Soil Temperature and Seed Sprouting Speed
Medium
Does warmer soil make a seed sprout faster? You plant seeds in six pots and divide them into three temperature groups. Two pots sit over a heat source at about 32 degrees Celsius. Two pots stay at room temperature near 18 degrees Celsius. Two pots rest in a cold spot near 5 degrees Celsius.
You water all pots on the same schedule and check for sprouts twice a day. The heated pots sprout one full day before the others. The results suggest that warmer soil speeds up germination.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that seeds in warmer soil will sprout faster than those in normal or cooler soil.
Method & Materials
You will need to gather materials, cut open a bag of potting soil, put the soil in pots, put the seeds in the pots, label the pots, place the pots in different temperatures (32C, 18C, 5C), check the plant growth every morning and night, and water the plants every two days.
You will need 6 flower pots, 6 seeds, a bag of potting soil, a heating source, scissors, a thermometer, and 4 tablespoons of water for each plant every two days.
Results
The results of the experiment showed that the seeds sprouted faster at 18C compared to seeds at 32C or 5C. This observation stands out because the warmer temperature of 32C did not help the seeds sprout faster, it actually made the seeds sprout slower.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it shows that the temperature of the soil impacts seed germination and that warmer temperatures may not help seeds sprout faster.
Also Consider
Variations to consider include using different types of seeds, different amounts of moisture, and different temperatures.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related video
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
Share this Science Project:
Related Science Fair Project Ideas
Sort soybean seeds by weight and test whether heavier or lighter seeds push through 10 centimeters of soil faster.
Medium
Plant pea seeds in 14 different soil samples and track which root diseases appear most often as the plants grow.
Medium
Clone a plant using leaf cuttings, stem cuttings, or layering and compare which method grows new roots first.
Medium
Share this Science Project: