Lightning is a natural fertilizer for the soil

Astraphobia, or the fear of lightning, is one of the most common phobias in the country. Some common symptoms of the phobia include increased anxiety during storms, rapid heartbeat, and someone seeking constant assurance that they are safe in a storm. While it’s a phobia that millions deal with, lightning is actually very beneficial for the environment.

Here in Mid-Missouri we see our fair share of thunderstorms, most of them occurring during late May and into June. It’s the prime growing season for the region and while rain is very beneficial for plants to survive, lightning bolts can be as beneficial as long as they don’t hit your plants. The reason has a lot to do with nitrogen, which is one of the most abundant elements in the human body and the most abundant element in our atmosphere. However, our body nor plants can use the nitrogen that is so readily available in its current form, which is where the lightning comes in. During a thunderstorm, the chemical reaction that occurs from lightning interacts with the nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere. This interaction allows the nitrogen to mix with water and fall to the ground as nitrates, which is a natural fertilizer for plants.

It’s for this reason why plants typically look healthier and greener following a thunderstorm, but you still shouldn’t skip out on fertilizing your plants. While the lightning provides the nitrogen to plants, other store-bought fertilizers can help plants in other areas.

This entire process is called the Nitrogen Cycle, a process learned back in elementary school and one of the most important processes, as nitrogen is important for the growth of plants. There are other ways for plants to get nitrogen, whether it be through animal waste or plant matter, but in general lightning, while scary to millions is actually very beneficial for the environment.