Important Steps In Balancing Hydroponic Nutrients

Just like plants that are grown in soil, hydroponic plants also need roughly the same amount and types of nutrients

. The only main difference is the level of precision that gardeners can apply fertilizers. Plants that are grown in hydroponic media are relatively much easier to culture and grow because of the very minimal amount of fertilizers are wasted.

Nutrients are more efficiently absorbed by hydroponic plants because there are fewer impurities that can react to the nutrients. By comparison, soil is too complex in terms of chemical composition and structure. These factors make it difficult for plant growers to precisely balance or customize the nutrients needed by specific types of plants. Many non-essential impurities are also found in soil, which can cause nutrient imbalance.

Essential minerals

Regardless of plant species or variety, they all need three essential elements, namely, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. These elements have the chemical symbols of N, P, and K, respectively. They are commercially available either as organic or inorganic fertilizer mixtures.

Many of these commercially available products are especially formulated. Various types of plants also have varying requirements of these essential nutrients. Hence, most fertilizer packages bear three-combination numbers that are hyphenated such as 18-9-9, 10-10-10 and many other combinations. These numbers indicate the percentage of the three essential nutrients by weight. These nutrients are mixed with other substances that comprise the main bulk of the mixture matrix.

NPK roles

Nitrogen is the most important element needed by plants. It is essential in the production of amino acids, proteins and DNA. It is also important in the manufacture of chlorophyl. Plants that are deficient in nitrogen tend to have pale leaves and weak stems and roots.

Phosphorous is essential in plant growth. It is usually marketed as the bloom nutrient by the fertilizer industry because of this fact. It is the element that is part of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is responsible for the release of energy in the different metabolic processes of plants. Without sufficient phosphorous, many of the proteins, enzymes and carbohydrates will cannot be effectively assembled.

Potassium is the third most essential nutrient needed by plants because of its various complex rules in plant immunity. It plays important function in defending against pathogens such as bacteria and fungi. It also has essential role in enabling plants to survive drought and extreme cold. It has role in photosynthesis and in the process of root development.

Plant growers who use hydroponic systems must know the precise proportion of nutrients that they should apply in their plants depending on the type or species, climate conditions and other factors.

by: Johnathon F Black

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