The Effect of Which Type of Soil Grows a Lima Bean the Best

1. By Nathan Pendergraft The Effect of Which Type of Soil Grows a Lima Bean the Best

2. Abstract • The experiment was comparing the soils to see which bean plant would grow the best in quantity or size. • The soils were top soil, potting soil, and peat moss soil. • The ingredients of the potting soil is a blend of Canadian sphagnum peat moss, with pine bark, horticultural grade perlite, dolomite lime and a wetting agent. The mix of peat moss is Mosser Lee sphagnum moss , mix of bark, and roots. • They were put in trays that had ten cups in them. The lima bean seed were put into each cup. • The grow light lamp was set up and the plants got twenty-four hours of sunlight. • The lima beans were light green in coloring. They were measured at the end of each week. They were measured 4 weeks. It was found that Potting soil had most in quantity and came in second on average height. • Potting soil grew the lima bean the best.

3. Review of Literature • During the research on the project I found many sources about it. • One I found out that plants are able to grow better in certain types of soils. • They grow better when they are in certain amount of sunlight. • They can produce better when they are in soils that have rich nutrients. • Different soils can receive nutrients from decomposing organisms.

4. Hypothesis • The information that was found led it to this hypothesis. If the potting soil has the most nutrients added to it then it will grow the lima bean plant the best in quantity and in height.

5. Experimental Design • Materials: • Potting Soil • Peat moss Soil • (Top)Earth Soil • Egg carton • Bean Plant • Water • Sunlight • Variables: • Control Variable: 1 cup of soil, ¼ Cup of water, A grow light, same size cup • Independent Variable: Soil • Dependent Variable: Plant Growth • Constant: ¼ cup of water, 1 cup of soil, size of cup

6. Week four Procedure • Procedure: • First you put 30 bean seeds in the cups. • Then you fill the cups with soil. Having 10 cups each for each soil. • Fill this to ¾ of the cup. Then set them in an area to put under a Grow Light. • After that you will water all 30 plants with ¼ cup of water for each cup. You will water this everyday. • This will last for about 3-4 weeks. You will water this for that time. • Record results as the seeds grow. Record the measurements of the height of the plant and if they look healthy, for example the color of the bean plant. • Do a Check at each week, for example soil 1 plants measured 2 inches in week one, and then week 2 and so on. Week 3 Week 1 Week 2 Week 1

7. Results

8. Conclusions • My hypothesis was supported because the potting soil did turn out to be best in quantity and it was in height.

9. Acknowledgements • I would like to thank my parents for buying the things I needed for this project.