Science+Fair+Lit+Review+KA

My project is about mint plants and fertilizers. Mint plants are green and are in the herb family. They are perennial most of the time but they can be annual but that does not happen a lot. Mint plants are best when they are wet and moist. They can grow up to 120 centimeters! (Mentha Wikipedia)
 * Review of Literatu****re **

Now, the fertilizer. Would you rather have organic or non- organic fertilizer? Well, the answer is simple. Organic fertilizer is better for the plant but it costs more. Non- organic has harsh chemicals for the plant and it costs less. An example of a cheap non- organic source would be manure and sometimes fish. (SF Gate) Another example of fertilizers would be eggshells. When using them, make sure to rinse and then crush. Coffee grounds are also another good fertilizer highly recommended for acid loving plants. Make to soak in water before using it. (Cindy)

So, what is in the fertilizer? Well, the plant needs oxygen, carbon and hydrogen to grow and survive. The plants can get the oxygen, hydrogen and carbon from water and the air. The secondary thing a plant needs is that potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. The other stuff that is left is called the ballast which doesn’t do anything useful for the plant. (What is Fertilizer)

Fertilizers help the plant grow, but where does the plant get its food? Well, the plant has to receive energy. The energy in the plant comes from the sun. After the plant receives energy, it can make food for itself in a process called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is very important to a plant because it keeps the plant healthy and alive by feeding itself. ( Photosynthesis)

Now, how does a seed grow? Well, the steps are first- germination (sprouts out of the ground) second- growth and reproduction (with sunlight and water, it will continue to grow and eventually reproduce) third- dying after reproduction, new seeds will sprout. Every living thing goes through reproduction, growth and development. These things are very crucial to a plants life. You also want to make sure you give a lot love and care to your plant in order for it to be healthy. ( Moyer, Richard)

What are the proper ways to care for your mint plant? Well, first of all you want to make sure that you plant the mints separately because they take up a lot of room in your garden and will go wild. These plants leaves can grow to about 1 to 3 inches and can grow as tall as three feet! They are commonly used in beverages, food and medicines across the world. When planting, make sure to choose to plant them in the sun or in partial shade before you do. After you choose that, there is not much more care. Just water regularly and make sure you have enough soil. If you do that, your mint plant should be doing fine. ( National Gardening)

What I learned-

I learned a lot of new stuff. First of all, I learned how mint plants grow and what they need to survive. I learned that potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen make up most fertilizers and plants need it to survive. I learned that plants go through photosynthesis to make food for themselves and it is crucial for them. I learned a lot that I didn’t know, and I’m glad I learned them.


 * Works Cited **

Cindy. "10 Natural Fertilizer Recipes." // Home Grown Fun //. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. <[]>.
 * This website is valid because it is consistent with other websites and the author Cindy, is very familiar with gardening.

"Mentha." //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Sept. 2013. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. <[]>.


 * It is safe and valid because it is consistent with other websites.

Moyer, Richard. "Living Things Reproduce and Grow." //McGraw-Hill Science // . New York: McGraw-Hill School Division, 2000. 178-87. Print.


 * This textbook is a valid source of information because it is something I use in school and it is published throughout the world.

National Gardening Association." //Plant Care Guides :://. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2013. <[]>.


 * This website is valid because it is consistent with other websites.

"Photosynthesis." //- Definition from Biology-Online.org // . N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2013. <[]>.


 * This website is valid because it is consistent with all of the other websites.

"SFGate: San Francisco Bay Area - News,Bay Area News, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Classifieds - SFGate." //SFGate//. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. <[]>.


 * This website is valid because it is written by the San Francisco newspaper so they know what they are talking about.

What Is Fertilizer and Why Do Plants Need It?" //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">HowStuffWorks // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2013. <[]>.


 * This website is valid because this website is the same name as the tv show- How Stuff Works which is a national tv show.