Why do plants need phosphorus? Well, phosphorus is vital for your plants’ healthy growth since it’s one of the three primary macronutrients required by them. If you’ve ever purchased fertilizer for your garden, you would be well aware of the significance of the NPK ratio. The “P” in this ratio stands for phosphorus. Since it’s one of the essential nutrients that plants ask for in large quantities, most fertilizers will include it.
But why do plants need phosphorus? Do you have soil that’s high in phosphorus or one that’s phosphorus-deficient? And how do you know which type of fertilizer to choose? Keep reading, and you’ll find out everything that has to do with phosphorus and your garden.
Why Do Plants Need Phosphorus?
First things first, why do plants need phosphorus? Once you understand the role that this element has to play in plant growth, you’ll know why you need to maintain the soil’s right levels of phosphorus.
All living things need phosphorus. In plants, phosphorus helps convert other nutrients into usable forms, which can be utilized in plant growth. If you wish to see healthy development and timely growth in your garden, you’ll need to make sure they’re getting enough of this vital element.
Phosphorus is involved in almost all the essential processes that go on in the plant. Whether it’s photosynthesis, respiration, or the transfer of energy, phosphorus plays a significant role.
What Benefits Do Plants Get With Phosphorus?
Phosphorous is, in general, responsible for the healthy development of plants. Here are the specific benefits that we see in plants with an ample supply of phosphorous.
- A sufficient supply of phosphorus builds resistance in plants against diseases.
- It encourages legumes to fix the nitrogen of the soil. Since it promotes flower production and fruit development, you’ll find a better yield.
- Phosphorus encourages root development. Well developed roots will support the plant effectively. They will do a better job of making the nutrients inside the soil available to the plants.
- Since it promotes healthy development, plants with enough phosphorus will have sturdier stems and branches. But phosphorus also makes sure that the crop reaches maturity and produces fruit on time.
Different Phosphorus Types In The Soil
Phosphorus is present in the soil as part of organic compounds and minerals. Most soils have a shallow phosphorus content, averaging at around 0.6%. You’ll also be surprised to know that different types of soil may vary in phosphorus content. Still, in general, the addition of phosphorus fertilizers can help improve yield.
Phosphorus is present in the soil in 2 forms: organic phosphorus and inorganic phosphorus. Let’s find out what they are:
- Organic Phosphorus
Organic phosphorus is a component of manures, plant residues, microbial tissues, and other organic matter that are typically a part of the soil.
- Inorganic Phosphorus
Inorganic phosphorus comprises the phosphorus present in clay particles, in the form of iron and aluminum phosphates, and apatite.
Phosphorus Solubility
The different forms of phosphorus available in the soil aren’t all readily available to the plants. Plants will only take up the phosphorus that dissolves in the soil solution, so whether it’s organic or inorganic, most phosphorus forms are stable chemical compounds that won’t dissolve in the soil solution.
Factors That Affect The Plants Phosphorus Availability
Many factors affect the content of phosphorus in the soil. These include:
- Climate
- Weather
- Fertilization
- Soil material
- Type of plants grown
While the above factors affect the actual content of phosphorus in the ground, other factors will impact its solubility and its availability to the plants. These include:
Soil pH
Under acidic or alkaline conditions, phosphorus form compounds with relatively low solubility. A soil pH that ranges from 6.0 to 7.0 is ideal for creating mono and dicalcium phosphates with high solubility.
The Presence Of Other Nutrients
The existence of other nutrients such as nitrogen and sulfur also often increases its availability to plants. The application of fertilizer with nitrogen and phosphorus is usually more effective than a phosphorus fertilizer.
The Presence Of Organic Matter
The existence of organic matter in the soil in large quantities offers mineralized reserves for phosphorus. Over time, this phosphorus will be available for plant uptake. Besides, organic matter will prevent insoluble iron phosphates’ formation, ensuring that the element’s solubility is high.
Soil Type
Clay loam soils are generally better off at fixing phosphorus than sandy soil.
Fertilizer Application
The time you apply the phosphorus fertilizer will also have an impact on its availability. The best time of application is right before planting, especially for soil types with higher phosphorus fixing capacities.
Temperature And Moisture
Since most soils are generally low in phosphorus, plants usually uptake the element against the concentration gradient. This means that the plant roots will have a higher phosphorus concentration than the surrounding soil and will use up energy to transport more phosphorus to the plants. Since the process means using energy, it’s inhibited if the conditions aren’t suitable for root activity. Roots won’t work well in situations like low temperatures, excessive soil moisture, and soil compaction.
Common Symptoms Of Phosphorus Deficiency
Symptoms of phosphorus deficiency aren’t always as apparent as deficiencies of other nutrients such as nitrogen or potassium. Other than stunted growth, plants may not show any visible symptom if phosphorus is lacking in their soil. If your plants aren’t producing flowers and fruits to their fullest capacity and have a weak root system, it could result from phosphorus deficiency. Additionally, purplish stems and bluish-green leaves are usually indications that the soil is low in phosphorus.
The deficiency of phosphorus is very mobile. You’ll initially notice the older leaves’ discoloration, which will eventually move to the younger leaves. For most plants, the symptoms will appear once phosphorus concentration in the leaves drops below 0.2%.
Testing The Soil For Phosphorus
A soil test is critical before making any hasty decisions! Excess phosphorus isn’t just damaging to the plants but also the environment. Extra phosphorus will wash away into the water supplies, especially after heavy rainfall, forming a significant environmental pollution source.
What Do The Results Show?
The soil test won’t tell you the actual phosphorus content, and we don’t need that either. Since all the phosphorus isn’t available to the plants, we only need to know the concentration that the plants can take.
Performing a soil test will provide you with an idea of soil’s ability to provide soluble phosphorus to the soil solution. With the phosphorus index that you get after a soil test, you’ll be able to predict your garden’s fertilization requirements.
How To Test Your Soil For Phosphorus?
I recommend annual soil testing to check the concentration levels of different nutrients within the ground. You can either buy a soil testing kit and perform the test on your own or order one at a soil testing lab.
How To Perform The Test Properly?
Since phosphorus isn’t mobile in the soil, the soil test results will differ from samples taken from the topsoil and those from the subsoil. For the best estimation of your garden’s fertilization requirements, sample the soil at plow depth during fall or early spring.
Fertilization To Amend The Soil For Phosphorus
Many fertilizer types are available to amend phosphorus in your soil and create the ideal nutrient balance that will help you build a prosperous garden. You can either go for chemical fertilizers or organic supplements, which I recommend if you want to nourish your plants naturally.
Chemical Fertilizers
All gardening stores sell a variety of chemical fertilizers for gardeners. They can either be available in liquid form or granular form. In any case, you need to look for the NPK ratio of the fertilizer. You’ll quickly find it printed right on top of the fertilizer package. “P” in this ratio is the number that tells you the level of phosphorus in the fertilizer.
Gardeners who are fond of growing bulbs and roses or have a garden lacking in phosphorus go for varieties with higher phosphorus and potassium levels than nitrogen. You’ll often find the label “blossom” or “bloom” on these fertilizers.
Organic Fertilizers
Organic fertilization is equally effective in correcting your garden’s phosphorus deficiency. Bone meal, crab and shrimp waste, mushroom compost, and burned cucumber skins are excellent natural sources for phosphorus. The level of the nutrient will vary in each source. Its effectiveness will also vary with the type of soil it’s applied to, the rate of activity of the microorganisms present within the earth, exposure to rain, heat, etc.
If the soil already has an ample phosphorus concentration, the regular application of organic compost can help plants uptake the soil’s phosphorus. Organic compost isn’t merely a source of phosphorus for your plants. They also provide a variety of other nutrients that are equally important for their development.
Rock Phosphate
Phosphate rocks are mined globally and are a mix of calcium and phosphorus. The exact chemical composition of the stone varies from place to place. “Rock Dust,” or the fertilizers that come from rock phosphate, are popular among gardeners as a source of plant food for soil that’s lacking in phosphorus.
As compared to most other fertilizers, rock dust is cost-effective and nourishes the plants with other nutrients besides phosphorus, such as calcium and magnesium. Its application is especially beneficial for the heavy blooming of flowers and generates bigger yields in vegetable gardens.
If you’re fond of flowers, you could read our post – 18 Best Flowers For Hanging Baskets To Make An Eden To The Air, to learn how to grow them in hanging baskets.
Apply rock dust to the soil in early spring after reading the instructions on the package. Mixing it with compost before applying it to the ground will make even more nutrients available for the plants.
Fertilizer Application
When using chemical phosphorus fertilizers purchased from a nursery, make sure you read the instructions before applying them to the soil. The application rate will vary with the product type and the concentrations of other nutrients present in it.
For organic fertilizers, make sure you break down compost and manure into more refined pieces before applying it to the soil. Breaking down the material will increase the surface area and promote fertilizer’s uniform application throughout the site.
You can start using the fertilizer as soon as you diagnose a phosphorus deficiency in the soil. But, since organic material will take around six months to make phosphorus available to the plants, it’s best applied in the fall, a few months ahead of expected blooming.
The Side Effects Of Too High Phosphorus Levels
Plants don’t need soil that’s too high in phosphorus. They need a surrounding that has just the right balance of essential nutrients for healthy growth. Don’t apply more phosphorus without having a soil test performed. If the soil already has the ideal concentration of phosphorus, the extra application isn’t recommended.
Surface runoff from gardens with excess phosphorus reaches lakes, rivers, and oceans to damage aquatic life severely. But, that’s not the only problem excess fertilization will cause. Extra phosphorus inhibits the microbial activity in the soil that’s essential for plant growth. High levels of the nutrient can also cause burns on seedlings and younger plants.
Final Words
I can’t highlight the importance of phosphorus for the plants enough. In short, the answer to the question, why do plants need phosphorus, is simply that the element keeps them healthy. So, ensure that your soil is rich in all the essential nutrients. This way, you’ll get a garden blooming with bright flowers and a pantry full of garden-fresh fruits and vegetables all season.