Term 2 Group Assignment Reflection

The pictures show the process of the growing of our hydroponics plants. (Some parts of the process are missing.)

Week 1: We gave the seeds at least a week to germinate under sunlight, plenty of water and nutrients. At the end of week one, our plants were starting to grow very well, as shown in the first few pictures. The Japanese Cucumber was showing the most progress in the growing process and the Chilli Padi showed the least. This fact surprised us as we heard that Kang Kong was the fastest plant to grow.

Week 2: Our plants were growing bigger and taller, with larger leaves. We lifted the cover of the styrofoam box to check the health of the roots. They were white in colour, long and entangled with each other. We left the roots as it was as we did not want to damage the roots.

Week 2-3: Our plants were starting to wilt. At first we could deduced that the sunlight it received was too strong, hence causing it to wilt. Thus, Nicole Mui and I moved the box to a shadier spot. The leaves of the Japanese cucumber plant started to turn yellow and the growth of leaves were sparse. The stem of the Kang Kong started to bend and the leaves started to curl up. However, they did not turn yellow or brown. The Chilli padi started to rot and die. Surprisingly, the bayam managed to stay healthy for the longest time among the four plants.

Week 3-4: All the plants were dead. We found some leaves of the Japanese cucumber plant severed off from the stem. It looked like it was cut off and the stem showed hardly any sign of life. Hence, we pulled out all the rotting remains of the plant and threw them away. We supplemented more water and nutrients into the box and re-grew the plants.

The next few weeks... :

The Chilli Padi, Japanese Cucumber and the Kang Kong did not grow again, despite our efforts to re-grow the plants. The Bayam managed to grow tall and stronger than before. Due to this fact, I believe that the Bayam, although it is not the fastest plant to grow, can survive for a longer period of time, under poorer circumstances. The other plants did not survive, which led me to deduce this hypothesis.

I would like to thank my group members : Nicole Mui and Tan Jia Yu. They were the ones who helped to water the plants and nurture it. They also helped to take most of the pictures and "walked with me" through this experience of growing hydroponic plants.

I also would like to thank Miss Lim for sponsoring our project :)

Kimberley Lim~