The Five Things Plants Need to Grow

Air

• Plants need plenty of clean air to grow. Air provides green plants with carbon dioxide, which is necessary during the process of photosynthesis, wherein plants produce their own food. Dirty, smoggy air blocks sunlight that's also necessary for plants to grow. Plants must be kept in a well ventilated area, away from smoke and chemical fumes, which are harmful pollutants. The temperature of the air is also important to plants' growth and varies depending on the plant.

Soil

• Soil provides support for the plant, acts as an anchor for the roots, protects plant roots from exposure to the Sun's heat and soil filters pollution that comes from rain and water runoff. Plants take water and nutrients from the soil through its roots that are essential for plant growth. The three most vital nutrients from fertile soil for plants to grow healthy and strong are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Nitrogen aids plants to gain energy and make protein and helps how they function inside. Phosphorous aids in flower and seed production and helps plants to use water efficiently. Potassium controls water and chemicals inside the plant and also aids in the metabolizing of plants' food for energy.

Water

• Water is essential to all forms of life. Water carries minerals, which is absorbed by plants, from the soil to the roots. Water also provides physical support, acts as a solvent for dissolved sugars and minerals and help plants maintain their shape. Determining how much water a plant needs is important. The wrong amounts of water, either too much or too little, can cause a plant to die.

Sunlight

• Chlorophyll in plants absorbs energy from sunlight. It is a molecule that synthesizes carbohydrates in plants from carbon dioxide and water into food. Depending on the kind of plant, it may need full sun, partial sun or shade. Indoor plants need to be placed near a window in order to receive adequate light or supplemented with artificial light.

Space

• Plants, no matter where they are found, need adequate space in order to grow. If the space wherein a plant grows is small, the plants will grow smaller and stunted. However, if the plants are provided with enough space to grow, they will grow larger. It is essential that plants that are meant to grow large grow in big spaces in order for their roots and branches to grow as needed.