Hydroponics Experiments For Kids
These experiments are meant to be a fun introduction to hydroponics. We suggest that anybody new to hydroponics start with the “soda bottle” experiments.
·
Students will
learn that it matters more what you feed the plant than what the plant grows in.
·
The project
involves simple math (mixing nutrient).
·
The students
could write plant observation reports with drawings and charts of what they see
and do. (English)
·
They learn that
you don’t need soil and that plants need food and oxygen. (Biology)
·
The experiments
usually require only the purchase of hydroponics nutrient, the rest the kids can
bring from home.
· It is ideal for schools new to hydroponics. The students’ thrill about the experiments as well as the educational value will help convince the school board to consider hydroponics for the curriculum.
Plant material for all experiments:
We suggest Swedish Ivy or Creeping Charlie. This plant seems to grow no matter what – we even rooted a plant into a coconut pound cake! The teacher should take cuttings 2 weeks or so in advance and put them into a glass of water while changing the water every 4-5 days. The roots will set from the nodes. This way the students do not have to wait very long for the plants to start growing.
Other materials needed:
1.
You will need liquid
hydroponics nutrient. Typically you only use 1-2 teaspoons per gallon so a
bottle goes a long way.
2.
Each soda bottle will also
need a wick. You can purchase proper wicks or the students can bring in pieces
of cotton. It could even be put to the students to find which fabric will make
the best wick.
3.
You will also need baking
soda and lemons or lemon juice. This is used to adjust the pH, so the plant
will grow. Plants generally grow only between pH 5 and pH 7.
4.
It would be helpful for you
to buy a little pH test kit. If the pH is over 7: add ½ squeezed lemon per
gallon of water. If the pH is 5 or lower, add 1 tsp baking soda per gallon of
water.
5. Ask each student to bring in an empty soda bottle and possible wick material.
General information for the following experiments:
The soda bottles should be cut and the top turned up side down. The liquid the plant will be growing in should always be pH adjusted. If your tap water is fine, then adding the nutrient will not change the pH so much that you have to adjust it. If you are letting the student bring in “home made” wicks, we suggest that the water level in the bottle always touches the bottle neck. This way you are sure the water gets up to the plants.
Fun experiments:
The upside down soda bottle top is referred to as the pot in the following while the remainder of the bottle is the reservoir.
*Different growing mediums (Add nutrient solution, wick, and plant)
1. Use Lego blocks as growing medium in the pot.
2. Use shredded fabric as growing medium in the pot. Which kinds of fabric work best? Why do you think that is so?
3. Use shredded paper as growing medium. What works best leaflets, newspaper, or an old essay.
4. Use little rocks from the driveway as a growing medium.
*Different nutrient solutions (Add growing medium, wick, and plant)
1. Regular solution as recommended on the reservoir.
2. Replace 20% of the nutrient solution with CocaCola then add baking soda to adjust the pH.
3. Let the kids make other suggestions to “strange additions” to the nutrient solution; such as milk, orange juice, Kool aid, or coffee. Be sure to check your pH.
*Different Environments
1. Let kids blow air into the water in the reservoir at a regular interval. Do these plants grow better than the other plants with increasingly stagnant water?
2. What if you blew air on the plant? Does it make a difference? It might since the plant gets more CO2.
3. Temperature, does it matter?
4. Sunlight, no light, light from fluorescent light, light from a table lamp, which works best?
You can now make many different experiments with any combination of the 3 groups from the above. You also should consider continuing with some regular hydroponics growing medium such as Grodan rockwool, expandable clay pellets, or perlite.
Experiment courtesy of Foothills Hydroponics
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