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Botany Science Fair Project

Soil pH and Kentucky Bluegrass Growth

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Soil pH and Kentucky Bluegrass Growth | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Does soil pH affect how tall grass grows? Kentucky bluegrass is a common lawn grass. It may grow better in slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil. You fill five pots with soil adjusted to pH levels of 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, and 8.0. You use soil sulfur to lower pH and ground limestone to raise it. Then you plant Kentucky bluegrass seeds in each pot. You water them daily for 14 days. After two weeks, you measure the average height in each pot to find the ideal pH for this grass.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the Kentucky bluegrass will grow best in slightly acidic soil.

Method & Materials

You will measure the pH level of soil, add soil sulfur or grounded limestone to the soil to adjust the pH level, plant Kentucky bluegrass seeds in the soil, and measure the height of the grass after two weeks.
You will need a packet of Kentucky bluegrass seeds, 5 plastic pots, enough soil for the 5 pots, a bag of soil sulfur, a bag of grounded limestone, a pH measuring kit, a soil chart, a 1m ruler, and a black marker pen.

Results

The experiment showed that the Kentucky bluegrass was the tallest and healthiest when it was planted in soils of pH levels 6.5 and 7.0.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it shows how the pH level of soil can affect the growth of grass.

Also Consider

Experiment variations to consider include using other types of grass such as Bermuda grass and carpet grass, and adding clay or sand to the soil.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

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