Chemistry in the garden

Chemistry can be seen almost everywhere in the gardens. Plants need many diverse minerals for healthy growth and reproduction. For example, plants carry out the process of photosynthesis, which is a series of chemical reactions. Each of the elements and chemical compounds present in the soil has specific functions, such as co-creating organic structures, catalyzing enzymatic reactions, acting as a charge carrier to maintain electrochemical balance or regulating osmotic pressure. By trying to understand these and other phenomena, you can quickly see that the garden is a unique place. Published: 10-2-2023 Composition and chemical properties of the soil. Soil is the outer surface layer of the earth's layer. To a large extent, its composition depends on the type of bedrock that undergoes soil formation processes. A series of elements and chemical compounds can be found in the soil. Almost half of the soil composition is mineral substances. They are divided into macroelements, that is, potassium, sodium, calcium, aluminum, silicon, carbon, iron, phosphorus, nitrogen and hydrogen, and microelements, that is, boron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. Normally, microelements are present in the soil in the form of minerals. Soil also includes gases, especially those present in the air. These include carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia . Among all the elements in the composition of soil, oxygen has the highest mass proportion, followed by silicon and aluminum. One of the characteristic chemical properties of soil is its pH. In practice, we talk about it by referring to the pH scale . Most plants prefer a neutral pH between 6.5 and 7.5, but some plants will grow favorably in a wider range (5.5 to 8). When the soil becomes too acidic or too alkaline, some of the chemical components will become unavailable to plants. This is why pH is so important.



The reaction of the soil has a direct impact on its fertility and, therefore, its productivity. Calcium ions have a great influence on soil pH. They come mainly from calcium carbonate . Together with carbonic acid, they form a buffer system that prevents rapid changes in pH, which is extremely important for plants since roots are sensitive to rapid changes in pH. This ability of the soil to maintain a constant CZ Leads pH value (despite the presence of factors that change its value) is called buffering properties. This occurs when the soil contains mixtures of buffer systems, for example, a weak acid and its salt. They can cause a lack of pH changes despite the use of appropriate deacidifying or acidifying fertilizers. Redox potential is another important chemical property of soil. This parameter is closely related to humidity. The wetter the soil, the lower the oxygen content. It is considered that soils containing large amounts of O 2They have good aerobic conditions. This is important for plant growth, because in such soils the oxidation processes of mineral and organic compounds can occur uninterruptedly. When the measured redox potential is too low, it may be a sign of excess moisture in the soil. Then, first of all, reduction phenomena are observed, for example of nitrates, which leads to the loss of valuable nitrogen from the soil. Chemical processes in the garden. Plants and soil are the pillars of any garden. Being their natural element, they are the place of the most important chemical processes.







The best known process in plants is photosynthesis . It allows the production of plant structural compounds and substances necessary for its correct functioning. Photosynthesis is the transformation of carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. This reaction takes place in the presence of energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis is the most important of the processes that support life on Earth. Composting is a popular method of managing green waste in gardens. This organic recycling consists of the decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms. Its key phase is the mineralization of organic matter from plant and animal remains, which results in the formation of simple mineral compounds. Mineralization involves two processes: putrefaction and decomposition. The first occurs under anaerobic conditions. Mineral compounds formed by putrefaction include carbon dioxide, water, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. On the other hand, decomposition occurs in the presence of oxygen. Promotes the formation of oxides, phosphate or sulfate ions. Easily degradable compounds, such as sugars , starch or proteins, are especially susceptible to mineralization. They are a valuable source of carbon and elemental nitrogen for microorganisms. Many of the chemical processes observed in gardens involve the circulation of elements . A particular example is nitrogen, which as a gas constitutes approximately 78% of the air and in soils is a key nutrient for most plants. Living organisms extract atmospheric nitrogen through bacteria. They have the ability to absorb molecular nitrogen and transform it into ammonia. This form can then be adopted by plants and used to produce organic molecules. When an animal eats the plant, this element enters its body. The nitrogen contained in the plant remains in the animal, which then dies and, as a result of subsequent chemical reactions, is transformed into ammonia and molecular nitrogen, which then re-enters the atmosphere. Fertilizers and phytosanitary products.