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Grass Growing Experiments

Experiments on growing grass can be an excellent way to introduce younger students to plant biology, or botany. They can enjoy growing their own grasses and partaking in simple and fun experiments, such as what factors do and do not assist with the growth of grass and creating a hairy potato head. There are also plenty of experiments to interest slightly older students, such as determining whether the pH level in soil affects grass growth and investigating drought-resistant grasses.

Growing Factors
- Students will learn what factors are required for grass to grow.
  
  Hand each student three plastic cups and instruct them to fill each cup ¾ full with soil, add a good sprinkling of grass seed and then cover with more soil. The first cup should be labeled "water and sun" and watered and placed in a sunny spot. Label the second cup "sun, no water" and place it in a sunny spot but do not water. Label the fourth cup "water, no sun" and after watering it, place it in a shadowed area. Students should continue to water the two cups labeled "water" throughout the experiment and record the results.
Grass Potato Head
- A simple potato can be transformed into a happy face.
  
  Hand each student a potato, with the top and bottom cut off and the top of the remaining potato scooped out, so it resembles a potato cup. Students can decorate their potato with a face before placing three or four cotton wool balls in the hollowed out top. A handful of grass seeds should be sprinkled onto the cotton wool and watered. Place the potato in a shallow bowl of water and keep the seeds moist. Students will soon find their potato has grown hair.
Drought Resistance
- This can be a useful experiment for people in very dry areas.
  
  Each student will require four cups and four different types of grass seed. According to Blades Lawn Care, two popular warm-season grasses are St. Augustine and Zoysia grass, and two poplar cold-season grasses are Kentucky Blue and Fine Fescue. Label the cups, fill them ¾ with soil, add an even sprinkling of seed and then cover with a little more soil. The cups should be placed in a sunny area and the growth of each grass measured daily. Ask students why people might want to know what the most drought-resistant grass is.
Soli pH Levels
- Grass grows so quickly that students will soon see the experiment's results.
  
  Each student should fill five plastic cups with soil. Soil sulfur or ground limestone should be added to each pot, using a pH measuring kit so that the pH measurements in the five cups are 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5 and 8.0. The exact same amount of grass seeds should be added to each pot, the same amount of water should be used throughout the experiment, and the pots should be placed together in the same sunny spot. Measuring the growth rate of the grass each day for a set amount of time will show students whether the pH level of the soil affects the growth rate.

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