My daughter's project is to test how a certain plant responds to different concentrations of Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt). She will not foliar feed, but will make a solution for each variable. Is is acceptable to purchase mature plants rather than grow from seed?
Thank you in advance!
Plants vs. seeds
Moderators: AmyCowen, kgudger, bfinio, MadelineB, Moderators
-
HowardE
- Posts: 496
- Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:35 pm
- Occupation: Science Buddies content developer
- Project Question: N/A
- Project Due Date: N/A
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Plants vs. seeds
In a perfect world you want plants that are all genetically identical, raised in exactly the same way. Even in a package of seeds you raise yourself you can't be sure of that but at least you'd know they got the same amount of light, same kinds of food, etc. If you buy mature plants you don't know. That adds a variable you'll have to account for when analyzing the results.
If you buy them from a greenhouse and they can confirm that all of the plants were planted at the same time and fed and watered the same way then it's not the worst thing in the world. I definitely wouldn't try it unless I spoke with the greenhouse and was certain that they were all raised the same way, next to each other in the same soil.
The big drawback is that if you get unexpected results it's hard to explain whether it was the experiment itself, the way you did it or the plants.
Howard
If you buy them from a greenhouse and they can confirm that all of the plants were planted at the same time and fed and watered the same way then it's not the worst thing in the world. I definitely wouldn't try it unless I spoke with the greenhouse and was certain that they were all raised the same way, next to each other in the same soil.
The big drawback is that if you get unexpected results it's hard to explain whether it was the experiment itself, the way you did it or the plants.
Howard
-
Perennialmommy
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2015 6:18 am
- Occupation: Parent
Re: Plants vs. seeds
Thank you. We do have a local greenhouse that would be able to confirm the growing conditions. If it is noted in the materials, would it be acceptable for a project that is to be judged?
-
HowardE
- Posts: 496
- Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:35 pm
- Occupation: Science Buddies content developer
- Project Question: N/A
- Project Due Date: N/A
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Plants vs. seeds
I've judged in the NH state fair. If I were assigned to your daughter's project I'd be most concerned about what she did to assure that the plants were treated equally in her experiment except for the independent variable. I'd want to see that her data was complete and clear, with a clear conclusion - whatever that ends up being.
I would certainly ask about the plants and when she said they were purchased from a greenhouse I'd raise an eyebrow at that. Then she'd explain that they were all grown in the same area of the greenhouse, got the same amount of light, raised in the same soil, etc. Documentation from the greenhouse to that effect would help. Think about it this way - if you work with mice and buy genetically pure mice from a place like The Jackson Laboratory (a world class supplier of research animals), people trust them. I can make a case for why a greenhouse raising plants can do the same thing. If you can, ask them for details like the makeup of the soil they were grown in, what temperatures they experienced, how much water got, etc. It seems silly but if you were raising them from seed you'd know all of that stuff. If they were just watered without fertilizer that would sit better with most judges than if they were treated with fertilizer prior to the experiment.
So yes, note that in the materials and have documentation to back it up.
Howard
I would certainly ask about the plants and when she said they were purchased from a greenhouse I'd raise an eyebrow at that. Then she'd explain that they were all grown in the same area of the greenhouse, got the same amount of light, raised in the same soil, etc. Documentation from the greenhouse to that effect would help. Think about it this way - if you work with mice and buy genetically pure mice from a place like The Jackson Laboratory (a world class supplier of research animals), people trust them. I can make a case for why a greenhouse raising plants can do the same thing. If you can, ask them for details like the makeup of the soil they were grown in, what temperatures they experienced, how much water got, etc. It seems silly but if you were raising them from seed you'd know all of that stuff. If they were just watered without fertilizer that would sit better with most judges than if they were treated with fertilizer prior to the experiment.
So yes, note that in the materials and have documentation to back it up.
Howard