What do plants need to grow?

The growth of plants requires water, light, soil, temperature, carbon, oxygen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Air provides oxygen and carbon dioxide, the source of carbon, which plants fix through photosynthesis. Soil provides plants with reserves of water and mineral elements that nourish them. It is a true bioreactor, supporting a complex ecosystem. Soil recycles organic matter into mineral elements that can be reused by plants.