LIMA BEAN LOGISTICS

What effect does the amount of fertilizer (none, 1.25 mL, 2.5mL, 5mL, 7.5mL) have on the height

of a lima bean plant (measured in centimeters) where the fertilizer is mixed with 3.78 liters of

water over 18 days?

Ben Stern

RATIONALE I wanted to learn if the amount of fertilizer

recommended on the box is actually the best amount for the plants.

Another reason why I chose this topic is because I am very interested in nature and the environment.

People have always wanted ways to make their plants and crops grow bigger, healthier, and faster, and a different amount of fertilizer may work better.

I hoped to accomplish finding a more environmentally friendly way to water the plants.

Amounts of fertilizer

RESEARCH Vitamins and minerals plants need Ingredients of fertilizer Harmful effects of fertilizer Fertilizing houseplants Fertilizer in agriculture

HYPOTHESIS If the fertilizer mixtures of none, 1.25 mL,

2.5mL, 5mL, and 7.5 mL of fertilizer, all mixed with 3.78 L of water are given to the lima bean plants, then the mixture of 2.5 mL of fertilizer/3.78 L of water will grow the best because that is the recommended amount, and based on my research overfeeding the seeds will not improve growth, but the plants still need to receive a recommended amount of vitamins and minerals as found in fertilizer to grow adequately.

CONTROLS AND VARIABLES Control group: The lima bean seeds that are watered with

no fertilizer just tap water. Independent: The amount of fertilizer the seed is fed.

Variable & units: plain water, half the recommended amount (1.25 mL of fertilizer/3.78 L of water), the recommended amount (2.5 mL of fertilizer/3.78 L of water), two times the recommended amount (5 mL of fertilizer/ 3.78 L of water), and three times the recommended amount (7.5 mL of fertilizer/ 3.78 L of water)

Dependent: Height of plant Variable & units: height and growth in centimeters

Control variables & units: amount of soil, type of soil, size of pot, amount of water, type of water, sunlight, air, type of seed

MATERIALS Lima bean seeds Water Sta-Green Moisture Max All

Purpose Potting Soil Miracle-Gro Water-Soluble

All-Purpose Plant Food Ruler Plant trays 251 mL Styrofoam cups

(height of 9 cm) Shovel 3.78 L containers Measuring cups/spoons

Masking Tape Sharpie Medicine syringe Popsicle sticks String

Fertilizer

Measuring Cup

Water syringe

PROCEDURE

1.      Place the 50 cups into the plant trays. 2.      Measure approximately 5 cm of soil into the

Styrofoam cups. 3.      Place a seed in the center of each cup. 4.      Place another 2 cm of soil over each seed for a

total of 7 cm of soil per cup. 5.      Place the plant trays next to a window**

make sure the trays get the same amount of sunlight**

Sharp objects

PROCEDURE- PART II 6.      Label the plant trays to identify the amount of

fertilizer in each. 7.      Fill five containers with 3.78 liters of water each

using the measuring cups. 8.      Label each container of water 9.      Mix your fertilizer amounts (1.25mL,

2.5mL, 5mL, and 7.5mL) into the correctly labeled container of water using the measuring spoons. One container will have no fertilizer, the control group.

10.  Water the plants 20 mL every third day by filling a medicine syringe with the correct mixture and water each seed

PROCEDURE- PART III 11. After one week start watering the plants 20

mL every other day. 12. After two weeks start watering the plants 30

mL every other day.  13. **More water may be needed if the

experiment goes on for longer than three weeks**   

14.  It could take up to 10 days before you see any growth.

15.  Once plants reach 5 cm put a Popsicle stick into each cup, and tie the plant to it.

16.  Measure each plant every other day (centimeters). Keep data using a table.

PICTURES

Step #2- Cup filled with 5 cm of soil.

Step #3- Lima bean seed placed in cup.

Step # 4- 2 cm of soil is put on top of the seed.

PICTURES- PART II

A seed in all the cups.

Step #5- Trays placed next to window.

Step #6- Trays are labeled

PICTURES- PART III

Step #7- Measuring out 3.78 L of water.

Fertilizer

Step #9- Measuring out fertilizer amounts

Step #8 and #9- Label containers, mix fertilizer

PICTURES- PART IV

Step #10 and #11- Use syringe to measure water for watering seeds.

Me watering the seeds.

Step #12- Upgrading to 30 mL of water every other day.

Day 6- First signs of growth.

PICTURES- PART V

Day 9

Day 9

Day 10: Step #15- Popsicle sticks placed into cups.

Day 10: Step #15- Tie plant to the Popsicle stick.

PICTURES- PART VI

Day 10

Day 12

Day 12

Day 12: Subject 6 of the 1.25 mL of fertilizer/3.78 L of water group breaks

PICTURES- PART VII

Day 15

Day 15

Day 18

Day 18- Final Pictures

DATA

IRP Data

CONCLUSION- PARAGRAPH I Problem: What effect does the amount of fertilizer

(none, 1.25 mL, 2.5mL, 5mL, 7.5mL) have on the height of a lima bean plant (measured in centimeters) where the fertilizer is mixed with 3.78 liters of water?

Hypothesis: If the fertilizer mixture of 2.5mL of fertilizer is given to the lima bean plants, then they will grow the best because that is the recommended amount, and overfeeding the seeds will not improve growth, but the plants still need to receive a recommended amount of vitamins and minerals as found in fertilizer to grow adequately.

Results: The plants that grew the best were the ones that were watered with 1.25 milliliters of fertilizer for every 3.78 liters of water.

CONCLUSION- PARAGRAPH II

Averages1. 1.25 mL of fertilizer/3.78 L of water- 35.0 cm

2. Plain Water- 33.9 cm

3. 5 mL of fertilizer/3.78 L of water- 33.4 cm

4. 2.5 mL of fertilizer/3.78 L of water- 28.6 cm

5. 7.5 mL of fertilizer’ 3.78 L of water- 25.7 cm

48 out of 50 seeds had some growth (cm) Tallest plant was 69.6 cm

CONCLUSION- PARAGRAPH III

Research-Fertilizing Houseplants When fertilizing plants, less is more Most plants grow slower in the winter Give plants either none or only a small amount of

fertilizer in the winter Over fertilizing plants could poison them

The plants watered with more fertilizer could have been harmed because of the excess fertilizer.

Some plants had large amounts of fertilizer in the winter.

CONCLUSION- PARAGRAPH IV

Control Variables Amount and brand of

soil Size and shape of pot Kind of water Amount of sunlight Air Temperature (°C) Type and brand of seed

Negative Factors Dud seeds Certain weather

conditions

Possible Errors Measurements- not as

accurate and precise Forgetting to open the

blinds Watering- skipping over

a plant or watering it multiple times

Plants being in shady areas

CONCLUSION- PARAGRAPH V Research- Never give a plant as much fertilizer as

manufacturer’s label suggests. Companies want people to use it quicker, so they will buy it

more.Beneficiaries Scientists- find how much fertilizer crops actually need Government- make laws on product labels Farmers- not paying extra money for fertilizer that is harming their

plants Environment- less fertilizer, less runoff, healthy ecosystems

Future Questions Which companies are mislabeling products? Which plants and crops do not need as much fertilizer as the suggested

amount? How would the lima beans have turned out if they were grown until

harvest?