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Fertilisers

Fertilisers are Used to Increase Plant Growth.

Plants need light and warmth (from the Sun),
carbon dioxide (from the air) and water (from the soil) to grow.
To be healthy and grow well, plants also need
nitrogen, potassium, magnesium and phosphates.
These last four come from the soil.

Soils are most likely to be lacking in nitrogen compounds
(called nitrates) and it is mainly with a view to replacing
or enriching nitrogen in the soil that fertilisers are used.
See the nitrogen cycle for further information.
Plants need nitrogen to make amino acids and proteins.

The use of fertilisers has advantages and disadvantages.

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