Teaming with Nutrients: The Organic Gardener's Guide to Optimizing Plant Nutrition

by Jeff Lowenfels

Overview

​“Gets deep into the weeds, so to speak, of the microscopic architecture of plants and the biochemical processes at play.” —Washington Post

Most gardeners realize that plants need to be fed, but many of us know little about the nature of the science involved. In Teaming with Nutrients, Jeff Lowenfels explains the basics of plant nutrition from an organic gardener’s perspective. In his trademark down-to-earth, style, Lowenfels explains the role of both macronutrients and micronutrients and shows gardeners how to provide these essentials through organic, easy-to-follow techniques. Along the way, Lowenfels provides easy-to-grasp lessons in the biology, chemistry, and botany needed to understand how nutrients get into  the plant and what they do once they’re inside.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781604693140
Publisher:	Timber Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/07/2013
Pages:	250
Sales rank:	260,167
Product dimensions:	6.44(w) x 9.14(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

Jeff Lowenfels is the author several of award-winning books on plants and soil, and he is the longest running garden columnist in North America. Lowenfels is a national lecturer as well as a fellow, hall of fame member, and former president of the Garden Writers of America.

Table of Contents

Foreword Dr. Mike Amaranthus 7

Acknowledgments 9

Introduction 11

The Plant Cell 20

Some Basic Chemistry 53

Botany for Plant Nutrition 71

The Nutrients 94

Water Movement through Plants 121

Nutrient Movement through Plants 133

The Molecules of Life 154

The Importance of Soil Testing 166

Factors Influencing Nutrient Availability 179

What and When to Feed Plants 194

Epilogue 224

Resources 229

Glossary 232

Index 237

Photo and Illustration Credits 250

Editorial Reviews

Obviously, plant nutrition is the key to successful organic gardening. This new book by Teaming with Microbes author Jeff Lowenfels is a back-to-basics guide to improving and maintaining the quality of your plants. Nowhere in Teaming with Nutrients does its writer assume that readers possess proficiency in botany, biology, and chemistry, but he does offer accessible tutorials in the science behind his growing strategies. A reader-friendly guide for environmentally responsible gardeners. (P.S. Jeff Lowenfels is a popular national gardening writer and is also the founder of Plant a Row for The Hungry, a program that has created 14 million meals to feed the hungry.)

05/20/2013
Colorful illustrations, plentiful and readable diagrams, and a well-executed chapter structure make this an indispensable resource for the serious organic farmer who did not major in organic chemistry. Lowenfels (Teaming with Microbes) has packed as much helpful information into this volume about how plants absorb nutrients as there are nutrients in a single plant cell—that is, lots. The book is weighty on the scientific level, but accessible. Each chapter builds on the previous one and concludes with a summary bullet-point section called “Summing Up.” (Some readers may benefit from reading the summary bullet points first.) Not all of the technical information presented here will be suited to every organic farmer, but every farmer will benefit from some element in the book—if nothing else, from Grandpa Al’s Can’t Fail Recipe for organic fertilizer. For organic farmers who take the book seriously, it will forever change the way they look at the “back forty.” (May 14)

Publishers Weekly

"If you really want to get a sense of how little we know about how plants use fertilizers — and I count myself in this league — you should read Teaming with Nutrients, which gets deep into the weeds, so to speak, of the microscopic architecture of plants and the biochemical processes at play." —The Washington Post
 
“Useful and practical information on soil testing, natural and synthetic fertilizers, factors influencing availability of nutrients, and the importance of proper fertilizing.” —Pacific Horticulture
 
“Lowenfels offers everyone else a crash course in discovering soil structure, fertility, and microbial actions powerful enough to turn a dry wash into a productive source of clean, slow, organically grown food, without a single bag of potting soil.” —The Desert Sun
 
“Lowenfels offers a deeper understanding of the major and minor plant nutrients and delivers the necessary science in a conversational style that most gardeners will appreciate.” —The Monterey County Herald
 
“You’ll never garden the same old way again.” —Muskogee Phoenix
 
“Colorful illustrations, plentiful and readable diagrams, and a well-executed chapter structure make this an indispensable resource.” —Publishers Weekly
 

From the Publisher

In this book, Lowenfels offers a deeper understanding of the major and minor plant nutrients and delivers the necessary science in a conversational style that most gardeners will appreciate.

The Monterey County Herald - Tom Karwin

Teaming with Nutrients is a terrific follow up to Teaming with Microbes by asking and answering the next big question – How do plants absorb nutrients?

Organic Plant Magic Blog

Your awe of plants and the lives they lead will increase if you ‘just read it’ and you’ll never garden the same old way again.

Muskogee Phoenix - Molly Day

'Books like Teaming With Nutrients (and Teaming With Microbes) are like adding better, sharper, more durable tools to your garden shed… Another great book from Lowenfels.'

The Desert Sun

In this book, Lowenfels offers a deeper understanding of the major and minor plant nutrients and delivers the necessary science in a conversational style that most gardeners will appreciate.”

Big Blog of Gardening

Teaming with Nutrients is a terrific follow up to Teaming with Microbes by asking and answering the next big question – How do plants absorb nutrients?”

The Monterey County Herald - Maureen Gilmer

Your awe of plants and the lives they lead will increase if you ‘just read it’ and you’ll never garden the same old way again.”

Organic Plant Magic Blog - Todd Heft

Colorful illustrations, plentiful and readable diagrams, and a well-executed chapter structure make this an indispensable resource.”

Muskogee Phoenix - Tom Karwin