Garden Science Fair Projects

Hypothesis
The container with holes 5" from the bottom of the container, pointing towards the bottom of the container, will maintain moisture longer than the container with the holes at the bottom of the container.

Reason for the experiment: For ecological reasons, using less natural resources (water) is important.

Materials needed (parent supervision a must because of electric drill)

• 2 plastic containers, 24" in diameter. 1 container with holes in the bottom and the other with holes as described in #1 below. If you cannot find two identical containers and one without holes, then plug the holes up at the bottom of one of the containers.
• Drainage material: lava rocks or "better than rocks" are good for container gardening
• Planting material - soil
• Flower, vegetable or herb plants
• Electric Drill and 1/4" drill bit

Procedure

1. Measure 5" from the bottom of one container.
   Mark 5 places evenly spaced around the container at about the same level.
   Drill just a little into the container without making a hole. Then point the drill down towards the bottom of the pot and drill your hole so that it is on an angle. If there are holes in the bottom of this container, seal them up so that water cannot penetrate or seep through the bottom of the container.
2. Leave holes in the bottom of the 2nd container.
3. Place both containers next to each other either in shade, sun or partial shade.
4. Fill the bottom of both containers with drainage material. Use idential material in both containers. Do not use wood chips because they break down.
5. Fill the rest of the container with planting material (soil) - both containers the same material.
6. Choose identical plants to plant in both containers. And put the same amount of plants in each container. Plant the plants the same depth in both containers. If you plant more then one plant in each container, then space them exactly the same in both containers.
7. When you water the plants,measure the amount of water so that you put identical amounts in each container.

Here are other science fair project ideas for garden science fair projects.

You can experiment to see which container grows the largest plant.

In which container do the plants blossom the fastest?

You can also have both containers with holes in the same place and use different drainage material.

Find out which one is most effective. Use different soil - which one is most effective.

Better Than Rocks Drainage Material

Most important, only make one criteria different and have all the other factors the same.

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