All these factors should not be considered alone because they interact. For example, high temperatures often lead to the drying out of growing mediums which, in turn, leads to the plant being put under stress because its roots cannot absorb nutrients – remember plants can only take in dissolved nutrients. Conversely, low temperatures can damage plants and cause irreparable damage. Pollinators also will not fly when temperatures are very low. Using named plant species, you should be able to discuss the impact of each of these factors – so how light affects the particular species, how wind, water, and temperature affect them, and also how relative humidity, light levels, and oxygen affect them. You should be able to discuss how to minimise damage by abiotic factors and how to protect plants such as tender and half-hardy plants. You should also be able to decide which protection is suitable – as an example if you decide to select windbreaks to help create shelter, do you choose a solid one or one which allows air to filter through, albeit slowed down? You should understand how drought can affect plant nutrition and how water management can be used to help with irrigation. What symptoms might plants show when they are growing in a drought situation? Linked to this is the second element, plant nutrition which of course affects plant health. You should be able to discern macro and micro-nutrients and what they do, how plants use them, and from where they may obtain them. What happens when nutrients are short – how does the effect show in a plant? The third element is the impact of competition on
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