Vegetables – Page 2 – Homestead on the Range

Insects as Indicator Species in the Garden

By paying closer attention to what nature is telling us, we have an opportunity to bring our gardens back into balance.

Photo courtesy of USDA ARS.

Because plants contain so much nitrogen, it is little wonder that they require ample amounts. Without it, plants simply cannot grow.

Healthy pecan branch; nickel-deficient pecans have shorter, rounder leaves called "mouse ears."

Until recently, scientists did not consider nickel essential for plant growth. Now nickel is recognized as an essential nanonutrient.

Plants use molybdenum for one purpose, but that purpose is of tremendous importance—producing enzymes to enable the plant to use nitrogen.

Effect of manganese on yield in rye; control on left, treated crop on right

Manganese is an important micronutrient. It helps to activate some of the key enzyme systems in plants. But it has many other roles, too.

K-State has an excellent collection of gardening resources on a wide range of topics available as free PDF downloads.

Magnesium deficiency symptoms on apple leaves

Magnesium serves two roles affecting plants. One is improving plant health via the soil, and the other is improving plant health directly.

Iron deficiency in peaches; note the pale leaf color

Did you know that plants need iron? No iron, no chlorophyll, and therefore no photosynthesis.

Copper is of particular importance to cereal crops because of its role in reproductive growth and grain production.

In recent years, it has come to light that cobalt is indeed an essential micronutrient for at least some plant species, particularly legumes.