Phytoremediation of pesticides- degration of pesticides

[Starfruit]

Ok!

I just took the pics of my plants and I just want to know what the science buddies email is so that I can send them. Thank you!

- Joanne

[deleted-71447]

I'm guessing [email protected] is the one to try.

[Starfruit]

Hello

Thank you so much. Using my second method of phytoremediation, some of my alfalfa plants have wilted and died. It was when the roots of the plants were dangled into the nutrient solution, while the plant was held up on the cardboard.I was wondering if you knew if distilled water cause the plants to die. Maybe because the distilled water has no minerals at all. I checked the pH of tap water and it is neutral so I don't think it matters that much if I used tap water instead of distilled water.

The roots are delicate so they may have gotten damaged when you hung them? I don't think tap vs. distilled is a problem, but usually people recommend distilled because tap water has chloring which can hurt the plants.

something else is that my radish plants aren't germinating. I planted them on Monday and I don't know what is the problem. My friend gave them to be and it might be expired. Do you think I have enough time to buy a new pack?

Yes, some radishes will grow very fast- check the package and look for the shortest number of days (like 21). Sunlight (or a lamp) might help them grow better. For example- summer variety of radish have radishes in 3 weeks (21 days). Other kinds of radish can take 2 months (65 days)!
You should have sprouting in three days... Here are some nice pictures and instructions. (I think this is how you are doing this already)
http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-1 ... --,00.html

This is getting me worried, the science fair is due early april. But I guess it's ok if my hypothesis doesn't work out? Should I change my new question to: Does radish plants phytoremediate citric acid? Sine the variables are too much and also the alfafla might not do well in the acid.

It is fine if your hypothesis doesn't work out! Most of the time my hypotheses are wrong. The important thing is that you understand what happened, and can come up with a new experiment. If you were a full-time scientist, you would do the new experiment- as a science fair student, you should just be able to tell the judges what you would do in the future if you were to continue.

But don't give up! I think the new radishes will be fine. And I think you should try to email us the picture of your hanging plants, so we can see if something looks wrong. Also, were the roots in water, or water with fertiliser?

Louise

Hi!
Thank you for all your help. I'm done most of my sci fair brocheur and write-up for the board. Just missing the experiment outcome. I actually germinated the radish seeds like that but I first I soaked them in a cup of water for a day. Then I just put them in paper towels and in a sealed cup under a lamp.

My plants are grown in the distilled water with fertiliser. So I'm just going to change my hypothesis to: Does radish plants phytoremediate ascorbic and citric acid? .. Since the alfalfa plants will probably die because they are already dieing when I just grew them dangling in the water. Maybe the plant roots got damaged, but I was very careful when I inserted them in the netting. Some of the roots were like that when I took them out of the cottonball. Maybe the main root that touched the water was kind of 'squished' and broken so the water can't get into the plant. My radish seeds say they become edible in 3 weeks! Well What if the 'radish' part of the root gets too heavy? Are radish plants normal to grow hydroponically. Also, has anyone attempted to phytoremediate acids? I googled it but found some people that phytoremediated AMD but I couldn't find if plants phytoremediated acids.

Thank you so much for helping me! I just attached the pictures and sent them to scibuddies. If you need any additional pictures, then just tell me. I took like a ton and just attached some.
- Joanne

[Louise]

Since the alfalfa plants will probably die because they are already dieing when I just grew them dangling in the water. Maybe the plant roots got damaged, but I was very careful when I inserted them in the netting. Some of the roots were like that when I took them out of the cottonball. Maybe the main root that touched the water was kind of 'squished' and broken so the water can't get into the plant.

I think this is exactly right. One of the pictures you sent is a close up of one root that looks pinched. What you can try, if you want, is to take a very sharp knife (get help/permission from your parents first) and cut the plant in half. The top of the plant and the undamaged root should be one half and then the pinched part and the bottom half of the root should be the other part. Throw away the bottom part, and refill the water so the new, short root is submerged. This may not work, but if you cut with a very sharp knife, it minimizes the damage to the root and it may heal.

My radish seeds say they become edible in 3 weeks! Well What if the 'radish' part of the root gets too heavy?

I'm guessing you won't actually get radishes for two reasons- there isn't the right type and amount of sunlight and once you start adding the acid, the plant will be stressed.

Are radish plants normal to grow hydroponically.

They aren't "normal", since usually people don't like radishes as much as tomotoes or lettuces, which are the "normal" plants that are grown. But you can grow them hydroponically- here is a website about an AP biology class that did this:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0110342/ ... xp2_1.html

Apparently magnesium is very important so check your fertiliser. Also, don't eat your radishes- the students used fertilizer designed for food plants- I think you said your's was for aquatic plants, so it may have things in there you would not want to eat.

Also, has anyone attempted to phytoremediate acids? I googled it but found some people that phytoremediated AMD but I couldn't find if plants phytoremediated acids.

What is AMD? I haven't found anything about acids. Mostly people are concerned with metals. There are some examples of remediating chemicals- like poplar trees are used to clean up trichloroethylene (TCE) which is thought to cause cancer.

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi,

Thanks and I'll try the root cutting thing. AMD is acid mine drainage. Water needs to be pumped out to be mined and when the mines are no longer active, all the water is released and it usually consists of acids like sulfuric and metals. It is a major problem and is harmful to the environment. Yes they usually phytoremediate things like PCB.
The fertiliser says it is Iron enriched and has chelated Nitrogen (0.15 %), Chelated Iron ( 0.26%), Chelated Manganese ( 0.05%), Chelated Zinc (0.003%) etc...
I "Manganese" or MN, Magnesium?
Thanks so much
-Joanne

[Louise]

Hi,

Thanks and I'll try the root cutting thing. AMD is acid mine drainage. Water needs to be pumped out to be mined and when the mines are no longer active, all the water is released and it usually consists of acids like sulfuric and metals. It is a major problem and is harmful to the environment. Yes they usually phytoremediate things like PCB.
The fertiliser says it is Iron enriched and has chelated Nitrogen (0.15 %), Chelated Iron ( 0.26%), Chelated Manganese ( 0.05%), Chelated Zinc (0.003%) etc...
I "Manganese" or MN, Magnesium?
Thanks so much
-Joanne

No, cofusingly enough. They are both elements, but have very different properties. Magnesium is Mg, and Maganese is Mn. The website I sent you to found that the control group with no magnesium did not die because there is magnesium in tap water too, but the plants with added magnesium did better.

Sorry that I forgot what AMD was... in those studies were they checking both the metal levels and the acid levels, or were they just concerned about the metals? If we cannot find anything, that is okay- it means you are doing new work!

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi,

I think AMD studies say then mostly phytoremediate metals but reducing acitity levels are just as important. Well, to neutralize it that is. I will add magnesium but where would I get it? At the plant shop where I got my fertiliser? I think it would have to be chelated right?

Thanks

- Joanne

[Louise]

Hi,

I think AMD studies say then mostly phytoremediate metals but reducing acitity levels are just as important. Well, to neutralize it that is. I will add magnesium but where would I get it? At the plant shop where I got my fertiliser? I think it would have to be chelated right?

Thanks

- Joanne

A common source of magnesium is "Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts)". You can buy this in any drug store. It is commonly used to make a bath to soak in for skin problems.

If you can find this, post back here and I will calculate how much Magnesium sulphate you need to add to water to make the correct concentration solutioon. I'll post the calculations here as well. [ Have you had chemistry yet? ]

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!
Thanks for you advice!
I bought the (Magnesium sulfate USP) Epsom salts today. For each cup, I use about 230 mL of fertiliser and distilled water solution. I need about 6 cups for the radish and 6 cups for the alfalfa.
The dilution rate for the fertiliser is:
5mL=37.8L
1 mL= 7560mL
or 0.1 mL=756mL
The Alfalfa is doing fine but then the radish not too good. Some wilted and shrunk. I think it means magnesium deficiency. Should I put magnesium solution for both the alfalfa and the radish or just the radish? I think though, they both should have the same things to make it controlled. It would be appreciated if you posted the calfulations in the metric system (cm,mL, g) rather that the imperial system but it doesn't matter. I can just do the conversions.

Thanks so much for helping me
- Joanne

[Starfruit]

Oh yeah, I forgot to answer that question..no I did not take chemistry yet. I'm only in middle school.

thanks,
- Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!
Thanks for you advice!
I bought the (Magnesium sulfate USP) Epsom salts today. For each cup, I use about 230 mL of fertiliser and distilled water solution. I need about 6 cups for the radish and 6 cups for the alfalfa.
The dilution rate for the fertiliser is:
5mL=37.8L
1 mL= 7560mL
or 0.1 mL=756mL
The Alfalfa is doing fine but then the radish not too good. Some wilted and shrunk. I think it means magnesium deficiency. Should I put magnesium solution for both the alfalfa and the radish or just the radish? I think though, they both should have the same things to make it controlled. It would be appreciated if you posted the calfulations in the metric system (cm,mL, g) rather that the imperial system but it doesn't matter. I can just do the conversions.

Thanks so much for helping me
- Joanne

It actually doesn't require any chemistry. It is actaully in mass and not moles (chemistry term).

The radish link said that for the diluted solution you would apply to plants, you would want 513 g epsom salt/ 1000 L (that isn't a typo- the recipe makes a LOT of solution). So, this works out to 0.513g / 1 L. So, if you are making 756 mL of fertilizer, you would use 0.39 g of epsom salt. Procedurally, I would take the 756 mL of water, and add the salt. Make sure it all dissolves and then add the 0.1mL of fertilizer.

I would add this to both plants. All plants need magnesium. Most hydroponic solutions include magnesium.

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

Sorry I didn't reply in so long. My plants look great now and the epsom salt is working. Just to let you know that I'm adding 0.5 mL of lemon juice per cup that is 230 mL or distilled water+epsom salt+fertiliser. Can you tell me if this will work out? If it doesn't, then can you tell me what amount of lemon juice is suitable for a change in pH of about like 0.5 - just to not kill the plant at that time.

- Thank you so much!

Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!

Sorry I didn't reply in so long. My plants look great now and the epsom salt is working. Just to let you know that I'm adding 0.5 mL of lemon juice per cup that is 230 mL or distilled water+epsom salt+fertiliser. Can you tell me if this will work out? If it doesn't, then can you tell me what amount of lemon juice is suitable for a change in pH of about like 0.5 - just to not kill the plant at that time.

- Thank you so much!

Joanne

Can you get pH paper from school? As we talked about earlier, the lemons can have very different acidities... I could calculate a "typical value" but it would be much better if you just measured what your lemon juice was in pH.

Pure lemon juice should be about pH = 2. You are adding very little lemon juice, so your pH is not very acidic. You will want to move toward "pure" lemon juice. I would slowly reduce the water in your fertilizer mixture and replace that volume with lemon juice, so eventually you are working with 230 mL of lemon juice + fertilizer + salt (and no water).

I am not sure if you are asking how much to change the pH to 0.5 or if you want to reduce it by 0.5 (from pH=7 to pH= 6.5)?

Glad the epsom salt is working and the plants seem to be healthy!

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

The pH of the lemon juice is about 2.5. I got the pH paper from my science teacher. I can't reduce the amount of water. It has to stay at 230 mL. But I can adjust the amount of lemon juice. I want to add 0.5 mL of lemon juice to the solution that is 230 mL. I have to gradually make it more acidic because I don't want the plants to die in the first day. I want to just put enough every day so that the plants will live and can adapt to the gradually increasing acidity of the solution. I actually want to increase the pH (acidity) little by little. Until there is a stop, like the plants show sign that is can't handle the acidity. they I will stop and find the amount they phytoremediate. I just want to make it more acidic every day like make it more LESS actually. Sorry I made a mistake. Not increase the number but just more acidic

- thanks for you help
Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!

The pH of the lemon juice is about 2.5. I got the pH paper from my science teacher. I can't reduce the amount of water. It has to stay at 230 mL. But I can adjust the amount of lemon juice. I want to add 0.5 mL of lemon juice to the solution that is 230 mL. I have to gradually make it more acidic because I don't want the plants to die in the first day. I want to just put enough every day so that the plants will live and can adapt to the gradually increasing acidity of the solution. I actually want to increase the pH (acidity) little by little. Until there is a stop, like the plants show sign that is can't handle the acidity. they I will stop and find the amount they phytoremediate. I just want to make it more acidic every day like make it more LESS actually. Sorry I made a mistake. Not increase the number but just more acidic

- thanks for you help
Joanne

All I meant is that you can start using lemon juice _as_ water when you need to get more acidity. Lemon juice is mostly water, so if you need to get to pH 2.5, you can make up your solutions with lemon juice instead of water.

What I meant about pH is that water is pH=7. Lemon juice is pH=2. So, pH=6.5 is more acidic than water. What is the pH of the fertilizer solution?

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

I get what you mean. Gradually replacing the water to lemon juice. right? But I don't want to get the pH that low because I think the plants will die in the acidity- i'll just see how much they can take.. But I want to get it to a pH of 4 or 3. I was just asking how much lemon juice I should put in each cup.

There are 6 radish and 6 alfalfa cups. Each holds 230mL ( distilled+fertiliser+epsom salt) the pH of the solution was about 6. The fertiliser itself (from the bottle) has a pH of about 4. The pH of the distilled water was about 6 or 6.5. I'm not sure about the epsom salt though, I didn't check. Yes you are right, pH of 6.5 is more acidic than water. I got mixed up- sorry.

Well my question was how much lemon juice should I add to a solution of 230 mL to make the pH one lower (acidic). So from a 6 to a 5 or just a half like 5.5.

Or I can just add like 0.5 mL of lemon juice that is pH of 2.5 (that's my lemon juice I squeezed) and see if they are ok.


Thanks,
- Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!

I get what you mean. Gradually replacing the water to lemon juice. right? But I don't want to get the pH that low because I think the plants will die in the acidity- i'll just see how much they can take.. But I want to get it to a pH of 4 or 3. I was just asking how much lemon juice I should put in each cup.

There are 6 radish and 6 alfalfa cups. Each holds 230mL ( distilled+fertiliser+epsom salt) the pH of the solution was about 6. The fertiliser itself (from the bottle) has a pH of about 4. The pH of the distilled water was about 6 or 6.5. I'm not sure about the epsom salt though, I didn't check. Yes you are right, pH of 6.5 is more acidic than water. I got mixed up- sorry.

Well my question was how much lemon juice should I add to a solution of 230 mL to make the pH one lower (acidic). So from a 6 to a 5 or just a half like 5.5.

Or I can just add like 0.5 mL of lemon juice that is pH of 2.5 (that's my lemon juice I squeezed) and see if they are ok.


Thanks,
- Joanne

I think you want about 0.75 mL of lemon juice in 230 mL of fertilizer to bring it to a pH of 5. But, I would do this test- make a cup of fertilizer and add this amount, and then see if the pH is close to 5, in case I messed up. I did not include the fact that your starting solution is a little acidic to start with.

I am surprised your Distilled water has such a low pH. Are you storing it in a plastic jar?

Louise

[deleted-71447]

Distilled water exposed to the atmosphere for a couple of hours will have a pH of approximately 6 due to dissolution of CO2. A more complete explanation is here, under the heading "pH-value" about 2/3 of the way down the page.
http://www.lenntech.com/deionised-demin ... -water.htm

[Louise]

Distilled water exposed to the atmosphere for a couple of hours will have a pH of approximately 6 due to dissolution of CO2. A more complete explanation is here, under the heading "pH-value" about 2/3 of the way down the page.
http://www.lenntech.com/deionised-demin ... -water.htm

Right. That is why I was asking about the storage container- plastics are pretty permeable to CO2.


Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

Yes, the distilled water was in a plastic jug that holds 4L when I bought it. Unfortunately, almost all of the water sold in stores are packaged in plastic bottles. I guess the only way that the pH would be 7 would be distilled at home but my science teacher told me it's ok if I buy it and easier too because I don't have a distiller or filter. That's why my some of my alfalfa plants died after only being in the solution of fertiliser + epsom salt + fertiliser. It may have been too acidic for it.

It makes sense too because I measeured the pH of tap water and it was (surprisingly to me) 7 - neutral. What I did was insert 0.5 mL of the lemon juice and it made it the pH of 5. The plants so far show no signs of wilting. I will put another 0.5 mL tommorow. Do you think it's a bit too much - like inserting 0.5 ml everyday until the plants can't tolerate them?

I was surprised too that the pH of the distilled water was 6. I thought that when I first bought it, the pH was higher, like a 7...the permeable to co2 thing that you said.

Thanks,
- Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!

Yes, the distilled water was in a plastic jug that holds 4L when I bought it. Unfortunately, almost all of the water sold in stores are packaged in plastic bottles. I guess the only way that the pH would be 7 would be distilled at home but my science teacher told me it's ok if I buy it and easier too because I don't have a distiller or filter. That's why my some of my alfalfa plants died after only being in the solution of fertiliser + epsom salt + fertiliser. It may have been too acidic for it.

It makes sense too because I measeured the pH of tap water and it was (surprisingly to me) 7 - neutral. What I did was insert 0.5 mL of the lemon juice and it made it the pH of 5. The plants so far show no signs of wilting. I will put another 0.5 mL tommorow. Do you think it's a bit too much - like inserting 0.5 ml everyday until the plants can't tolerate them?

I was surprised too that the pH of the distilled water was 6. I thought that when I first bought it, the pH was higher, like a 7...the permeable to co2 thing that you said.

Thanks,
- Joanne

I think your plan is fine. The water is fine too, I was just curious.

The pH scale is in log units, so the change will be less from day to day. (So, to go from pH 6.5 (your fertilizer solution) to pH 5 (change of 1.5 pH units) will be 0.5 mL. But the when you add 1 mL of lemon juice the pH will not be 3.5 (5-1.5), and 1.5 mL of lemon will not give you pH=2, because that is the pH of pure lemon juice. The change will be more gradual. So don't be worried if the pH does not change much when you add the new amount of lemon juice. Just track how much you are adding. (A digital pH meter would be better than pH paper for this, but I would be surprised if your teacher had one.)

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

I kind of get your explanation about the PH measured in log units. They only get as acidic as what the thing you put in it. So My solution can't be more acidic than 2.5 (acidity of my lemon).

Yesterday, I added another 0.5 mL of lemon juice to the plants and the pH changed to 4.5. When I checked agin today, I noticed that a handful of the plants were showing signs of droopiness and wilting. So I'm going to stop at that. No my teacher doesn't have pH meters, they are also more expensive.

Now I'm just going to check the pH everyday and see if they phytoremediate it - or rhizofiltration. They aren't that bad, I think they might be better by tommorrow. One question:I have to maintain the level of water to 230 mL, so I drew a line on the cup. But they I have to fill it up to that every time it gets lower. so should I just use the distilled water or should I have a solution with the lemon juice. Because I have to also maintain the pH. It would be another variable if I changed the pH by adding more water. What do you think I should do?

Maybe I should measure the pH of the water that is in the cup and then take some water and put lemon juice little bit by little bit until it is the same pH as in the cup and put it in.

- Thanks..I just hope my hypothesis works out that the adishes phytoremediate acidity

Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!

[snip]

Maybe I should measure the pH of the water that is in the cup and then take some water and put lemon juice little bit by little bit until it is the same pH as in the cup and put it in.

- Thanks..I just hope my hypothesis works out that the adishes phytoremediate acidity

Joanne

I think you should do this to replace the water with the second cup of water and matching the pH.

Plants are very picky sometimes. They don't "like" changes. So it may be that after a few days at pH 4.5 they will be fine. I had a plant called a ficus that was very sensitive to change. Anytime the slightest thing changed in my apartment, the stupid plant would lose all its leaves. It did not matter whether it was a good change (like when I moved it closer to the window to get more light) or a bad change (like when my apartment got very dry in the winter), I had leaves all over the floor.

Your understanding of the pH scale is correct- unless you use pure lemon juice, you will never reach pH 2.5.

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

Well it is real lemon juice and the pH is 2.5- I measured. And I don't need it to be that low. Besides, my plants are "dying". That's funny, but I don't know what a ficus is. I understand that it's so annoying when plants die on you. I think that all plant die when they are in contact with me because I'm always very clumsy and sometimes forget to water them. But I HAVE to be careful in the sci fair.It's not a big deal because it is just my school's though.

-Joanne

[Starfruit]

One more thing, I don't think I want to change the water. I'm afraid that something will happen to my plants. And also I don't have anymore distilled water and i'm too lazy to buy more.
Well I guess it doesn't matter. As long as what's better for my plants. I don't know that outcome. I wish I can predict the future.

- Joanne

[Louise]

One more thing, I don't think I want to change the water. I'm afraid that something will happen to my plants. And also I don't have anymore distilled water and i'm too lazy to buy more.
Well I guess it doesn't matter. As long as what's better for my plants. I don't know that outcome. I wish I can predict the future.

- Joanne

I know that hydroponics people change out all there water periodically. As I said, you build up a lot of fertilizer as the water evaporates. So either your replacement water should be plain water (no fertilizer), or you should change out the water entirely. Since your experiment is so short, maybe it doesn't matter. But if the water starts looking really cloudy/gross (the ones with lemon may look gross anyway, so look at the control plants), then you should probably do something. The best thing, I guess would be to change out the water of all plants at the same time and then add the acid.

So, now that the plants with acid look sad and dying, you are going to just watch the pH and how it changes with time. You will not add any more acid? How do your control plants look? Hopefully healthy!

You've probably seen a ficus. It is a little tree that is a very common houseplant. There is a picture here:
http://www.evergrowing.com/tips/ficustree.htm


Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

THANKS
Well I can't make it more acidic because then well...it'll wipe-out the entire radish plants. Maybe- looks like it. I checked some sources and says that radish grows best on pH 6 or something. Can't remember. So the pH now is 4.5 and looks very interesting. Some are very healthy-some not so good. When I get the time, I'll send you a pic of some of the droopy radish plants. Theya re kinda dried out-ish. I don't think the one or two will replenish itself. Though the healthy ones are- really healthy. intresting that the one with a red stem is healthier than green stem. They are from the same package of seeds. Interesting

I guess I'll have to get more of that distilled water and clean it out. Do you think maybe just once? Since the sci fair is on April 2nd (gasp). Once a week sounds ok.

I'll just watch the pH change. I think they (the plants that is) will have too much stress at a lower pH. I don't really expect them to purify or neutralize the water. Maybe just a few or one pH higher. Like pH 5 or 6 ..wait a moment. maybe it might make the water to when it was originally. I don't know. I hopefully will find out.

Currently, I have 8 cups, 4 control, 4 experimental. 4 in each cup. 4x8=32 plants in total. so control = 16, experimental =16. Think it's enough of a sample. Hopefully not all of them die on me.

I was trying to put this here by first putting it on frontpage and I got the html but it didn't work . I was told by you and others it must be already online.



- Thanks alot,
Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!

THANKS
Well I can't make it more acidic because then well...it'll wipe-out the entire radish plants. Maybe- looks like it. I checked some sources and says that radish grows best on pH 6 or something. Can't remember. So the pH now is 4.5 and looks very interesting. Some are very healthy-some not so good. When I get the time, I'll send you a pic of some of the droopy radish plants. Theya re kinda dried out-ish. I don't think the one or two will replenish itself. Though the healthy ones are- really healthy. intresting that the one with a red stem is healthier than green stem. They are from the same package of seeds. Interesting

I guess I'll have to get more of that distilled water and clean it out. Do you think maybe just once? Since the sci fair is on April 2nd (gasp). Once a week sounds ok.

I'll just watch the pH change. I think they (the plants that is) will have too much stress at a lower pH. I don't really expect them to purify or neutralize the water. Maybe just a few or one pH higher. Like pH 5 or 6 ..wait a moment. maybe it might make the water to when it was originally. I don't know. I hopefully will find out.

Currently, I have 8 cups, 4 control, 4 experimental. 4 in each cup. 4x8=32 plants in total. so control = 16, experimental =16. Think it's enough of a sample. Hopefully not all of them die on me.

I was trying to put this here by first putting it on frontpage and I got the html but it didn't work . I was told by you and others it must be already online.



- Thanks alot,
Joanne

I think this is fine, and I agree you should not add more acid. I just wanted to make sure that is what you were doing. I think you are right that radish likes pH=5.5-7 or something like that.

Red stem and green stem... Interesting. Is one getting more light or something?


I guess I would just add fresh water now (or water and lemon to the correct pH) rather than adding more fertilizer. I am afraid that too much fertilizer will damage your plants. Do the controls look okay?

Louise

[Starfruit]

Hi!

They are all getting the same amount of light. It's interesting that they look the same but the stems are red or green. In one cup, there is a mixture of red stems and green stems. Though the green stems are less hardy than the red stems. I think they are the same type. When my friend gave them to me, they were already opened. Maybe I should ask her if she mixed them or not. But all the seeds in the packet look the same.

How some more fertiliser will damage my plants? I will be changing out all the water, not just adding to it. Because the water looks murky and gross. So you are saying that they had enough fertiliser..and that too much is not always better?

The controls look ok. None are dead yet. What's funny is that I did the same thing but with tap water (no fertiliser or epsom salt) for fun and the radish plant's roots were longer and seemed to be growing better. The one with distilled water and epsom salt and fertiliser seemed to have stunted growth of the roots and also with the experimental group with the lemon juice.

I just wen to look at my plants again and I have to report that the experimental group is falling apart. Some of the plants are droopy and wilting. I think they wil die in the next few days. Do you think this has anything to do with the root growth? I think it does but don't know how to make it grow better.

Thanks,
- Joanne

[Louise]

Hi!


How some more fertiliser will damage my plants? I will be changing out all the water, not just adding to it. Because the water looks murky and gross. So you are saying that they had enough fertiliser..and that too much is not always better?

Yes. Too much can be bad. If you plants with tap water looks better, that may be a sign that the fertilizer is too strong. (Tap water has a lot of minerals in it, so it is a fertilizer)

The controls look ok. None are dead yet. What's funny is that I did the same thing but with tap water (no fertiliser or epsom salt) for fun and the radish plant's roots were longer and seemed to be growing better. The one with distilled water and epsom salt and fertiliser seemed to have stunted growth of the roots and also with the experimental group with the lemon juice.

I would change out the water then, and maybe use half as much fertilizer and epsom salt. If the tap water looks healthier, then your fertilizer solution may be too strong. This can certainly cause damage to the roots.

I just wen to look at my plants again and I have to report that the experimental group is falling apart. Some of the plants are droopy and wilting. I think they wil die in the next few days. Do you think this has anything to do with the root growth? I think it does but don't know how to make it grow better.

You are in a more acidic range than the plants like. It may be that your result is that these plants cannot remediate the acid...

I would change to fresh water as above (with the needed acid. 0.5 mL lemon?) Check the pH of the old water and the new water (decreasing the amount of fertilizer might change the pH some, since the fertilizer is acidic) and see if the plants can change the pH of the new solution. Just note everything you do carefully, since this is a modification of your experimental plan. I think you can justify this, since most hydroponic systems call for the water to be changed out weekly. Just be careful not to damage the roots when you change the water.


Louise