These plants look very healthy, thanks to proper nutrients in the soil.
Fertilizer plays a key role in producing a healthy plant. Without it, many plants would eventually die. The necessary nutrients plants can't get from other sources are found in fertilizer, which is how fertilizers help a plant to grow. By fertilizing the right way, in the right quantity, you can be assured of a thriving, vigorous plant.
Photosynthesis
Plants are living beings, and like all living beings they eat, breathe, grow and produce waste. This process is called photosynthesis, because it is dependent on light (photo) for the process to take place (synthesis). Botanists do not yet fully understand photosynthesis, but it is certain that fertilizers contribute to the process by providing the plant with its "food."
Effects of Nutrients
Plants absorb ("eat") nutrients through their roots. The nutrients found in fertilizer are water-soluble, and as the roots absorb water, the nutrients are carried along with it. Then photosynthesis takes place, which converts light, nutrients and water into stalk growth, leaf growth and (in the case of edible plants) vitamins.
Types of Nutrients Needed
The three main types of nutrients plants need are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (K) and Potassium (P). Other nutrients needed, but in lesser amounts. are Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S), and Manganese (Mn). Farther down the scale are iron, copper, boron and zinc.
Types of Fertilizer
There are two main types of fertilizer: organic and Inorganic. Organic fertilizer is animal waste. This may include cow manure, pig manure and chicken and bat guano. In order for a plant to be certified as organic, only animal waste has to be used to fertilize it.
Inorganic fertilizer is a synthetic (man-made) version of manure. It is manufactured by combining potassium, phosphorous and other chemicals, in effect duplicating organic fertilizer. The end effect is the same: When the fertilizer is applied to the soil, the nutrients leach into the soil, then are absorbed by the roots.
Recommendations
The notion that "If a little is good, then more is better" is a misconception when it comes to fertilizer. Over-fertilizing a plant can be just as harmful as under-fertilizing and can, for example, retard fruit production in tomato plants, according to the University of Georgia. Each plant has its own optimal mix of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium and the trace minerals. The needs of, say, a rose are completely different from those of a pine tree. To determine the best mix for each species, consult your local agricultural extension office.
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