Fruits

All plants, edible or not, require certain soil factors such as the ability of the soil to drain excess water away from the plant's roots, since roots standing in water may become damaged. Other important considerations about soils are the amount of air in the soil and the type of nutrients. The nutrients that fruit plants need include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other micronutrients.

Nitrogen deficiency is apparent in a plant that has yellowing leaves. Nitrogen is essential for the formation of chlorophyll in a plant and also helps it produce proteins and hormones. Phosphorus is needed by fruit plants for the production of carbohydrates, and potassium helps the plant open and close its pores as it exhales moisture and inhales carbon dioxide. When these elements are not present in the soil in sufficient quantities, they must be added to for good fruit crop production.