EXPERIMENT

We learn how to grow plants through experimentation. We try watering more and see what happens. We try repotting and see what happens. This type of uncontrolled experimentation can be slow and confusing. We might start feeling like we have a black thumb.

We can use controlled experiments to learn to grow plants better in our home. This page links to resources to help you learn to design controlled experiments, and has suggestions for controlled experiments to get you started.

What can we experiment with?

You can experiment with any factor you think might affect how a plant grows. The most common are light, temperature, soil, and water. The lists below show examples of ways we can change these factors for our houseplants. Some people are curious about other factors too: Do plants grow faster when you play music?

Light

Fluorescent light

LED light

Grow light

North window

South window

Temperature

below 60 degrees Fahrenheit

61 - 65 degrees Fahrenheit

66 - 68 degrees Fahrenheit

above 69 degrees Fahrenheit

Soil

Commercial potting mix

Add vermiculite

Add perlite

Add fertilizer

Water

City water

Well water

Bottled drinking water

Distilled water

Adjust pH

What makes you curious?

Would my plant grow faster if it had more light?

What would happen if I used an LED light?

Would my plant change color (e.g., darker green) if I use fertilizer?

What happens if my plant gets cold?

Will my plant grow bigger if I put it in a bigger pot?

Let's learn about controlled experiments

Click the image to play a video explaining controlled experiments. Youth in grades 7-13 can a try this Khan Academy lesson for more detail.

Are you ready to start an experiment? Contact a Leader if you need more help getting started!

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