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

By Nathan Pendergraft

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.

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.

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.

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

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 four

Week 3

Week 2Week 1

Week 1

Results

Potting SoilAverage Height(Cm)

Top Soil Average Height (Cm)

Peat Moss SoilAverage Height (Cm)

Week 1 3.5cm 5cm 4cm

Week 2 16cm 20cm 18cm

Week 3 43cm 51cm 48cm

Week 4 66cm 65cm 68cm

Potting Soil Peat Moss Soil Top Soil0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

3.5 4 5

1618

20

43

4851

6668

65

Plant Growth in Soils

Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4

Plant Hiegth

Conclusions

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

Acknowledgements

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