Grow Tips
What Happens to Water in Plants?
Sep
Our plants consume hundreds of litres of water during their full life and just like humans most plants are 75% water. There and many beginner and even experienced growers that don’t truly understand what happens with the water after the plant takes it in. There are multiple stages in the flow of water for plants after it is introduced to your soil or hydroponic soil replacement.
Osmosis
You may have seen this without knowing what it is with your paper towels or in TV adverts.
Osmosis is the process when water spreads through a dry area evenly, as seen in paper towel adverts, a fraction of the towel is introduced to the water and then It spreads the liquid through it.
This also happens with the roots of your plant. Roots do not actively seek water and consume it, the water finds the roots through Osmosis and then naturally soaks them. Once the water gets inside the roots, it is then transported throughout the whole plant via the Vascular System.
Vascular System
The Vascular System is the tubes that pump the water through the plant, allowing the hydrogen to reach the leaves, flowers and stem. These tubes are made up from the Xylem cells, they come together to form the system that allows the water to move inside the plant.
The leaves on the plant turn the, oxygen and nutrients into a natural plant sugar. This sugar (usually sucrose) is then taken down another tube made from the phloem cell that spreads the sugar across the plant where it used for energy.
A lot of this sugar is stored inside the roots and then occasionally released into your soil or hydroponic growing medium in attempt to attract beneficial fungi and bacteria.
Transpiration
Transpiration is when the water and oxygen is released out of the plants. The stomata are used in this process to help move and draw moisture from the plant and into the environment around it. If a plant is transpiring a lot, it will need more water. As the plant released its oxygen and H2O, more is coming in via the roots.
If you are looking to save water, try covering your soil or growing medium with some ground cloth/fabric. This helps save water because the roots are still able to take in oxygen and water but moisture is not lost to the surrounding environment.
This little water saver does not only allow you to cut back on water usage, it can also be effective in reducing fungus growth.
With a little knowledge on why water is important to your plant and how it flows inside, you may find your growing skills improving and even healthier plants.
