Soil Vs. Hydroponics Science Project
Entering a science project in a science fair can be fun and educational. A project based on growing plants without soil, called hydroponics, can compare a plant grown hydroponically to a plant grown in soil.
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Germinate Two Seeds
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Germinate two identical seeds by placing them in folded moist paper towels for several days. Once they have germinated into seedlings, move one to your indoor hydroponic setup and plant the other seedling outdoors in soil.
Control Light
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Expose each seedling to the same amount of light each day. Use an indoor plant "grow light," available at garden centers, to give the hydroponic plant the same number of hours of light per day as the soil-grown plant receives outdoors.
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Control Temperature
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Control temperature of the plants so that both will be exposed to roughly the same temperatures. Avoid large differences in temperature for prolonged periods of time.
Compare Plant Health
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As the plants mature, compare the condition and health of the two plants. Inspect the hydroponically grown plant and the soil-grown plant for differences in the color of the leaves, the size of the leaves, the thickness of the stalks and the height of the plants.
Compare Taste
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If the plants you used for your science project bear fruits or vegetables, such as lima beans or lettuce, compare the taste between the two plants. Serve some of the vegetables to other students and see if they can detect a difference in taste, and if so, which is preferred.
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