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Have you ever given much thought to question: How do plants grow? As you're probably aware, there is more to it than just plopping a seed in the soil and adding water.
Several chemical reaction and growth factors come into play. Once you understand these growth factors, growing any plant, flower or vegetable becomes a heck of a lot easier and rewarding. Let’s begin.
When you first plant a seed in the soil, germination must first take place. Once the seed starts to emerge from it shell, that is known as germination. For germination to take place water is needed to soften the shell so the seedling can break through.
Depending on the seed planted, it may or may not need much water. For example, the Morning Glory seed has a hard-shell, which needs a good soaking.
Once the cells inside the seed begin multiplying, the plant starts it journey through life. After a few day of cell growth, the seedling breaks through its coat and stretches upward to the sky and below the earths surface.
The first leaves you see emerge from the seedling are know as cotyledons. Under close inspection you’ll see these first leaves are thicker than others that follow. As the seedling continues to grow upward, the main root (taproot), with smaller roots grow deeper into the earth.
At this stage of growth nutrients are important for healthy, rapid growth. These include, but are not limited to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These are major nutrients all plants need to grow.
NPK is a term often found on fertilizer packaging, which means nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, plants are an adaptive species, able to grow in water, soil and air.
As the plant cells multiply, the seedling continues to move in an upward and downward direction. Soon new stems and leaves appear and flowers will start to blossom. Keep in mind; maturing plants need enough nutrients for proper development of fruit and flowers.
Each plant species has its own nutritional needs. Gather this information so the correct amount of nutrients can be applied or adjusted. Continued growth and development are dependent on these elements, so you don’t want to look past them. Actually, even a mature plant, shrub or tree needs its nutritional need met.
Once a plant has reached its maturity stage, it is ready to reproduce. To reproduce, plants must have both a male and female reproductive system available. However, there are some plants know as hermaphrodites.
Essentially this means any animal or plant that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female. Tubers, corms, bulbs, suckers, runners, grafting, layering and division are other reproduction methods of plants
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Author Bio Box: Steve Habib
Steve Habib is an active gardener and researcher on the subject of growing and caring for a variety of plants. To learn more about How Do Plants Grow visit here for a Free Book.
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