Garrett Ellis, Tavin Dotson, Scott Wilson, and Travis LaBerge
April 18th, 2013
Sayani Millick
512
The goal of our experiment was to test whether or not adding fertilizer to plants improved growth and to what extent, if any, did it improve growth. The project consisted of 5 control zinnia plants that would be watered regularly and no fertilizer was to be added to these plants. The 5 experimental plants would be watered at the same time and amount as the control but Miracle Grow fertilizer was added to the water. After the allotted experimental time period of 4 weeks, we recorded that the control group of plants had not grown as large as the experimental group by a considerable amount. It was concluded that the addition of fertilizer to plants during early stages of growth can aid in plant growth. All though the margin by which the plants grew was not very large, it was easy to tell which was the control was, and which was the experimental group. The difference between the abundance of flowers each plant had was also in great variance. The fertilizer was beneficial in both growth of the plant, and producing flowers.
The curiosity on wanting to know how great fertilizer worked on rapid growth on plants versus just simply watering the plant was an easy experimental choice. Many questions have been raised on just how good fertilizer is for some plants, and if it is worth buying expensive bags of it. Researching what made up fertilizer, and finding out what nutrients and minerals are in it was a must before coming up with a hypothesis. The hypothesis was that the control group would not grow as fast, and as large as the experimental group would in a 4 week period. The predictions were that there would be rapid growth in the experimental group.
Planting 5 zinnia control plants in Styrofoam cups and 5 zinnia experimental cups was the first step in our experiment. The plants were to be watered twice a week with a 250 ml beaker of water for each different plant. A tablespoon of fertilizer was mixed and added to each plant in the experimental group, each time the plants were watered. Plants were stored in the green house at a temperature of about 31 degrees Celsius or 86 degree Fahrenheit. Each week we measured each plant and recorded the plants height either into the control group or the experimental group of our data sheets. This was done for 4 weeks, twice a week. After the conclusion of the 4 week time allotted for the experiment the results are as follow.
Week one both the control group and the experimental group have showed only minor signs that the germination process has begun. No recorded heights. Week two both the control and the experimental group have sprouted out of the soil and began to germinate. Recorded heights were ranging from half an inch and below in height. No signs that the experimental group has grown larger than the control group. Week three the recorded heights of the fertilizer group appear to be growing taller, although by a very small amount, than that of the control group. Heights of the experimental group are ranging from 2.5 inches to 3 inches being the tallest. Heights of the control group show that the plants height is averaged at 2.2 inches for the 5 plants. Week four the control group has grown to an average of 4.2 inches and the
