Plants and Their Interactions with the Environment

Fundamental processes in plants

Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction that allows plants to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into oxygen and energy in the form of sugar. On the other hand, cellular respiration is another chemical reaction plants need to receive energy from glucose. In this process, plants use oxygen and glucose to produce water and carbon dioxide, and to release energy.

 

Source: GROW Training Program "Introduction to Botany and Plant ID"

 

Factors that affect the growth of plants

Let me explain some factors that affect plant growth. First, a light. As sunlight provides energy for plants to grow, sunlight is crucial in plant growth. Depending on the location and environment, the amount of available sunlight varies, and plants’ preferences for light vary as well. We can categorize the range of sunlight for specific area by four categories based on available sunlight hours: full sun (more than 6 hours of direct sunlight daily), partial sun (4 to 5 hours), partial shade (2 to 4 hours), and full shade (less than 1 hour). Then observe which category your yard belongs to and choose the plants according to their sunlight preferences. The second factor is water. Aside from serving as a raw material for photosynthesis, water maintains turgidity in plant cells, thus making the plant stand, and water transports nutrients throughout the plant as well. Many factors affect the amount of water required for a plant. Some of the factors include type of soil, mulch, and plant rooting depth. Thirdly, temperature affects the growth of plants. In warmer temperatures, plants tend to grow faster. On the other hand, plants growth slows down in cooler temperatures.

 

Plant Hardiness

Alright. With these factors kept in mind, let’s talk about the hardiness of plants. If a plant can survive adverse growing conditions, we call the plant hardy. There are plant hardiness maps that provide guidance about which plants can survive in a certain area. Here in Ontario, Canada, we can find two relevant plant hardiness maps: Canada Plant Hardiness Map and Ontario Plant Hardiness Map. In these maps, you can find a bar with different colors and different numbers next to each. That represents plant hardiness zones. The lower the number is the colder the zone is. Also, there is a plant hardiness map used in the US. The zone number in the US is approximately very similar to the one in Canada. For example, the zone number 6 in the US is the same as 5 in Canada. To be successful gardeners, we need to stick to this plant hardiness zone for the plants we’d like to grow.

 

Source: Natural Resources Canada

 

 

<Reference>

Landscape Ontario, GROW Training Program: “Introduction to Botany and Plant ID”
Landscape Ontario, 2023 Garden Centre Introductory Horticultural Training Videos “Introduction to Botany and Plant ID”