Subject: Re: Oxygen to plant roots

From: [email-masked] (Nancy Harrison)
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 05:52:21

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Polar) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (Polar)
>Subject: Oxygen to plant roots
>Date: 21 Jun 1995 07:26:39 GMT

>Naive question:

>Why do we cultivate the soil around plants so oxygen will get to the
>roots?  As a home gardener, I've done it automatically for years, but
>got to wondering why just the oxygen dissolved in water wouldn't be
>enough.  Thanks for any replies.

>Polar

Plants "drown" just like animals if surrounded by water with no air.  The 
roots therefore need air around them to function.  I can't tell you exactly 
why it works this way, but I know from my studies of vernal pools (in Calif) 
that only specially adapted plants can survive under water for long.  Your 
garden has regular terrestrial plants that don't have these adaptations.  I 
hope this helps a little...not too scientific, I'm afraid!  - Nan

---

From: [email-masked] (Polar)
Date: 21 Jun 1995 07:26:39 GMT

Naive question:

Polar

---

From: Andrew Craig Singer <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 15:03:34 -0700

Naive answer:

>From  my limited knowledge, I believe that plants do not receive oxygen 
>from  the roots...in fact, they don't use oxygen at all, they use CO2, 
which is absorbed through the open stomates in the leaves of the plant.  
I believe the reason people airate the soil around plants, is to promote 
aerobic microbial activity, which is beneficial to the plants because 
microbes provide essential nutrients to plants, as well as other 
features.  And possibly more importantly, it prevents the roots from 
being saturated with water and creating root rot.  

I am SURE there are a number of other reasons why people airate the 
soil...possibly to break up the soil for easier root penetration, better 
soil porosity...etc...the list can go on for ever it seems.  

I hope I shed a little light on the subject for you.

Andrew Singer
[email-masked]