There are many reasons to grow your own plants. Some see it as a relaxing pastime, others as an environmental imperative to reduce our impact on the planet while eating healthier foods. Still others view it as a way of life and source of income.

Although there are many reasons to grow, the science is the same for everyone. Attention to detail is important for all growers from a hobby horticulturalist all the way to an industrial farmer. Science for plants will bring you understanding, better results and more satisfaction from your growing experience. Build on these techniques and processes and with your own experience, achieve your green potential.

There are hundreds of different methods which can be used to grow plants successfully. Exploring new ideas is a great way to get the most from your gardening experience. Techniques can vary widely and all have their limitations. Some are more involved than others and some require years of experience to perform at their peak potential. The following are three broad categories listed with their benefits and their drawbacks.

Water culture is true hydroponics. Although there are many techniques, all work on the basis of a small amount of substrate to support the crown of the plant while oxygen and nutrient rich water is run over the root system to feed the plant. The lack of medium to store water and nutrients is a drawback but this is matched by the ability of a hydroponic system to adjust nutrient requirements more quickly than any other option, leading to accelerated plant growth. Another reason plants can grow quickly in a well run hydroponic system is the fact that plant roots exert far less energy to search for nutrients than they would in soil. This makes more energy available for other plant functions such as flower and fruit development. One drawback to a water system is they generally have a communal reservoir and this means that if a pathogen strikes the system it can spread rapidly as plants cannot be isolated after infection.

Soilless mixes are a form of hydroponics but are more forgiving than true water culture. They use inert media instead of natural topsoil. This customized soil structure can provide exceptional balance between available oxygen and water to the plants. These methods can respond well to the use of organics and it is possible to build some microbial diversity. This can take advantage of the benefits of biodiversity in natural soil, more than in true water systems. Soilless gardening is generally done in containers, which makes it much easier for growers to isolate infected or infested plants from the system to avoid more serious outbreaks of disease or insect pressure. For indoor growers, this type of gardening is a better place to start than true water culture; in fact many hobby growers will move on to water culture and then regress back to soilless growing due to the forgiving nature and adequate yields compared with the constant monitoring required in water systems.

Soil growing could be done indoors but is generally limited to outdoor situations and is the most traditional and prevalent form of gardening on the planet. The focus of soil gardening is not on the single season but should be seen more as a long term project. Soil building is the primary goal, with healthy plants the outcome of good soil management. Organic practices will lead to the highest level and most diverse microbiology available to a gardener and this ecosystem can provide benefits not found in hydroponic systems. Although the overall system is more diverse, most soil gardens will not grow plants as quickly as a hydroponic system will. There is less direct control over nutrient supply and of course the gardener is at the mercy of true weather, rather than the manufactured environment of an indoor garden.

Plants have developed the amazing ability to directly harness the energy from the sun, an incredibly effective way of feeding themselves. All plant leaves are natural solar panels, far more efficient than our own technology, developed over hundreds of millions of years. The conversion of light into energy takes place within the green pigment in the leaf known as chlorophyll. Water is moved from the roots to the leaves through the xylem tissues while carbon dioxide is collected by specialized cells on the undersides of leaves called stomata. As a plant draws in air through the stomata it is losing water to transpiration. At a certain temperature, water loss is so great that a plant will shut down photosynthesis in order to avoid the water loss. This is a good reason to control air temperature in your garden.

The reaction of light energy and carbon dioxide within plants leaves creates simple sugars, carbohydrates, for energy. The reaction involves 6 molecules of water and 6 molecules of carbon dioxide which combine with solar energy to a molecule of glucose and 6 molecules of oxygen. This oxygen is released back into the air which is good for us and is one of the reasons why plants are essential for our well being.

Plants use their sugar energy to grow and break down carbohydrates in the presence of oxygen within cells. This process releases a certain amount of carbon dioxide and lots of usable energy. The buildup of carbon dioxide is generally released into the environment at night. The energy created by this process is used to drive the creation of starches, proteins, enzymes, growth regulators and DNA/RNA structures.

There are 16 essential elements for plant growth, some of which can be taken from the air or water, such as carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. Even nitrogen can be taken from the air if the proper biology is active in the soil. Other nutrients can be taken from the soil although generally a grower must supplement a wide variety of nutrients to get plants growing well, especially in soilless and water based systems. This is because they lack the mineralization found in true soil.

Plants require macro nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphur. Micro nutrients are also required but at much lower levels than the previous group. Iron, Copper, Boron, Zinc, Manganese, Molybdenum and Chlorine benefit all plants. Ratios between nutrients are also very important. Quality fertilizers will also look at balancing the nutrients carefully to avoid issues. Examples would be calcium to magnesium and iron to sulphur ratios but there are many more.

Over supply and deficiencies are something all gardeners face. Research can help you determine individual issues and solutions to your problems. Finding images of deficiencies through universities or other online sources can provide valuable visual confirmation to assist you in your diagnosis. Deficiencies and their nutrient causes can be mobile or immobile. In general if you see problems in older leaves it relates to a mobile nutrient. Nitrogen deficiency is a great example of a mobile nutrient issue. Those issues arising in new growth are usually related to immobile elements, such as the onset of a calcium deficiency.

Although some nutrients are considered essential others have shown tremendous value such as silicon, deemed to be essential to some plants. Other elements such as cobalt seem to impact the way other nutrients are used. Nickel is another example of an assisting nutrient. If a grower plans to use urea nitrogen then the use of nickel is essential to getting the most from this nitrogen source.

Amino acids are an essential building block for plants and are born out of the photosynthesis reaction. These molecules are protein based peptides and are catalysts for many reactions within plants. Once formed amino acids can be used to perform very specific functions, for instance glutamic acid allows for better assimilation of calcium through a complex chelation. Many amino acids are also precursors to the formation of growth regulating substances within plants, a good example is tryptophan which assists in the production of auxins. Some amino acids can increase efficiency of certain processes such as glycine and its effect on chlorophyll concentration and corresponding acceleration of photosynthesis.

Amino acids can also play a role in stress relief during biotic and abiotic stresses such as temperature fluctuation or pest pressure. This relief ensures plants can adjust and refocus energy towards efficient and productive growth.

Enzymes are the key to the breakdown of material on our planet. All living things secrete enzymes, including plants and humans alike. Enzymes have specific decomposition abilities such as, cellulase which breaks down cellulose. This breakdown of material provides for a recycling of nutrients within the natural world.

Healthy roots are essential for optimum plant growth. They have four main functions that benefit the plants. Roots act as an anchor, healthy root systems will support a larger plant. Roots absorb minerals, water and organic compounds from the surrounding soil. Roots spread food from the leaves through their network in the soil. Roots can also store energy for later use.

The rhizosphere is the 1mm band of soil surrounding the root hairs. It is an area of intense biological and chemical activity where roots meet microbes. Roots secrete compounds which defend them from pathogens, attract or repel certain microbes, keep soil moist and obtain nutrients. Roots can also change chemical properties of the soil such as pH and can also inhibit the growth of competing plants.

Although there are pathogens in soils, most organisms work together with plants and are beneficial for plant growth. Microbes can encourage growth by producing vitamins, antibiotics and hormones and also finding nutrients the plants can’t access by themselves. They can also stabilize the soil by building aggregates, which are complex blended soil structures that improve growing conditions for roots.

Providing adequate oxygen is essential for plant root health and development. In all types of gardens supplying oxygen needs to be a priority. When using a medium of any kind provide components that are good for drainage. Be cautious, too much drainage can let roots dry out causing problems. The more oxygen roots have the lower the chances of pathogens harming your plants.

Using organics is beneficial in all circumstances although their application and benefits can be limited in some situations. In soil gardens you should use nothing but organics in order to foster the high level of biodiversity that can be achieved. Even a soilless growing medium can be brought to life with organic amendments. In a water based system cautious use of some organics can provide benefit (ex. Kelp or Aerobic compost tea) but remember that biological activity can cause foaming in a reservoir and also organic particulate can build up and cause problems in your irrigation system.

Humus is a base form of decomposed organic matter. This material has many complex benefits including increasing the availability of some nutrients. In soil and soilless gardens it can be worked in as compost, worm castings or humic extracts. In a water system your only option are humic extracts which can improve nutrient availability and other benefits without the sediment of different types of compost.

Growing plants can be as straight forward as putting a seed in the ground and waiting. To get the most from your plants an understanding of what makes them grow is important. Observing the garden and the plants is the key to building a stronger knowledge base and a better experience over the long term. Understanding the science is the key to maximum yields.