• Plants make vitamin C on their own and need it to survive.Vitamin C image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
  
  Studies at universities and research facilities, such as University of Exeter and California State, show that some added vitamins help plants improve their growth. It has also been show that plants create their own vitamins. More research is ongoing, but a few vitamins are proven needed or helpful.
  
  

Vitamin C

• Vitamin C is needed for plant growth. An enzyme in plants produces vitamin C. A recent study by scientists at both University of Exeter and Shimane University has proven that plants cannot grow at all without vitamin C. Plants use vitamin C to combat stress from uncontrollable weather conditions such as drought and UV radiation.
  
  

Vitamin B

• According to researchers at Advanced Nutrients and master gardeners, Vitamin B is known to help plants grow stronger and larger than their normal size and strength. B5 is needed for overall growth, and without it, plants grow slowly or not at all. B1 helps create energy, which in turn increases growth and flower production. B1 also aids root strength and keeps the plant from getting shocked by damage or transplanting.
  
  

Vitamin D

• The addition of vitamin D has been shown to improve plant growth, but is not needed for healthy plants. This was demonstrated by a student study at California State University. Vitamin D can be obtained through simple sunlight, which plants normally get on a regular basis. Adding vitamin D increases these levels. Why it improves growth is not know, but experiments have shown that it does.