1. Nutritional Needs of Plants
Lesson 5

2. What is “Real” Plant Food?
To be considered “food”, it must supply energy (i.e. calories)
Plants make their own food in the form of glucose
Glucose is a sugar

3. What do Plants Need to make food?
Light
Water
Air
Suitable temperature
Minerals

4. What are minerals?
Nutrients that plants need in order to grow and function properly
All organisms need minerals, including humans
What are some examples of minerals we need??

5. What are fertilizers?
A human made mixture of minerals that plants need
These minerals are absorbed from the soil, through the plant roots

6. Why do we need to add fertilizers?
Using the same soil over and over again can deplete minerals from the soil
Potted plants run out of minerals quite quickly

7. The three macronutrients
Nitrogen – helps the plant grow healthy stems and leaves
Not enough: light green leaves and thin stems
Too much: too many leaves, no flowers
Phosphorus – helps roots grow and flowering
Not enough: no growth and dark leaves that may fall off
Potassium – helps plants withstand dramatic temperature changes and protects from disease
Not enough: brown leaves that curve downward

8. 10 micronutrients Calcium Magnesium Sulfur Iron Zinc Boron Copper
Manganese
Molybdenum
Chlorine
What does the prefix “macro” mean?
What does the prefix “micro” mean?

9. Too much of a good thing?
Too much of the macronutrients can poison a plant
It is important to measure the correct amount of fertilizer with the correct amount of water

10. Nutritional Needs of Plants
What is “Real” Plant Food?
What do Plants Need to make food?
What are minerals?
What are fertilizers?
Why do we need to add fertilizers?
The three macronutrients.
10 micronutrients
Too much of a good thing?

14. Boron
Iron
Calcium
Copper
Sulfur
Zinc
Manganese