Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi,

I am curious about the comparison between an inorganic fertiliser and organic fertilisers (compost, manure, etc.)

For my experiment, I am planning on growing bean plants with the two different fertilisers. My hypothesis is that the plants with the organic fertilisers will have continued growth in height whereas the inorganic fertiliser will also have growth but in a sudden spurt and not of a height that high.

I am wondering what sorts of fertiliser should I be using? And will there be any visible results from my experiment?

Hi chained-love-hearts,

What an interesting project idea! Have you done some research on the differences between inorganic and organic fertilizers? I imagine you based your hypothesis on something you read. Here is a site that supports your general prediction, with references for further reading: http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.c ... -2536.html

I suggest you continue to search for more background information as you prepare for your project.

You have a good idea, and I think you are on the right track. You might consider talking to someone at a nursery or a garden center where fertilizers are sold, to help you pick which fertilizers to compare. In designing your experiment, I recommend that you grow a minimum of 5 plants for each treatment, and that you have three treatments: (1) no fertilizer, as a control group, (2) inorganic fertilizer, and (3) organic fertilizer. Make sure you give the plants the same amount of soil, light, and water, so the only differences will be the presence or type of fertilizer.

Here are tips for measuring plant growth: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... owth.shtml

I hope this helps you get started. Please post again (in this same thread) if you have more questions.

Heather