| Test fertilizers to see which one allows grass | | | | running out when you water the seeds but |
| seed to grow best. Have you ever wondered | | | | won’t totally clog it up. |
| whether a plant or seed needs anything except | | | | Sprinkle several seeds in each pot and then cover |
| soil water and light to grow. Here is your chance | | | | them with about another ¼ inch of soil. |
| to learn for yourself. | | | | On one pot sprinkle about 1 or 2 tsp 12-12-12 |
| Go to your local garden store and pick up 5 pots | | | | fertilizer. On another pot sprinkle nitrogen fertilizer |
| soil and a fast growing seed like radishes. Also get | | | | nutrients and yet another put phosphorus fertilizer |
| some soil but make sure you purchase regular | | | | nutrients and on the 4th put potassium fertilizer |
| clay or top soil. You don’t want to get a soil | | | | nutrients. The last pot you will leave with no |
| that already has a fertilizer nutrient mixed into the | | | | fertilizer at all. |
| dirt. Get a very small amount of these fertilizers: | | | | Use a watering can for this if you can and put |
| 12-12-12 | | | | about an 1/8 cup of water on each pot. If you |
| Nitrogen fertilizer nutrients | | | | bought really big pots you will probably need ¼ |
| Phosphorus fertilizer nutrients | | | | cup of water. |
| Potassium fertilizer nutrients | | | | Now leave the pots alone and water daily. Watch |
| You can also get some plastic bottoms for the | | | | the pots every day and make a visual |
| pots but you can easily use a plastic container top | | | | observation of any changes you notice. Use graph |
| like a cottage cheese or sour cream top. | | | | paper. You may also want to use some chalk and |
| When you get home with your supplies you will | | | | mark a number or letter on each pot to easily |
| want to get started right away as the seeds | | | | graph and plot the information. |
| need several days to a week to sproute. | | | | Notice the color of the plants as they germinate |
| Arrange the pots on a counter area what will be | | | | and also note how fast they eash grow. What did |
| out of your way from everyday work but will | | | | you determine by this experiment. What nutrient |
| allow for them to have adequate light water and | | | | caused the seeds to sprout the fastest? Which |
| be at the same temperature. | | | | one grew the fastest and which one grew the |
| In each pot fill it 2/3 full with the dirt. You may | | | | tallest. |
| want to put a rock in the bottom hole of the pot | | | | This is a great 7th or 8th grade science project |
| before you do this. This will keep the soil from | | | | for kids and also high school students. |