
Hydroponics Versus Soil for Five Plant Types
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Do plants grow better in water or in soil? Hydroponics (growing plants in water instead of soil) has gained popularity. But does it produce taller or heavier plants?
You plant five types of seeds in two setups. One uses cups filled with potting soil. The other uses cups filled with sand and water. The five plant types are:
- Radishes
- Cucumbers
- Snapdragons
- Grass
- Bachelor's buttons
You water them daily for five weeks. After 35 days, you pull the plants and measure their length and mass. All five types grew better in soil.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that the vegetables will grow better in water, the flowers will grow better in soil, and the grass will grow equally well in both.
Method & Materials
You will plant different types of seeds in soil and water, water them regularly, and measure the growth of the plants over five weeks.
You will need radish, cucumber, snapdragon, Batchler’s Button, and lawn grass seeds, plastic cups, potting soil, water, and sand.
Results
The results of the experiment showed that the vegetables didn't grow better in water, the flowers grew better in soil, and the grass grew much better in soil. This experiment has shown that soil is the better environment for plants to grow in.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it helps gardeners know how to grow their plants healthier, taller, and faster.
Also Consider
Experiment variations to consider include adding fertilizer to the water and soil to see if the plants grow equally well in both environments, or testing different types of soil to see which one is best for plant growth.
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.
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