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how plants aquire nutrients

Plants need the right combination of nutrients to grow, reproduce and thrive. The key to absorbing these nutrients:

• Soil that is rich in organic material to hold nutrients in place
• Soil that is sufficiently moist, not too wet, not too dry
• Soil PH must be within a certain range to allow for nutrient release from soil particles-not too high, not too low
• Soil temparature matters – not too hot, not too cold
• Soil structure and porosity must be optimal
• Level of essential elements must be available

The real arsenal of Democracy is a fertile soil, the fresh produce of which is the birthright of nations.
– Sir Albert Howard

essential nutrients

Plants, no matter where they grow, need seventeen essential nutrients in order to sprout, seed, grow, bud, flower, and fruit. Other non-essential trace minerals are utilized by either the plant or soil microbes that might help the plant. Proper nutrition translates to healthy plants.

liebigs law

If one nutrient doesn’t reach the minimum required by a plant it doesn’t matter the amount of the other nutrients. Plants require neccesary nutrition to build a strong immune system to defend against disease and insect infestation. With a healthy immune system, plants are able to grow and thrive.

the life under your feet

Under your feet there is a busy world of diverse organisms. From the tiniest single-celled bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and algae, to more complex nematodes, to visible insects and earthworms, this complex community of organisms provides the nutrition for trees, grass, shrubs, and agricultural crops. These busy workers accomplish wonders for the health of soil and plants.

the power of food web complexity

Complexity is the number and different kind of species in a soil system. Functional groups of organisms work to transfer energy from one group to another before it leaves the soil. The more groups you have at work the more complex and supportive the system. Without this complexity your landscape is struggling to survive in dirt and not soil. More and more water and fertilizer are needed to maintain the plant.
Good soil acts as an ecosystem to a rich diversity of organisms.

alpine custom blend contains a large diversity of microbes and nutrients for microbes, building towards a more complex soil food web.

the problem with synthetics

Fertilizers are mostly salt. These salts eventually kill soil microbes. It is the same effect as you drinking salt water. In addition, too many nutrients from synthetic fertilizers creates lazy plants. They become dependent on this easy food source and fail to make relationships with beneficial symbiotic microbes. Pesticides and herbicides often kill the good with the bad further depleting the soil.