Using a two-liter bottle for our hydroponic system
The very first decision that had to be made, was the type of hydroponic system that would be used to grow our vegetables for hydroponic growth.
The first design we chose needed a 2 liter bottle, hot glue, and pieces of cloth (as shown on the right). Soon,we realized this design was not possible,
as it required some soil (which is not supposed to be used for a hydroponic system) and materials that were not easily accessible at this time of the year.
(Example: Coconut Coir)
The very first decision that had to be made, was the type of hydroponic system that would be used to grow our vegetables for hydroponic growth.
The first design we chose needed a 2 liter bottle, hot glue, and pieces of cloth (as shown on the right). Soon,we realized this design was not possible,
as it required some soil (which is not supposed to be used for a hydroponic system) and materials that were not easily accessible at this time of the year.
(Example: Coconut Coir)
Hydroponic seedling growth
The original plan was to grow seedlings using both hydroponics and soil, and transplant them both into a slightly bigger "system". The green cubes with holes in the middle of them (shown in pictures below) are called rock wool cubes. They are a combination of melted sand and rock, which are spun into fibers to create a specific shape, used to start the seeds (grow them into seedlings) without soil. On (around) the 4th day of growth using rock wool cubes, they caught bacteria, and started growing mold. They most likely grew mold, since there was not a hard plastic cover over the tray, protecting them from bacteria. We did not get a hard plastic cover, as it would cost more money, and believed it was not very necessary. After seeing that the mold continued to grow, the entire rock wool cube tray was dumped. We would not have been able to properly compare hydroponic and soil growth, when the seedling growth (from hydroponics) would be stunted. Variables would not have been consistent. Instead, we decided to grow all the seedlings in soil, then transplant half to a hydroponic system, and the other half to soil.
The original plan was to grow seedlings using both hydroponics and soil, and transplant them both into a slightly bigger "system". The green cubes with holes in the middle of them (shown in pictures below) are called rock wool cubes. They are a combination of melted sand and rock, which are spun into fibers to create a specific shape, used to start the seeds (grow them into seedlings) without soil. On (around) the 4th day of growth using rock wool cubes, they caught bacteria, and started growing mold. They most likely grew mold, since there was not a hard plastic cover over the tray, protecting them from bacteria. We did not get a hard plastic cover, as it would cost more money, and believed it was not very necessary. After seeing that the mold continued to grow, the entire rock wool cube tray was dumped. We would not have been able to properly compare hydroponic and soil growth, when the seedling growth (from hydroponics) would be stunted. Variables would not have been consistent. Instead, we decided to grow all the seedlings in soil, then transplant half to a hydroponic system, and the other half to soil.
African Violets
We originally planned to grow flowers and vegetables using hydroponics and soil. By researching, we found out that African Violet plants were supposedly very good to grow using hydroponics, according to an article online (Bone, 2010). We followed the instructions, and cut a leaf from the original African Violet plant in soil, while leaving some stem, and wrapped it in tinfoil to protect the leaf from water. The plant (or leaf) would be killed if water gets onto the leaf. We placed the stem in water, and watched it grow for many days, but it either did not grow, or grew very slow. Seeing this, we decided to discard this plant experiment, as we knew there would not be enough time for the leaf to grow and for us to record data .Nevertheless, we still had vegetables that we could measure and compare.
We originally planned to grow flowers and vegetables using hydroponics and soil. By researching, we found out that African Violet plants were supposedly very good to grow using hydroponics, according to an article online (Bone, 2010). We followed the instructions, and cut a leaf from the original African Violet plant in soil, while leaving some stem, and wrapped it in tinfoil to protect the leaf from water. The plant (or leaf) would be killed if water gets onto the leaf. We placed the stem in water, and watched it grow for many days, but it either did not grow, or grew very slow. Seeing this, we decided to discard this plant experiment, as we knew there would not be enough time for the leaf to grow and for us to record data .Nevertheless, we still had vegetables that we could measure and compare.
Lettuce
We also planned to grow lettuce, other than the pole beans. They grew well, but after the seedlings were transplanted into the hydroponic system, they began to die. The stems of the lettuce seedlings were too flimsy, fragile and frail to be transplanted into the hydroponic system. In order to keep variables consistent with the pole beans, the lettuce had to be transplanted into hydroponics and soil at the same time as the pole beans. We did hope to allow the lettuce seedlings to have more time to grow bigger before they were transplanted, so they would not have been so fragile; but lettuce takes much more time to grow than pole beans. This experiment would not have worked in our time frame.
We also planned to grow lettuce, other than the pole beans. They grew well, but after the seedlings were transplanted into the hydroponic system, they began to die. The stems of the lettuce seedlings were too flimsy, fragile and frail to be transplanted into the hydroponic system. In order to keep variables consistent with the pole beans, the lettuce had to be transplanted into hydroponics and soil at the same time as the pole beans. We did hope to allow the lettuce seedlings to have more time to grow bigger before they were transplanted, so they would not have been so fragile; but lettuce takes much more time to grow than pole beans. This experiment would not have worked in our time frame.