Plants require access to many essential nutrients for proper growth. Since these nutrients are supplied by the soil in which plants are grown, it's important that you maintain quality soil in your garden if you want your plants to grow properly. A nitrogen deficiency in your garden soil could wreak havoc with your harvest, so you should constantly be watching for signs that your plants need access to more nitrogen.

Here are two simple signs that will let you know it's time to add a fertilizer with nitrogen to your garden beds.

1. You notice that your plants are stunted in their growth.

One of the easiest ways to spot a nitrogen deficiency in your garden's soil is by checking the size of the plants growing. If you begin to notice that your plants are stunted, this could mean that they need access to more nitrogen.

Plants use nitrogen to help them create the proteins needed to replicate their own cells as they grow. Without enough nitrogen, the replication process gets interrupted, resulting in plants that are smaller than they should be.

Adding a fertilizer with nitrogen to your garden beds will help your plants grow at a normal rate once again.

2. You notice that the leaves of your plants are looking a little yellow.

Many of the plants that you include in your garden are likely supposed to have vines, leaves, and stems that are a rich green in color. Foliage that appears to be dull or yellow in color could be a good indication that there isn't enough nitrogen in your garden beds' soil.

Plants rely on nitrogen to help complete the photosynthesis process. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy, and it is also the process responsible for the vibrant green color a healthy plant displays. If there is a nitrogen shortage in the soil in which a plant is growing, photosynthesis cannot occur properly.

When you see the vines, leaves, and stems of your plants beginning to yellow, you might want to add a fertilizer with nitrogen to the soil in your garden beds to help put each plant's photosynthesis process back in balance.

Caring for a garden can be a challenge, but ensuring that your plants have access to enough nitrogen is a simple way to improve the quality of your garden in the future. Watch for plants that are stunted in their growth or beginning to yellow, and use a fertilizer with added nitrogen to help correct these problems. Try a product, such as Nature Safe, to see if it helps your garden.