Why Do Plants Grow Better in Soil Than in Water?

Plants in their natural environment grow predominately in soil. Today, plants can be grown hydroponically, that is, in water cultures, without the need for soil. However, despite these advances in technology in the agricultural industry, plants still need soil to flourish when they are in their own habitat.

Function

Soil acts not only as support system in which a plant may grow, but more essentially it contains the nutrients necessary for the plant to thrive. The soil that a plant grows in is necessary for the plant to survive in its natural habitat. Soil is comprised of three components: small particles, air and water with necessary chemicals dissolved to help the plant grow. The type of soil and ability for plants to grow in it depend on these three things.

Types

There are several types of soil where many types of plants grow. The small particles that make up soil matter are mostly comprised of organic matter, minerals and pores. The consistency of the particles in the soil and the amount of organic matter, minerals and pores affect the growth of plants directly. The organic matter is decayed plant and animal particles, and pores are the amount of space between the particles. The type of soils are clay with dense, large particles; sand with light, small particles; and silt with dense, small particles.

Benefits

Plants flourish best in a well-balanced soil that is not too dense or porous. The soil must be well proportioned in the aforementioned areas so as to best be able to transport water and thus nutrients from its roots into hits shoots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit. The better the soil the more water a plant can attain so as to achieve the best conditions for growth.

Effects

Soil is full of mineral and organic matter, chemicals and water. All of these things are necessary for a plant to grow. Organic and mineral matter are the nutrients for the plant, water is an absolute necessary for the plant to survive, and certain chemicals such as nitrogen are another necessity for a plant. Without proper soil, a plant can not reach its full potential and may be stunted in growth, prone to disease or even die. If a plant were to grown just in water without the aid of proper hydroponic technology, the plant would not flourish as well as it would in soil.

Potential

With the proper soil, the right balance of particle size within the soil, the amount of nutrients available, nitrogen content, air and water, a plant can flourish. The health of the plant can be greatly affected by its environment, and, in order to reach its full potential and grow into a healthy life form, proper soil is needed.

Resources

• Soil Plant Water Relationships