Title: Unit 13 Lab Assignment
Course: SAT 105 Urban Agricultural Issues > Section: SAT 105 Urban Agricultural Issues

Unit 13 Lab Assignment

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Download Lab Record Sheet
- Unit 13 Lab Record Sheet.docx (26.77 KB)
Lab Assignment (60 points)

NOTE: This lab is due before the end of Unit 16, but the assignment is presented early since it will take 21 days to complete. Do not delay starting!

This lab will explore the effects between outdoor soil and soil with various degrees of amendments on plant growth and water retention.

Requirements

- Download Lab Record Sheet
- Four flower pots of the same size
- A waterproof tray large enough to hold all four pots or four saucers, one for each pot
- Soil from outdoors, preferably not amended, such as from a lawn area rather than a garden area
- Peat moss
- Pot labels
- Garden seeds, preferably spinach
- A ruler marked in millimeters
- Complete information and save Lab Record Sheet
- Submit Lab Record Sheet to Dropbox on Course Home page

Instructions

Beginning on Day 1 of this 21-day lab:

1. Fill one of your pots to within ½ inch of the rim with the outdoor soil without amendments, label this pot “Soil”
2. Fill one of your pots to within ½ inch of the rim with a mix of 75 percent soil and 25 percent peat moss, label this pot 75/25.  Be sure to mix the soil and peat moss very thoroughly and evenly.
3. Fill one of your pots to within ½ inch of the rim with a mix of 50 percent soil and 50 percent peat moss, label this pot 50/50.  Be sure to mix the soil and peat moss very thoroughly and evenly.
4. Fill the fourth pot to within ½ inch of the rim with a mix of 25 percent soil and 75 percent peat moss; label this pot 25/75.  Be sure to mix the soil and peat moss very thoroughly and evenly.
5. In each pot plant 4 spinach seeds separated per the diagram
6. Place the pots in your tray or saucer and thoroughly water all four pots
7. Observe the pots daily and water them when required to prevent the soil or soil mix from drying out.  Record when you water each pot and note the conditions in each pot.
8. Record when you first see the seeds sprouting in each pot.
9. Measure and record the height of the plants in each pot each day for the time period specified on the Lab Record Sheet.
10. At the end of the specified time period answer the questions on the Lab Record Sheet.