Understanding how plants grow is helpful whether you enjoy outside gardening or indoor plants. The more you know about how plants grow the more success you'll have with all your gardening. This small report shows how the root, stem, and leaves of a plant work together to maintain healthy plant growth.

Plants, like other life forms, need food for their growth, survival and reproduction. Plant food is collected from different places. From the air carbon dioxide is taken in, then later released as oxygen. From the soil water, oxygen and other nutrients are absorbed and used to stimulate plant growth. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the most vital nutrients for all plants. Other micronutrients play an important part in a plants growth and development as well.

A plants root acts as an anchor and is responsible for absorbing nutrients and water from the soil. The root hair is where most of this work begins. The main root stores water and other nutrients and then release them as needed.

Most plants are programmed to grow upwards towards the sunlight and circulating air. A strong stem will give the plant support needed to reach this goal. In addition, the plant stem acts like a human circulatory system, transporting nutrients from roots to other parts of the plant.

A plant also absorbs nutrients through its leaves. On the underside of a leaf are tiny pores, where carbon dioxide enters. The dioxide is then combined with nutrients and water to produce carbohydrates that then feed the plant. The more leaves a plant has, the more nourishment it can produce for its own use.

These are just a few basics of how plants grow. You will experience greater success, fewer problems and far more enjoyment from all your gardening experiences. Isn't that what you want?