At the core of the growth and germination of plants lie the nutrients they receive from the soil. The nutrients required for growth are classified into two groupings, macronutirents and micronutrients. Macronutrients are those that are needed in very large amounts, and whose absence can do a great harm to the development of the plant life. These nutrients include calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and are very sparse in most soils, making them the primary …showed first 75 words of 678 total…

…showed last 75 words of 678 total…what is called 'fertilizer burn'. This state is where fertilizer produces too many nutrients: this overloads the plants biological systems, and effectively kills the plant. Also, the chemicals often harm plants over time, causing ill health and quicker death than natural fertilizers, as soil organisms die out form over exposure, reducing the soil quality. Plants grown with chemical fertilizers have a greater chance of disease and toxicity, but the initial growth usually offsets these complications