Do ferns grow better with Tap Water, White Grape juice, or Dr. Pepper?

Hypothesis Due to the background information we think that the Welch’s White Grape Juice will allow the fern to grow the best, this is because it has a good balance of sugar and will provide the fern with the right amount of nutrients.

Variables Independent Variable: the type of liquid used to water the fern. Dependent Variable: the fern.

Supplies Three 6-inch ferns (Asplenium platyneruron) Three drip containers One 2-liter bottle of Dr. Pepper One gallon of Welch’s White Grape Juice One gallon of tap water.

The ferns. This is what the 3 ferns looked like at the beginning.

Steps Set the plants in a window where there is direct sunlight all day. 2. Before using the liquid on the fern make sure you put a paper towel/napkin under the drip container to avoid any spills. 3. Water the control fern with 1 cup of tap water and the experimental ferns with 1 cup of Apple Juice and the other with 1 cup Dr. Pepper.

continued….. 4. Measure the fern every third Saturday. 5. Take a record observations of the height, width, and color changes.

Ferns (Asplenium Platyneuron) Vascular plant that has true leaves and lacks flowers and seeds. Needs 63-70% of shade in the summer. Grows best at or between 73-86o F Night is a critical time for this plant because it controls fungus. pH of water should be between 5.0 and 6.2 Common pest: aphids, mealy bugs, and thips.

More Background Information… Likes: Protection from high winds Enough space to grow to mature size Undisturbed root environment Filtered sun/shade Dislikes: Strong Sunlight High Winds Dryness at Root-zone

Water Chart Date: Height: Observations: 2/20/10 6 inches The fern is alive and very green. Its getting a lot of sun. 3/13/10 7.5 inches Still very green, but getting a few brown leaves. 4/3/10 8 inches There is a little more brown leaves, but still green and growing. 4/24/10 9 inches Very big and very green. 5/15/10 10.5 inches Green leaves, started to grown out and around drip container.

Week 9 Week 3 Week 6 Ferns watered with Tap Water

Water Graph

Welch’s White Grape Juice Chart Date: Height Observations 2/20/10 6 inches Alive and healthy, the fern is a bright green from tip to the end. 3/13/10 4 ½ inches Half of the leaf of the fern is brown, also it is falling off without any help. There is more of the apple juice foam all around the container. 4/3/10 3 ½ inches ¾ of the leaves on the fern are brown and brittle. More fall off everyday. Apple juice is starting to smell. It is attracting an ant or two. 4/24/10 2 ¼ inches A mass amount of ants have surrounded the fern, had to move outside. Only a centimeter of the fern is halfway alive. 5/15/10 1 ½ inches Completely dead. The leaves break off with very little force.

Ferns watered with Welch’s white grape juice. Week 3 Week 9 >> << Week 6

Welch’s Grape Juice Graph

Dr. Pepper Chart Date: Height: Observations: 2/20/10 6 inches Green and alive. 3/13/10 4.5 inches Starting to shrink and get brown. Soil is not absorbing the soda. 4/3/10 3 inches Leaves are starting to get brown and brittle. Soil is foamy and still doesn’t absorb the soda. 4/24/10 2 inches All over is brown, leaves break to the touch. 5/15/10 1.5 inches The fern is completely dead. Shrank 4.5 inches.

Week 3 Week 9 Week 6 Ferns watered with Dr. Pepper.

Dr. Pepper Graph

Conclusion.. At the end of our experiment the fern that grew the best was the fern watered with just tap water. The two other ferns died completely. So we found neither Dr. Pepper nor Welch’s White Grape juice could be a substitute if we were to have a drought or water shortage.

Made By: Katelyn Shook, Jesseca Kolcun, and Kelley Cansler