Science Case

The main application of our project was to assist landscapers and lawn managers in determining what soil additive they should use, if any, to induce maximum plant growth. While our project may be testing grass growth, it could potentially alleviate the need for farmers and gardeners to conduct their own experiments, providing savings in time and money. This experiment was performed previously on bean plants by students at Miami University, Ohio , although that is not the same testing subject, it did give a look at what to expect. This experiment suggested the opposite conclusion compared to that of the previous testers, with the compost out growing the inorganic fertilizer. The data conveyed that the compost grows taller, healthier and thicker grass, contradicted the hypothesis. Although the fertilizer started growing first, it looked premature, being white in color and brittle, whereas healthy grass should be green and the blades stronger. Also, on day seven, the compost-added plants grew taller and remained so for the duration of the experiment. Compost retains moisture well and is more porous than soil, therefore, it kept the plant roots saturated . Plants also require eight micronutrients and nine macronutrients, which are found more in compost and not found in many fertilizers. Observing the data it can be concluded that the compost is providing for more of the essential micro and macronutrients than the fertilizer. Compost releases these nutrients in a slow way, like pacing yourself for a long run. The nature of compost allows the plant to pick up these elements throughout its life, not all at once. Additionally, the pH level of soil is a big factor of nutrient availability and plant health. A grass plants ideal pH level is from 6.0 to 7.0, which is slightly acidic. Compost balances the pH level and also keeps it from fluctuating. This project could be improved and continued in several areas. First, the testing could be conducted using multiple plants to