If your plants are struggling to grow despite your best efforts, chances are you’re dealing with nitrogen deficiency. The good news is that it is completely fixable. Nitrogen is a critical element for plants to grow. They need the nitrogen to help them with photosynthesis. This is why adding nitrogen to your plants is essential.
How to add nitrogen
When you are facing a nitrogen deficiency, these fast-acting solutions can turn things around within days.
Use compost
Compost consisting of carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich material can be a great way to boost nitrogen levels in your garden soil. Incorporating organic matter is one of the best ways to introduce many of the necessary nutrients needed by plants. Using compost has the benefits of improving the structure of the soil, allowing more availability of water and air, which promotes healthy root growth. Add a few inches of compost to your garden beds to gradually increase nitrogen levels over time.
Try using grass clippings
A simple and effective way to enrich your soil with nitrogen is by using grass clippings from your lawn. Mulching with grass clippings significantly reduces the need for fertiliser. These clippings provide a natural source of nitrogen that helps improve soil quality, allowing you to use less fertiliser overall. You can incorporate the grass clippings into your compost pile or use them as a standalone nitrogen-rich green material. However, be sure that the clippings do not contain any weeds..
Apply fertiliser
Compost alone cannot won’t provide all the nitrogen your garden needs for your plants to stay healthy and productive. This is why organic fertiliser is used as an added extra to keep the soil healthy. Supplementing with natural fertilisers can help work hand in hand with your compost in improving the soil health.
What nitrogen does for your plants
Think of nitrogen as the plant’s fuel, and without adequate nitrogen, your soil can’t manufacture the building blocks needed to help your plants thrive. Here’s what nitrogen actually does for your plants:
- Powers Photosynthesis
- Supports plant reproduction
- Fuel plant growth.
- Improves the soil structure
Bottom line is nitrogen management isn’t just about feeding the soil, it is also about creating a living, breathing soil ecosystem that sustains itself and improves over time.
Compiled by Chumasande Matiwane
First published on Garden and Home
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