Roots verses, branches, stem question on vegetable plants, other plants?

[nao57]

So... while watering the garden I had a question that came to me. I was curious about this. First, I'll post how it came up. I notice in the garden that there's always a few plants that stagnate and just won't grow. You can have most of the stuff really huge vegetable plants, and then there's maybe 5 to 10% of these others that just stay small forever.

I'd been wondering what causes that and how to beat it. Then I started examining them more closely. I then noticed that some of those its because the root is weak and too close to the surface. It might not be fully connected right, while too close to the surface and this just means the plant really struggles. This means that the root isn't attached very well, so the slightest hiccup in too much water pressure sometimes will mess with the roots, and that's what causing the stagnating growth.

So if you have a few plants like this, what you do is to try to hill up more fertilizer around the base of the plant to reinforce the weakened root, and to give it nutrition.

...

Now here's where my question comes into play...

I wondered if the roots of the plant, and the top above the ground, do they use different minerals and nutrients than each other? How does that work exactly? This seems like the perfect question to ask because it means, if a plants roots aren't that strong then you could isolate whatever mineral or nutrient is needed for roots to boost them.

So does the top part of the plant use nutrients differently somehow? And is there any research on this?

It seems very interesting to think about it this way. And I'm hoping to hear your thoughts on this.

Thank you and have a nice day.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes. Which is why we eat the root of a potato, but the stem and flowers of broccoli. Which is why bloom boosting fertilizer is high nitrogen, and fertilizer to encourage root development is higher in potassium and phosphorus. ( K and P )

Roots store energy, leaves are engaged in the sunlight requiring portion of photosynthesis. Several plants "fix" nitrogen to the soil, while others tend to deplete it, while others concentrate predator detering compounds in various locations, from simple tannins to capsaicin, to pyrethroids.

TONS of research. No, I'm not a gardener, I have a black thumb.

 

[nao57]

Yes. Which is why we eat the root of a potato, but the stem and flowers of broccoli. Which is why bloom boosting fertilizer is high nitrogen, and fertilizer to encourage root development is higher in potassium and phosphorus. ( K and P )

Roots store energy, leaves are engaged in the sunlight requiring portion of photosynthesis. Several plants "fix" nitrogen to the soil, while others tend to deplete it, while others concentrate predator detering compounds in various locations, from simple tannins to capsaicin, to pyrethroids.

TONS of research. No, I'm not a gardener, I have a black thumb.

Wow. Thank you very much. This is very useful information.

 

[nao57]

Would stem material follow the make up of the roots, or more like the blooms and leaves? Thanks.

Yes. Which is why we eat the root of a potato, but the stem and flowers of broccoli. Which is why bloom boosting fertilizer is high nitrogen, and fertilizer to encourage root development is higher in potassium and phosphorus. ( K and P )

Roots store energy, leaves are engaged in the sunlight requiring portion of photosynthesis. Several plants "fix" nitrogen to the soil, while others tend to deplete it, while others concentrate predator detering compounds in various locations, from simple tannins to capsaicin, to pyrethroids.

TONS of research. No, I'm not a gardener, I have a black thumb.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Would stem material follow the make up of the roots, or more like the blooms and leaves? Thanks.

Depends on the plant. In basil, the stem is more like the leaves. In oregano, it has some resemblances to the root, but mostly resembles neither. In mint, it can resemble the root quit a lot - or it can be more like oregano.

And if you bury a tomato up a few leaves worth of stem, the plant will repurpose what had been stem and start growing new roots off of it, where it would previously have potentially produced leaves.

No on size fits all answer here.

 

[TooCheep]

And if you bury a tomato up a few leaves worth of stem, the plant will repurpose what had been stem and start growing new roots off of it, where it would previously have potentially produced leaves.

Mostly correct. The plant will grow some of the hairs on the stem as roots. It is a fairly common technique when transplanting a good-sized tomato to pinch off a couple of lower leaf sets and bury it deeper then originally in the pot. This will slightly retard growth, but will allow it to develop a stronger, deeper root system.

This technique is unique to tomatoes, so don't try it with any generic plant.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Mostly correct. The plant will grow some of the hairs on the stem as roots. It is a fairly common technique when transplanting a good-sized tomato to pinch off a couple of lower leaf sets and bury it deeper then originally in the pot. This will slightly retard growth, but will allow it to develop a stronger, deeper root system.

This technique is unique to tomatoes, so don't try it with any generic plant.

good to know. I am NOT a (successful) gardener, thought there were a few other plants that tomatos shared that particular adaption with.

Appreciate the correction.

 

[paintedChix]

Another idea. Instead of trying to boost the stunted plant, pull it out & use it as mulch fertilizer in same or different bed. Then plant a seed or a transplant where you pulled it from.

That way, you aren't trying to make a "sick" plant healthy but selecting for the strongest, healthiest plants.