Macronutrients and Micronutrients

Much like humans, Plants need a varied and well balanced diet to grow efficiently. Plants absorb nutrients from soil, as well as from the water that’s in the soil. The primary nutrients they need to make food for energy are Carbon (C), Hydrogen(H), and Oxygen(O). Plants absorb nutrients from the soil through their roots, then move them up through stems in sap. SAP Analysis can be used to see what nutrients your plant has/needs.

The essential macronutrients needed by plants from the soil are: Nitrogen(N), Phosphorus(P), Potassium(K), Calcium(Ca), Magnesium(Mg), and Sulphur(S). These nutrients are essential for plant growth, development, and metabolism.

Micronutrients in soil, such as Iron(Fe), Manganese(Mn), Zinc(Zn), Copper(Cu), Boron(B), Molybdenum(Mo), Nickel (Ni) and Chlorine(Cl), are essential for plant growth. They are needed in small amounts and play a crucial role in various biochemical processes, from enzyme function to hormone regulation

Soil Types

The nutrients that plants need can all be found in the soil, depending on the type of soil, some can have more nutrients than others. These can include:

• Sandy Soils – Have high proportion of sand and little clay. Also known as light soils, these soils drain quickly after rain or watering, which means they dry out quickly and contain very little plant nutrients.
• Clay soils – Have over 25 percent clay, also known as heavy soils, these soils contain nutrients that are bound to the clay minerals in the soil which makes this soil quite fertile.
• Silt soils – is a type of soil that contains a high proportion of silt-sized particles, which are larger than clay but smaller than sand. Silt soil is known for its ability to retain moisture and nutrients, making it ideal for growing crops that require consistent moisture levels.
• Loams – are made up of a mixture of clay, sand and silt that avoid the extremes of clay or sandy soils and are fertile, well-drained and easily worked.
• Peat soils – are mainly organic matter and are usually very fertile and hold much moisture.
• Chalky or lime-rich soils – Can be light or heavy but are mostly made up of calcium carbonate and are very alkaline.

Soil Sampling and Analysis can earn money by indicating the correct fertiliser analyses required for crops and identifying yield-limiting deficiencies.

Fertile, well maintained soils are more productive than those with marginal soil indices and the crops grown use nitrogen efficiently, reducing the risk of environmental pollution. Soil sampling saves money by indicating where nutrients are not required, particularly phosphate, potash and sodium.