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What Makes Plants Grow?
By Landscape Connection
Were you ever, as a grade school or middle school student – asked to conduct an experiment on making things grow in school? We remember sprinkling water over mung beans resting on wet tissue paper in a petri dish, and and watching a potato, partly submerged in water, grow roots. We’ve all seen plants grow, but the actual process that plants go through in order to grow and survive is an interesting phenomenon. Plants need pretty much the same things we humans do in order to survive. Just like in humans, food, air, water, and sunlight are important. Aside from these elements, however, plants need to be able to do photosynthesis and plant respiration, which are both vital for their survival. Photosynthesis Photosynthesis is defined as the process by which plants make their food. There are several elements that plants need in order to be able to produce food for their survival. Air. Without the air, we humans won’t be able to breath and we would therefore die. Air is necessary for aerobic respiration. Air is also a basic necessity for plants. It is their source of carbon dioxide, which is an important ingredient for photosynthesis. Without carbon dioxide photosynthesis won’t proceed. The air also carries other elements such as nitrogen, which helps in the plants’ formation of enzymes, proteins, and other nutrients. Water. Water is absorbed by the plants from the ground through the roots, and is a key ingredient for plants to be able to produce glucose. Without water plants would dry up and shrivel. Watering plants helps them retain moisture in their plant cells. Some kinds of plants, like cacti and other desert plants, can go without water for long periods. Light. The light from the sun is what makes the different elements come together and synthesize into glucose. Imagine a human being who is locked in a dark room for months. At the end of that period he/she would be pale and weak. And so it is with plants as well. Light provides energy. The light requirements of plants vary per species – some plants need a full day’s supply of sun (6 to 8 hours) while others can do with about 4 hours exposure. There are also plants that require natural sunlight and others that will survive on artificial light. Nutrients. Humans take vitamins – iron, copper, manganese, zinc, potassium, etcetera – in order to ensure that there is an even balance of nutrients in our body aside from the food that we eat and the air and water that we take in. Plants likewise need these nutrients, which they get from the fertilizers that we give them. These nutrients help to make up for the nutrients that the soil lacks. Soil. The soil is where plants get their nutrients from. The soil contains minerals that aid in plant growth and development. Not all soil are fertile so plants need supplements, which come in the form of fertilizers. For plants that grow in water, the nutrients are mixed into the liquid. The soil also provides plants with an anchor on which to attach their roots. Green plants and organisms get water and minerals from the ground, energy from the sun, and carbon dioxide from the air. The chlorophyll inside the green plant absorbs the energy from the sun and uses that energy to produce glucose from water and carbon dioxide. The process occurs inside the plant – in the part called chloroplast – and the end product is glucose, which is stored in plant tissue as starch. During the process the carbon dioxide is converted into oxygen – clean air that the plants release into the atmosphere. Photosynthesis occurs during the daytime, because light is necessary for the chemical process to occur. Plant respiration Another factor that is important for plant growth is plant or cellular respiration. This is the process by which the glucose is now converted into energy for use by the plant. Inside the mitochondria, the glucose combines with oxygen to create energy (called ATP, or Adenosine Tri-Phosphate), carbon dioxide, and water. The energy created by the process is used for the energy-consuming activities of the plant cells in order to help the plant survive. Plant respiration occurs only at night. These two important processes – plus the air, sun, water, and soil, are what make plants grow. Of course, there is also the psychological aspect – TLC. Just as humans react better when they’re shown kindness, plants react the same way too. So don’t be surprised if, just like you see people talking to their pets, you’ll occasionally come across somebody talking to his plant. If that person is singing a lullaby, we’re willing to bet that the plant likes it. References
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/05/nitrogen-it-doe/
http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Makes-Plants-Grow?---How-to-Help&id=1522740
http://www.bakker.co.uk/G_494/What-makes-a-plant-grow.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/3608/plantsgrow.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-makes-plants-grow.html
http://www.blurtit.com/q877539.html
http://www.agr.state.nc.us/cyber/kidswrld/plant/nutrient.htm
http://www.paton.com.au/home-gardening/what-makes-plants-grow.shtml
http://www.yourdictionary.com/answers/what/what-makes-plants-grow.html
http://www.funadvice.com/q/what_makes_plants_grow
Landscape Connection (http://www.landscapeconnection.net) is a landscaping design and construction company located in the Denver Metro area and serves surrounding communities.
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Photosynthesis would be a lot easier for plants if the knew how to use Photoshop.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
:D Or Microsoft Paint at least ;)
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