By Matt Balick
 Problem
Statement- Does the
concentration of Miracle-Gro affect the
height that a plant will grow?
 Hypothesis- If a plant is given a
concentration of 1 mL of Miracle-Gro
mixed with 32 mL of water, then that plant
will grow taller than plants with other
concentrations of Miracle-Gro.
What is Miracle-Gro?: “Miracle-Gro is a synthetic
fertilizer that contains ammonium phosphate and
several other chemicals.”
 What does Miracle-Gro do for plants: MiracleGro allows plants to live longer and grow taller.
 Is Miracle-Gro healthy for plants?: Some
gardening experts believe that Miracle-Gro is
detrimental to plants because of the chemicals
that the fertilizer uses, but others believe that,
because it helps the plants to grow and live
longer, the positives outweigh the negatives.

 100
sun flower seeds
 4 Large trays (Jiffy Professional
Greenhouse)
 100 mLs of Miracle-Gro granules
 Water
 Spray bottle
 Ruler
 Measuring cup









Add water to each of the “pellets” until they expand
When they expand, pull back the mesh wrapping so that you can plant the
seeds
Plant 2 seeds in each “pellet” and then cover the seeds with the rest of the soil
Water until damp (each time watered approx. 4 mL/tray) with spray bottle on
diffuse spray setting
Place trays in indirect sunlight with equal amounts of sun exposure. Place the
“dome (turns into green house effect)” over tray. Remove dome once plants
sprout.
3 days later add the specified amount of Miracle-Gro granules along with 32
mL of water to each pellet tray
Repeat this step every 7 days
When the seeds start to grow, take out the smaller of the two plants (if two
have grown), and measure the taller plant
Take an average for each tray (height of each plant added together divided by
25). Repeat this step weekly.





Title: The Effect of Miracle Grow Concentration on the Height
Grown by a Plant.
Hypothesis: If a plant is given a concentration of 1 mL of MiracleGro mixed with 32 mL of water, then that plant will grow taller than
plants with other concentrations of Miracle-Gro.
IV: Concentration of Miracle-Gro; DV: Growth of the plants (cm)
Constants: soil, plant type, sunlight, times watered
Control: 2 mL of Miracle-Gro (suggested by the company)
LEVELS
1 mL of
Miracle-Gro
granuels, 32
mL of water
2 mL of
Miracle-Gro
granuels, 32
mL of water
4 mL of
Miracle-Gro
granuels, 32
mL of water
8 mL of
Miracle-Gro
granuels, 32
mL of water
TRIALS
25
25
25
25
After 10 days
1 mL
2 mL
4 mL 8 mL
6.5
6
6
5.5
6
7
7
7.5
3
7
6
5.5
7
5
5
5.5
6
0
8
5.5
4.5
0
7
6
6
6.6
7.5
6
5
6
7
4.5
6.5
6.5
8.5
7
5
4.5
5.5
6.5
1
5.5
6
7.5
6.5
7
7
5.5
8
2.5
6
7
7
4
5.5
5.5
11
7
7
7
0
6
6
7
0
7
8
7
0
4
8.5
6
0
5.5
6.5
5
0
7.5
7
6.5
0
6
6.5
5
0
4.5
6
5.5
0
5.5
5
7
0
6
7.5
6.5
0
4
0
0
3.56
5.224
6.4
5.9
After 17 days
1 mL
2 mL
4 mL
8 mL
7
9
7
7.5
9.5
8
4
12
9.5
4
8
9.5
7
9.5
10
5
0
8
7
8
9.5
6.5
8
7.5
7
9
9
6
10
6
2
11.5
7.5
8.5
11
8
8
9
7
8
8
6
12
5
8.5
0
7.5
9
0
8
0
0
9.5
6.5
0
10
7.5
0
11
8
0
12
8
0
11.5
8
0
8
7.5
0
6
8.5
0
8.5
0
3.98
8.78
7.36
6
7.5
6
5.5
7
6
6
5
7.5
6.5
8
6
7.5
5.5
7
7
7
7
5.5
6.5
5
6
7
7
0
6.2
After 24 days
1 mL
2 mL
4 mL
8 mL
7
12
7.5
0
7.5
14
8.5
7.5
4
13.5
9.5
0
4
11
9.5
0
7
13
10.5
0
5
0
10
6
7
11
9.5
6
6.5
13
8
5
7
10
9.5
7.5
6
12
6
0
2
12
7.5
8
8.5
13.5
8
0
8
10.5
8
7.5
8
9
7.5
5.5
12
9
8.5
7
0
9.5
10
7
0
10
0
0
0
9.5
7
7
0
11
8
5.5
0
12.5
8.5
0
0
12
8
5
0
13
8
6
0
13
7.5
0
0
12
9
0
0
15
0
0
3.98
11.24
7.76
3.62
 Averages:
• After 10 days: 1 mL= 3.56, 2 mL= 5.224, 4 mL=
6.4, 8 mL= 5.9
• After 17 days: 1 mL= 3.98, 2 mL= 8.78, 4 mL=
7.36, 8 mL= 6.2
• After 24 days: 1 mL= 3.98, 2 mL= 11.24, 4 mL=
7.76, 8 mL= 3.62
 Used
the ANOVA test
 P Value= 32.20
 Other results:
1mL
2mL
4mL
8mL
Mean
3.98
11.3
7.76
3.62
Standard
Deviation
3.76
2.89
2.56
3.36
Median
4.00
12.0
8.00
5.00
Hi/Low
12/0
15/0
10.5 /0
8/0
Average
Absolute
Deviation
from Median
3.34
1.80
1.44
3.02
 Data
is significant
 Null hypothesis is rejected
 My hypothesis was confirmed/accepted
Human error- I could have measured something
wrong and I rounded to the nearest .5
 Watered until moist- some plants might have
gotten more Miracle-Gro than others
 Light- all of the plants might not have gotten the
exact same amount of light
 Trial Period – if longer period of time was
observed, would the plants continued to maintain
growth differences?
 Time of year- not the best weather which could
have affected the growth

 Applications
• Easy
• Cheap
• I’ve never been able to grow any plants before
and wanted to see if it would help
 Extensions
• The Effect of Soil Type on the Productivity of
Miracle-Gro
• The Effect of the Amount of Sunlight on the
Productivity of Miracle-Gro
 My
mom who put up with a mess in my
basement
 Mrs. Pietrangelo for helping me through
this project
 The people at PJAS that accepted this
project