(Submitted by CHS Junior, Chance Nuno)
In our Advanced Biology class, we experimented to find out if the quality of the soil or what type of soil was more conducive for plant growth. We each tested four radish seeds, two in a rockwool cube, and two in soil. Both were watered with a solution of water and nutrients. The experiment was comparative and competitive.
We planted our radishes on the 23rd of August. Many of our seeds sprouted on the 24th and 25th; however, some would remain dormant until the 30th and some even until the 1st of September. Regardless, after the 25th came a weekend. After the weekend, most sprouts had grown to an inch or more. Mine, for example, was 1.25 inches. We all observed, daily, our leaf color, which could vary from red and shades of green. At this part of the experiment, we were observing daily and watering our plants. Growth continued as usual until Labor Day Weekend.
Tragedy struck as the lights keeping our plants alive and healthy were turned off. After we arrived to class, some plants were dead - despite our flawless 100% germination. Their stems had changed color, and the plants had leaned over. Sadly, some of our seeds that were originally dormant had just sprouted before the weekend - those had either grown or died. However, over the weekend, the other seeds in their soil or soil substitutes had sprouted, and grown. This is because plants gather nutrients during the day and grow during the night, and we introduced a very long night cycle to the plants.
The deaths did spell the end of our experiment. With many plants dead, it seemed mostly pointless to continue the experiment. We learned, through this experiment, that it mattered more what was put into the soil and how much light the plant received than what the plant was in with regards to soil.
