Organic phosphorus and plant nutrition

In organic farming systems, phosphorus is supplied mainly through recycling of materials such as compost and manure; it is not readily available to plants. Beware of depleting this element from your soil.

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Phosphorus (P) plays an essential role in cell division and is therefore key to plant growth.

Unlike nutrients such as nitrogen (N), carbon and sulphur, which are partly derived from the atmosphere, all organic P comes from available inorganic P in the soil.

However, the fraction of organic P available for plants is very small and not enough for the plant to grow properly, notes horticulture.org.za.

Organic forms of this element include dead plant and animal residues and soil micro-organisms. These materials contain P mineralised by soil organisms, making this macronutrient easier for plants to use.