Plants require water, air, soil, nutrients, sunlight and proper temperature for optimum growth. To grow a plant, first wet the soil, dig to an appropriate depth, and place the seeds in the soil, which acts as the growing medium. Ensure that the soil is fertile so that it can provide nutrients such as minerals and vitamins required for plant growth. If required, add fertilizers and organic matter to supplement the nutrients in the soil. Ensure that the temperature is warm and sufficient air is available to promote seed germination. Also, check if the plant requires warm or cool weather conditions for optimum growth, and accordingly plant it indoors or in a shady area, or outdoors. Provide adequate sunlight so that photosynthesis, a process that forms food material that plants need for growth, may occur (Office of Environmental Horticulture, 2002). Water the seeds regularly so that they can germinate. Provide water to the growing plant to promote transpiration and photosynthesis, and for transferring nutrients from the soil into the roots (Quinlan, n.d.)..
When the seeds germinate, radical and epicotyl develop from the embryo of the seed, and further grow into the roots and shoots of plants. The plant then goes through the vegetative stage of growth to grow the stem, branches and leaves. The stem hardens to form the trunk, and multiple leaves grow out from the branches. The mature plant then enters the reproductive phase of growth, and starts flowering. Through the flowers, the plant pollinates, which results in fertilization. After fertilization, the plant produces fruits along with seeds. The seeds then mature, get dispersed and germinate when growth conditions are ideal to produce new plants. In the last stage of plant growth, the plant undergoes chemical and physical alterations that lead to its death. This phase is marked typically by the yellowing of plant leaves. Death of the plant normally begins after the seeds mature (Bareja, 2015).
References
Bareja, B. G.. (2015) The major stages of development in plants: How plants grow from seed. Retrieved from http://www.cropsreview.com/development-in-plants.html.
Office of Environmental Horticulture. (2002) Help sheets- Things plants need. In The Young Virginia Gardener. Retrieved from http://www.hort.vt.edu/HORT6004/network/YouthGardener/Helpsheets/thingsPlantsNeed.pdf.
Quinlan J. (n.d.) Why do plants need water? Retrieved from http://www.growinganything.com/why-do-plants-need-water.html.
