Use Plant Hormones for a More Beautiful Landscape

As kids, we all learned that plants need air, water and sunlight to grow. However, the science behind growing a beautiful landscape goes much deeper than that. 

Like humans, plants produce hormones that influence their growth. These naturally occurring hormones regulate things such as how fast a plant grows or when it releases fruit. 

Hormones also affect the colors of leaves and flowers. We can often tell if a plant is struggling due to a lack of hormones just by looking at it. 

When your plants fail to thrive, you can use special hormones to revive them. These hormones are available naturally in plants or in synthetic form. 

Knowing how they work lets you see the benefits they have for your lawn and garden. 

Common Types of Plant Hormones

There are five main classes of plant hormones.

• Abscisic acid
• Cytokinins 
• Auxins
• Gibberellins
• Ethylene

Each of these classes of hormones perform essential roles that influence the growth of plants and their appearance. 

For instance, abscisic acid prevents seeds from germinating until the conditions are just right. In Arizona, this hormone sometimes kicks in during drought conditions, and it can cause the plant to stop growing to prevent water loss. 

Auxins and cytokinins work with each other to influence the ways that a plant grows. 

For most plants, these hormones should be at proportionate amounts. When one outweighs the other, different effects occur. 

For example, higher levels of auxins influence the direction in which plants grow and generate more roots. High cytokinins can cause plants to become bushier and produce more shoots. 

Fertilizers often contain a specific mix of these plant hormones to achieve the desired effect for the type of plants in your landscape. 

Gibberellins have a tremendous impact upon plant growth. They help seeds start to grow after they germinate. The right levels of this hormone can also cause plants to flower faster. 

Alternatively, the level of this hormone can be adjusted to slow plant growth such as when a bush begins to get too tall. 

Use Plant Hormones for a More Beautiful Landscape Video

 

Effects Achieved With Hormone Treatments 

Our professional treatments are designed to help strengthen the plants on your landscape by giving them the right hormonal balance needed for optimum growth. 

Depending upon your plants’ health, we can apply hormones that help to strengthen root systems so that the plant gets the nutrients that it needs from the soil. 

Hormones can also be used to create more beautiful blossoms from flowering plants or to suppress fruit development in areas where it is unwanted. 

Signs That Your Plants Need a Boost 

The majority of plants begin to show signs of struggle at the beginning of the season when they fail to revive from dormancy or germinate from seeds. 

Mid-season, you may also see signs that your plant needs help making it through hot temperatures or drought conditions. 

A plant in trouble is often evident by visible symptoms such as shriveling leaves or stunted growth. Extremely elongated stems with few shoots are another sign that your plants need treatment. 

The use of hormones requires an understanding of the complex ways they influence how bushes and other plants grow. 

Whether you have a flower bed that is struggling to take off or a bush that is failing to thrive, the right fertilizing application can help them transform back into the beautiful plants that you desire.

Custom Weed & Pest Control has been in business since 1989, serving the greater Phoenix metro area for both residential and commercial. We have teamed up with Tree Theory, and offer plant and tree care, with customized service to meet your specific needs.

Related Page: Information About Plant Hormones