7 Factors Affecting Plant Growth — What Makes Plants Grow?
When growers monitor plant growth, they realize that a ton of different factors come into play that help a plant achieve optimal health and have a high-quality yield.
These may include the ideal grow light, air, water, fertilizer, soil, protection from pests and insects, and much more.
In this article, we’ll explore the different phases of plant growth and try to understand the role of environmental factors.
Phases of Plant Growth
Naturally, plants absorb sunlight which contains all seven colors of the rainbow.
Plants have different phases of growth and need different amounts of light in each phase. In every phase, they may require different kinds of nutrients to grow and thrive.
1.Germination:
This stage is where the seed germinates and turns into a sprout. When the water enters the seed, it activates the enzymes present inside it.
This is where the lifecycle of the plant begins.
2.Seedling:
As the plant’s roots are developed to reach the water underground, it gets all the nutrients it needs to grow and eventually turns into a thriving plant.
Typically, blue light is effective during this stage of the plant growth.
3.Vegetative:
During this stage, plants have a need for high amounts of nitrogen which offers them resources for new cells.
4.Bud Formation:
Also known as budding, this stage is when the buds start to form.
5.Flowering:
Finally, the flowering stage which is also called the blooming or fruiting stage arrives.
6.Maturity:
As fruits and vegetables grow ripe, the plant no longer requires the nutrients.
To keep things easier, growers may divide their plant growth chart into three stages: Germination stage, Vegetative stage, and Flowering stage.
Environmental Factors Affecting Plant Growth
A lot of environmental factors affect the plant growth, development, or distribution.
The deficiency or excess of sunlight or water and presence of insects, pests or diseases can prevent the proper growth of the plant or affect the overall outcome.
These are the seven primary environmental factors affecting plant growth:
- Light
- Temperature
- Dormancy
- Water
- Humidity
- Fertilizers
- Nutrient absorption
Let’s start by exploring one of the most important factors: Light.
How Does Light Stimulate Plant Growth?
As you may have noticed, LED grow lights have been gaining popularity among indoor growers because they’re cost-effective and efficient.
An LED grow light is basically a light for plant growth. Even though it cannot replace sunlight, it is a suitable alternative for those who wish to grow plants indoors.
How Does Temperature Affect The Plant?
Temperature plays a significant role in plant processes and when it increases and reaches a specific point, photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration increase too.
There’s no perfect ‘temperature’ guideline that can be applied to every plant as different varieties may germinate at different temperatures.
How Dormancy Affects Plant Growth
A majority of perennial plants go into a state of dormancy during colder months. This means that they conserve their energy for the next bloom.
Beginners may think that the plant is dead and end up throwing it or replacing it with another plant.
After this period of dormancy, the plant can be revived by giving it food, indirect sunlight, and fertilizer.
Why Water Matters in the Growing of Plants
Water is food for the plants and it is used by plants as a medium to carry nutrients from the soil. It helps the plants to convert starch into sugar.
Excess water and the deficiency of water are both harmful to the plant.
Humidity Also Means a lot in Plants Growing
When there’s adequate moisture or humidity in the environment, plants are able to thrive. This is why plants often die in winters because of the lack of moisture.
Most indoor plants are accustomed to living in humid environments but may succumb if the humidity reaches beyond a certain point.
Are Fertilizers Plant Food?
Even though the words ‘fertilizers’ and ‘plant food’ are used interchangeably, they are very different from each other.
Fertilizers can be called supplements and are needed in different amounts by different varieties of plants.
Fertilizers should be used carefully and must be diluted to ensure that the roots are not affected.
What Affects Nutrient Absorption In Plants?
Nutrient absorption can be affected by many things.
A possible explanation why your plant may not be growing well is that it cannot find the nutrients that it needs in the soil that it is growing or that the nutrients that are currently present in the soil are of no use to the plant.
Originally published at https://medicgrow.com on July 29, 2021.
