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Thunder Storms

John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 541
in Fruit & veg
Did you know that thunder storms are extremely beneficial to the garden? Our atmosphere contains about 75% Nitrogen but that is in an insoluble state. Lightning strikes convert atmospheric Nitrogen into NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide) which is why plants go greener and grow faster after a thunderstorm as NO2 is a form of soluble nitrogen that plants love. John H
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Posts

  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Now I know why my garden looks like a jungle, all these storms we have had for the past three weeks! 
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Mmmmm.

    There is plenty of NO2 in our atmosphere already, from pollution.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    You write with authority John but my gut feeling is to be very unconvinced. Can you direct me to more evidence?
    Rutland, England
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Should also add NO2 is highly toxic to us, and is the cause of acid rain. So maybe not so great.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 541
    There are a number of articles to be found in Google on this subject. I first learned of this phenomenon back in the early 1970s in a readers digest book on the wonders of our planet. Look at www.greenthumbplanet.Com as a classic example (there are many more). John H
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Well if it’s on Google it must be true ……..
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    OK, I’ve read more and see that there is truth here. But I want convincing over your use of “extremely beneficial”.  If I had no lightning above my garden for a year, by how much would my plants’ nitrogen intake be depleted? I would infer from your post it would be a chunky %, my feeling is it would be minimal. And on the negative side, I would want to work into the equation the damage caused to plants by the high winds and heavy rain that usually accompany lightning, the soil erosion that can follow heavy rain, and the washing away of nutrients deep into the soil below plant roots or into drainage ditches and ultimately the sea.
    Rutland, England
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    There is already far too much NO2 in the atmosphere, it is unlikely that the odd thunderstorm will add much, so this story does not add up.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 812
    BenCotto said:
    I would want to work into the equation the damage caused to plants by the high winds and heavy rain that usually accompany lightning, the soil erosion that can follow heavy rain, and the washing away of nutrients deep into the soil below plant roots or into drainage ditches and ultimately the sea.
    If you've got good soil quality none of this happens.
    When you have poor soil quality and people are feeding the plants (not the soil) fertiliser it does.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    My soil is very good quality and enriched with compost and manure. I’ll accept that in my garden soil erosion is not a concern but battered foxgloves and hollyhocks after Tuesday’s storm most certainly was.
    Rutland, England
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