| Hydroponic Growing | PERLITE |
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Student Experiments in Hydroponics |
PLANT GUIDE |
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The Schundler Company 10 Central Street Nahant, MA 01908 732-287-2244 |
A SIMPLE EXPERIMENT TO DEMONSTRATE
THE PRINCIPALS OF HYDROPONIC GROWING
Purpose The purpose of this experiment is to allow the amateur gardener or student to demonstrate the principals of hydroponic growing by actually growing a superior flower or vegetable plant. In addition, there is opportunity to experiment with different water-nutrient mixes and pots of varying depth.
Materials Required
The materials required can be found in most households. Horticultural perlite is readily available in almost any garden center or in the plant section of supermarkets.
Procedure
Make a small hole in the bottom edge of the polyethylene jug as shown in the sketch. Fill the jug with a dilute nutrient-water solution using a liquid plant food. Replace the screw cap on the jug. Remember, your plant will be receiving nutrients on a continuous basis so the concentration should initially be very low. Plant a seedling in the perlite filled container and place the container in the tray. Cover the tray with pebbles to help retard evaporation of the water.
You can experiment with different nutrient-water solutions as well as different size containers. The capillary action of the perlite will draw water and nutrients up into the root zone and provide continuous feeding.
Variations on the experiment can involve the growing of different type plants and even the use of different size perlite (perlite is available in fine, medium and large size particles).
For more information about these uses of perlite, please call or contact us at:
The Schundler Company
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10 Central Street
Nahant, MA 01908
(ph)732-287-2244 (fax) 732-287-4185
www.schundler.com
email: info@schundler.com