All plants require certain nutrients for good growth.
Carbon and oxygen are taken in through the leaves during photosynthesis, while the rest of the required nutrients normally are taken up through the roots. Most nutrients and water are taken up through the very fine roots called root hairs. These are very small, but are extremely numerous and effective in nutrient uptake. The more soil the roots are able to penetrate, the more potential they have to contact needed nutrients and water. Therefore, providing a noncompacted, well-drained soil is important for optimum growth of most plant species.