Bell Ringer: Why do you think that it is important to use different types of fertilizers for different plants? What physical state are fertilizers?

Supplying Nutrients: Fertilizers Chapter 6, Textbook pages

Essential Questions: What are the nutrients needed for plant growth? What is pH and how is it modified? What are the components of a fertilizer? How are fertilizers applied to floriculture crops?

What are the nutrients needed for plant growth? Plants receive most of the nutrients that they need from the growing media. Plant nutrients can be divided into two groups : – Macronutrients – Micronutrients Plant growth can be adversely affected when nutrients are deficient in the soil

What are the nutrients needed for plant growth? Macronutrients – elements that are needed by the plant in the largest amount – Nitrogen (N): produce green leafy growth – Phosophorous (P): flower and fruit production – Potassium (K): provides disease resistance – Calcium (Ca) – Magnesium (Mg) – Sulfur (S) Primary nutrients

What are the nutrients needed for plant growth? Micronutrients – nutrients needed in smaller amounts that are still essential for growth – Boron (B) – Copper (Cu) – Chlorine (Cl) – Iron (Fe) – Manganese (Mn) – Molybdenum (Mo) – Zinc (Zn)

What are the nutrients needed for plant growth? A soil test can be performed to determine which nutrients are present or deficient (absent or lacking) – Nitrogen deficiency – leaves start to yellow(chlorosis) and eventually die – Phosphorous deficiency – purple stem or leaf

What are the nutrients needed for plant growth?

What is pH and how is it modified? Nutrient availability is influenced by the pH of the soil Soil pH measures the amount or acidity or alkalinity in the soil – It is based on the amount of hydrogen ions present in the soil

What is pH and how is it modified? Plants have specific pH ranges that are ideal for maximum plant growth – to raise the pH  add limestone – to lower the pH  add sulfur

Bell Ringer: 1.What would you add to soil to increase the pH? 2.If a plant has yellowing leaves, what is the most likely nutrient deficiency?

What are the components of a fertilizer? A fertilizer is any material that is provided to supply the nutrients needed for plant growth. A fertilizer analysis states the percentage of primary nutrients in the fertilizer What are the three primary nutrients? nitrogenphosphate potassium

What are the components of a fertilizer? Complete fertilizer – contains all three primary nutrients Incomplete fertilizer – lacks any of the three primary nutrients

How are fertilizers applied to floriculture crops? A fertilizer high in nitrogen should be used for houseplants A fertilizer high in phosphorous should be used for flowering plants

How are fertilizers applied to floriculture crops? Fertilizers can be: –A–Applied in liquid form and sprayed directly onto the foliage –S–Slow release (granular) and dissolve over a period of time to release the nutrients into the soil

Exit Slip Questions: 1.How would you describe an imcomplete fertilizer? 2.How can fertilizers be applied?