Title: Growth
Observations: Using fertilizers will accelerate the growth of a seedling.
Hypothesis: Fertilizers used in seedlings grows faster than those that do not use fertilizers.
Aim: To plan and design an experiment to determine whether fertilizers accelerates the growth of a seedling.
Experiment:
Materials:
1. 2 small seedlings
2. Fertilizers
3. 2 small seedling pots
4. Soil (350 ml)
5. Marker
6. Ruler
7. Calendar
8. Pen
9. Notebook
Procedure
1. Choose two small seedlings of the same species and size.
2. Label one seedling A and the other B.
3. Place them into the sun.
4. Fertilizers is added to seedling A’s soil.
5. No fertilizers is added to the seedling labeled B.
6. Each day, for two weeks, both seedlings should be watered and measured for height differences.
7. Differences in the seedlings organs should also be observed.
8. All observations are to be recorded.
9. This experiment should end in two weeks time.

Variables: * Manipulated variable: The presence of the fertilizers. * Responding variable: Whether or not the fertilizers are added would determine the growth of the seedling. * Constant variable: The absence of the fertilizers.
Control: The seedling labeled B is the control which has no fertilizers.
Data: Crops need a lot of nutrients to grow well. Some soils contain nutrients from decomposition and weathering. On the other hand some soils are deficient and lack certain mineral irons which can be caused naturally or because the nutrients from the soil have already been used from growing crops. As result, fertilizers are added to improve the quality of the soil which then leads to the enhancement of healthy seedling growth and speeds up crop yield.
There are two types of fertilizers: natural and artificial. Natural fertilizers are organic materials derived from seedling and animal matter that has been decomposed such as; manure, compost and peat.
Artificial fertilizers are inorganic materials (man-made chemicals). These include: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
Some advantages of using natural fertilizers are: they are inexpensive, long-lasting, they weaken pesticides, they are environmentally friendly, improve the crumb structure of the soil resulting in less soil erosion and they encourage earthworms.
Some disadvantages of using natural fertilizers are: they may be difficult to use and hard to apply, if it’s not decayed properly it may be toxic to the seedlings, it slowly dissolves into the soil, it takes a longer period to be made and they do not contain as much nutrients.

Some advantages of using artificial fertilizers are: they are made faster, it has more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, they dissolve quickly into the soil, it is available in both power and granular form, it’s easy to apply and it usually made accordingly for the soil which it would be used on.
Some disadvantages of using artificial fertilizers are: they are generally expensive, they are harmful to earthworms, they may stay in the environment for long periods of time and harm other seedlings and animals, it strengthens pesticides, contains other unnecessary chemicals, it releases green house gases such as; nitrogenous oxide and it may lead to the breakdown of soil crumbs which may result in soil erosion and also acid formation.
Natural fertilizers are thus better than artificial fertilizers.
Prediction: It is expected that the seedling will grow faster with the addition of fertilizers.
Expected Results: Days | Seedling A | Seedling B | Observations of Seedling Organs | 1 | 2 inches | 2 inches | Seedlings remained the same | 2 | 2.5 inches | 2 inches | Seedlings are the same | 3 | 2.7 inches | 2 inches | Seedlings are the same | 4 | 3.1 inches | 2.3 inches | Seedling A leaves grew a little larger than B | 5 | 3.4 inches | 2.4 inches | Seedling A and B leaves and stem grew larger | 6 | 3.6 inches | 2.4 inches | Seedling A trunk grew larger | 7 | 3.6 inches | 2.6 inches | No changes were made | 8 | 3.7 inches | 2.6 inches | Seedling A leaves were greener than Seedling B | 9 | 4 inches | 2.7 inches | Seedling A stems grew larger than Seedling B | 10 | 4.5 inches | 2.9 inches | Seedling A trunks’ was larger than Seedling B | 11 | 4.8 inches | 3.1 inches | Seedling B leaves and stem grew larger | 12 | 5.2 inches | 3.2 inches | No changes were made | 13 | 5.5 inches | 3.5 inches | Seedling B trunk grew larger | 14 | 6 inches | 3.7 inches | Seedling A leaves, stem and trunk was bigger than Seedling B |
Possible Limitations: * If not enough fertilizers is added then it would decelerate the growth of the seedling. * If one seedling is a little bit mature than the other. * If both seedlings are not expose to the same conditions.
Assumptions: If fertilizers are added it would improve the soil thus, improving the quality of the seedling hence the reason why it would allow for the seedling to grow faster.
Conclusion: This experiment was successful plan and designed.