While soil is the traditional go-to for seed starting, a variety of alternative mediums can offer equally successful, and sometimes even superior, results in the early stages of plant development.
For instance, an avocado seed can thrive in a simple water and hydroponic nutrient solution, where the roots directly access essential nutrients, potentially leading to faster growth.
Cotton, paper towels, and even sponges can also serve as effective seed-starting mediums, each with unique benefits and drawbacks. To test this theory, we’ll experiment with three different growing mediums for basil seeds: a traditional soil mix, a repurposed tea bag, and a simple kitchen sponge.
Tea Bag vs Soil vs Sponge
In this experiment, we delve into the fascinating world of seed germination by exploring how basil seeds respond to different growing mediums. Our contenders for this botanical face-off: a repurposed Lipton Yellow Label Black Tea bag, a traditional soil mix enriched with perlite and eggshells, and a common household magic eraser sponge.
The tea bag was prepared by creating a vertical slit, inserting the basil seeds, and sealing it shut. It was then placed in a water container cover and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, a technique we’ll elaborate on later.
For the soil medium, we utilized a single pocket from an old cardboard egg tray, filled it with our prepared soil mix, and sowed the basil seeds.
The magic eraser sponge, known for its stain-removing prowess, was cut into a small cube and sliced halfway to create four sections for the seeds. It was also placed in a water container cover.
To ensure consistent conditions, all three setups received the same amount of water throughout the 14-day experiment and were exposed to a continuous light source. This methodology mirrors our tomato vs. tomato experiment, allowing for direct comparison and analysis. Stay tuned as we uncover the surprising results of this germination showdown!
Observations:
In our first attempt, the tea bag medium quickly succumbed to a fungal takeover, prompting a restart.
Determined to find a natural solution, we incorporated cinnamon powder—a known fungicide—into the tea bag setup. This initially seemed promising, but the fungi persisted, albeit at a slower pace.
Around the 0:35-0:38 mark in the video, you’ll notice our cinnamon intervention, proving effective in curbing the spread but not completely eradicating it.
Meanwhile, the soil and sponge setups flourished.
On day three, tiny basil sprouts emerged from the soil, followed closely by those in the sponge. The tea bag, unfortunately, continued its downward spiral, overtaken by the relentless fungi.
We’re eager to hear your thoughts on this experiment! What mediums would you like to see go head-to-head next?
Share your ideas in the comments section below.