He then orders his or her own garden in the light of that understanding, directing the work to the garden itself and to the greater glory of God. As plants die to replenish the soil, or are consumed, or used by animals and man, their life is perpetuated in a dormant state by seeds. These awaken and send out new roots and shoots when they receive moisture from the surrounduIg soil and when they have a certain temperature - sometimes with the help of light. As the spring days warm up, the proper temperatures for plant growth normally follow those at which seeds begin to sprout. Once roots and shoots have started, their growth is sustained by soil, moisture, light and air.
Moisture enables the roots to absorb soil substances in liquid solution.
Energy from light is utilized by the plant leaves to transform water and carbon dioxide from the air, in the presence of asorbed soil substances, into nourishment for the grown plant cells. Plant cells then consume this nourishment through a process of respiration, using oxygen from the air. As much as 98 per cent of the material with which the plant body is built may come from air and water only 2 per cent coming strictly from the soil. As plants grow, the roots extend downwards and the main stem or trunk upwards, the branch stems sideways, and shoots are turned toward the light by the faster growth of their sides or parts receiving least light. Equally marvelous is the way the thickness of the trunk is proportioned to the size of the branches and the size of the root system to th at of the shoot system.