Co-Authored By:
Then, what is the role of nitrogen in soil?
Nitrogen is an important building block of proteins, nucleic acids and other cellular constituents which are essential for all forms of life. Nitrogen is such an important key nutrient element for plants that it warrants careful management, and – if mismanaged – can lead to severe environmental problems.
Thereof, how does nitrogen affect soil?
The nitrate form of nitrogen is so soluble that it leaches easily when excess water percolates through the soil. This can be a major loss mechanism in coarse-textured soils where water percolates freely, but is less of a problem in finer-textured, more impermeable soils, where percolation is very slow.
Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for plant growth and is needed in relatively large amounts by all plants so a standard nitrogen recommendation is routinely provided for vegetable gardens. The annual recommended nitrogen rate is 3.5 ounces per 100 square feet or 2.2 pounds per 1,000 square feet.