Iron polyflavonoids Organically Bound Fe 9 – 10 Ferrous sulfate FeSO4 . 7H2O Soluble 20 Ferric sulfate Fe(SO4) 3 . 4H2O Soluble 23

 

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Exchangeable cations and anions
Most secondary clay minerals contain a net charge associated with isomorphic substitution within the mineral or pH dependent charge occurring on hydroxylated surfaces. Organic matter contains pH dependent negative charge associated with dissociation of carboxylic functional groups and phenol groups at high pH (pH > 8). The amount of cation or anion exchange capacity is dependent primarily on the clay mineral type and concentration, organic matter amount and degree of decomposition, and the soil pH. Cation exchange capacity and anion exchange capacity show the following distribution as a function of secondary mineral composition:

CEC: 2:1 > 1:1 > oxides/hydroxides

AEC: oxides/hydroxides > 1:1 > 2:1

Cation exchange capacities for various secondary clay minerals and soil organic matter are shown in this table. On a weight basis, soil organic matter has the greatest cation exchange capacity. For variable charge surfaces, the amount of negative charge increases and the amount of positive charge decreases as soil pH is increased.

The negative and positive charge associated with clay minerals and organic matter are balanced by electrostatic attraction of cations and anions, respectively. The balancing ions are termed exchangeable cations or anions. Exchangeable cations and anions form outer-sphere complexes with the charged surfaces in which waters of hydration exist between the charged ion and the oppositely charged mineral surface. These bonds are relatively weak resulting in rapid replacement of one ion with that of another. The composition of the exchangeable ions is a function of their concentration in the soil solution and the affinity of an ion for the exchange site. The ion affinity is a function of the charge and hydrated size of the ion with small, highly charged ions being preferred over large, low charged ions.

Affinity series:

Cations: Al3+ > H+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+= NH4+ > Na+

Anions: PO43- > SO42- > Cl- > NO3-

Exchangeable ions are easily displaced into the soil solution making these ions readily available for plant and microorganism utilization. The exchangeable ion pool is the dominant storage pool for Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+. Ammonium is generally converted rapidly to NO3- leading to low concentrations of NH4+ in solution and thus on the exchange capacity. Phosphate, and to a lesser degree sulphate, is generally retained by stronger sorption reactions (inter-sphere complexes) and as such are not truly exchangeable anions. The low amount of anion exchange capacity in soils of the temperate region coupled with the very weak affinity of chloride and nitrate for exchange sites leads to very small quantities of exchangeable chloride or nitrate.

 

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Frontiers | Cannabis Hunger Games: nutrient stress induction in flowering stage – impact of organic and mineral fertilizer levels on biomass, cannabidiol (CBD) yield and nutrient use efficiency

Indoor medicinal cannabis cultivation systems enable year-round cultivation and better control of growing factors, however, such systems are energy and resou...

www.frontiersin.org

THIS IS AN INTERESTING PAPER
I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING FROM STARVE TO BURN POOR PLANTS
FEEL LATELY LIKE THE RECIPE IS JUST RIGHT WITH OUTSTANDING RESULTS

 

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The following tables list element nutrients essential to plants. Uses within plants are generalized.

Macronutrients – necessary in large quantities

Element	Form of uptake	Notes
Nitrogen	NO3−, NH4+	Nucleic acids, proteins, hormones, etc.
Oxygen	O2, H2O	Cellulose, starch, other organic compounds
Carbon	CO2	Cellulose, starch, other organic compounds
Hydrogen	H2O	Cellulose, starch, other organic compounds
Potassium	K+	Cofactor in protein synthesis, water balance, etc.
Calcium	Ca2+	Membrane synthesis and stabilization
Magnesium	Mg2+	Element essential for chlorophyll
Phosphorus	H2PO4−	Nucleic acids, phospholipids, ATP
Sulphur	SO42−	Constituent of proteins

Micronutrients – necessary in small quantities

Element	Form of uptake	Notes
Chlorine	Cl−	Photosystem II and stomata function
Iron	Fe2+, Fe3+	Chlorophyll formation and nitrogen fixation
Boron	HBO3	Crosslinking pectin
Manganese	Mn2+	Activity of some enzymes and photosystem II
Zinc	Zn2+	Involved in the synthesis of enzymes and chlorophyll
Copper	Cu+	Enzymes for lignin synthesis
Molybdenum	MoO42−	Nitrogen fixation, reduction of nitrates
Nickel	Ni2+	Enzymatic cofactor in the metabolism of nitrogen compounds

Epsom salt
If you're adding Epsom salt to the soil, mix one teaspoon in 3.7 liters (1 gallon) of soil.

Ironite
1/4 cup into the soil at the bottom of the planting hole
- Cover with 1 inch of soil and mix another 1/4 cup into the soil used to fill in around the roots