What are the microelements in the soil?
Stefano Di Pietro • 15 febbraio 2021
The microelements, especially minerals, are essential substances for the life of plants and, as every good grower knows, they can run out over time and make crops less flourishing. In addition to the fact that the presence of substances cannot be taken for granted, it is important to remember that the soil is not the simple sum of the elements present, but hosts transformations and microorganisms that make life possible thanks to their activities and, above all, must respond also the consequences of a specific pH.
For this reason, the composition of the soil itself must be kept under control and, depending on the cultivation, fertilizers specially prepared by professionals must be added.
The characteristics of an excellent soil
Determining which minerals and substances to add to the soil is simple as plants show, with easily distinguishable signs, the deficiencies they suffer from. A sudden wilting or yellowing of the leaves can be caused, for example, by the lack of iron and copper in the soil, while a slow and difficult growth can be synonymous with a lack of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the 3 fundamental elements for plants.
However, as previously mentioned, it is essential to pay attention to the pH as soils with a too acidic composition could make it impossible to assimilate the substances present. For example, calcium tends to bind to phosphorus and becomes inaccessible.
A good solution is to prepare or buy soil from specialized dealers, perfect for creating a soil suitable for growth and complete with all the necessary elements. Soils are commonly composed of:
- peat, present at 25-30%, composes the main layer favoring the permeability of the soil, ventilation and ensures proper thermoregulation;
- clay, present between 15-20%, is used to make the soil more compact and to retain water;
- sand, often used in gardening to drain moisture from the soil that could damage some crops;
- humus, the active part of the soil, where the reactions between organic and mineral parts create the compounds needed by plants.
What are the main microelements useful for the soil
The essential elements for plant growth are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus: in some cases it is possible to obtain a recharge of the soil in a natural way with methods such as crop rotation, while in other cases it may be necessary to use specific fertilizers.
Other substances commonly useful for specific crops are calcium, chlorine, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, magnesium, silicon and boron. However, these are elements that rarely need to be added because they are already present in the ground or otherwise needed in small quantities. Depending on the plants, some elements may be more important than others: your trusted supplier will have ready-made packages of specific mineral fertilizers ready for use.

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