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Firm Roots: 4 Easy Ways to Grow Stronger Plants in Your Garden
The root mass of your plants is where your oxygen and essential nutrients are absorbed and distributed. This means that the healthier and stronger your plant’s root mass is, the better chance it has of surviving harsh conditions and of creating strong, healthy plants that will easily propagate.
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When growing plants, gardeners and horticulturists are always looking for ways to increase their garden’s yields. Of course, a plant with a robust and healthy root system will also grow healthy leaves, stems, flowers, and fruit. To put it simply; if your plant has healthy roots, you will get a higher yield.
Unfortunately, many gardeners do not give a plant’s root system the attention it deserves. We can become very focused on the visible parts of the plant and forget the importance of the plant’s root system or how to care for it. Since roots are hidden beneath the soil, it’s easy to assume their doing fine and dandy so long as the plant is still growing.
However, gardeners and horticulturists that focus on a plant’s root system will often have their attention rewarded tenfold in yield and overall plant health and stability.
There are a couple of ways that you can stimulate plant growth and maintain a healthy root system.
Increase Your Soil’s Nutrient
Like any living organism, your plants need to “eat” to survive. If your soil is dense and nutrient-rich, your plants will be able to convert this to energy to grow strong and verdant and provide you with ample yield.
However, soil that does not have enough nutrient density will produce weak plants with undersized root systems that struggle to propagate or grow large.
To increase your soil’s nutrient density, consider adding a plant food like Seasol to your garden beds. Plant foods help stimulate strong root growth and stabilize plants within the soil by providing a food source for the plants.
As the root system grows, so do the plants, providing lusher plants with higher yields. You can learn more about the benefits of plant food at Seasol.com.au to understand if plant food may be what’s missing from your garden.
Oxygen And Your Plant’s Root System
Many people don’t consider that plants need oxygen to survive. We often assume that plants only make oxygen through photosynthesis and are not living organisms that also require oxygen to grow.
Plants require oxygen to perform cellular respiration. Like other parts of the plant, roots require oxygen to grow. However, since they are under the soil they cannot photosynthesize. Instead, roots get their energy to grow through cellular respiration, which requires a healthy amount of oxygen and releases CO2. When growing plants, the soil’s texture will be what determines how much oxygen the roots get.
In a hydroponic system where the roots are submerged in water, the plant will rely on dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution. In a traditional growing system where the plant’s roots are in the soil, the open spaces within the soil will be what will permit oxygen to reach your roots.
How to Increase the Amount of Oxygen in the Soil
Without enough oxygen, your plants’ root system will wither and die and—along with it—your plant will die as well.
To increase the oxygen capacity in the soil, a grower can add a variety of amendments, such as perlite, pumice or other porous substance that will increase their soil’s ability to hold oxygen. Pre-packaged soil will often come with a certain amount of porous substance; however, you may have to add more as needed.
About the Author Laura Bennett
Hello, I’m Laura Bennett. I love nature especially when it comes to flowers and different kinds of plants. I started a very small garden behind my house and I named it Humid Garden. So, I created this blog to provide aspiring and inspiring thoughts about gardening for gardeners and anyone who has the intention of keeping a garden.
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