"... the
underground stuff"
The leaves, flowers, and fruit
get all the glory, but the roots
make it happen.
Picture yourself digging into
compacted clay or stone-filled soil. Not very easy, is it? But
roots do it all the time! Plants grow in all sorts of climates
and conditions, in part because of their roots’ remarkable
ability to grow through all but the worst soils. Many plants
can survive in poor soil, but most will really thrive
in rich, loose, loamy soil. Successful gardeners know that it’s
important to consider their plants’ underground world,
and to create the best environment for the roots to do their
jobs.
Just what are these jobs? Roots
have several important, if not glamorous, functions:
- They
anchor the plant in place.
- They
absorb water and dissolved minerals.
- Many
roots store food in the form of carbohydrates, keeping it
as a reserve until it is needed.
Roots vary in shape and size,
depending on their primary role. Let’s look at each of
the functions, and see how different roots have evolved to fill
these roles.
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