By Isabelle Capra

Group Members Oni, Alannah and Tejal

Abstract:
Many plants need additional nutrients to maintain a healthy growth rate. The
sunflower, Helianthus Annuus, was the plant tested in this experiment.
A sunflower with coffee grounds added and a normal sunflower were planted
and analysed in order to see which method was more effective.
It was hypothesised that the pot containing the coffee grounds would
germinate the fastest because coffee grounds would act as a form of nutrients
for the plants. Therefore, two seeds were planted in each of the two pots and
coffee grounds were added to one pot to test the theory.
Every two to three days the plants were watered and data was recorded
measuring their height. According to the data that was collected, the
sunflower in which the coffee grounds were added, achieved the highest
height.
Due to these results, it can be concluded that coffee grounds being added to
the soil of a sunflower, does in fact affect its growth rate.

Germinating seedlings in pot one Moving the sunflowers back to W Block

- 9th of March 2017 - 20h of April

Contents Page:

Abstract page 1

Introduction page 3

Practical Write Up page 4 and 5

Results page 6 and 7

Analysis page 7

Evaluation page 8

Conclusion page 8

Bibliography page 9
Introduction:

The question being investigated within this experiment, is whether

adding coffee grounds to the soil of a sunflower affects its growth
rate.
Through researching about this subject, it has been found that
adding coffee grounds to the soil is an effective method of improving
its growth rate. According to other research, coffee grounds are a
good alternative to compost and fertiliser as they are great for
environmental sustainability. (Rhoades, n.d.)
Coffee grounds are known to contain useful nitrogen (N) for the soil
and they are slightly acidic. With an average volume of two percent
nitrogen, the use of coffee grounds in the soil of a sunflower, is an
effective method. Coffee grounds are known to be a safer and
healthier alternative to compost and manure. (Nelson, 2011)
If coffee grounds were added to the sunflower, then the mass of the
head will increase, because coffee grounds are a safer, healthier
alternative to other fertilizers and contain nutrients that are helpful
for the sunflower. This hypothesis was tested to so the inquiry
question could be answered.
This subject area is important to society and relevant to the
community because if the sunflower with added coffee grounds can
be proven to be the most effective method, it could be applied to
other plants in other subject areas. For example, coffee grounds
could then be added to the soil of vegetables improving farming and
agriculture.
Practical write up:
Aim:
To determine whether the addition of coffee grounds to the soil of a sunflower
affects the growth rate.

Hypothesis:
If coffee grounds are added to the soil of a sunflower, then the mass of the
head will increase because of the nutrient and nitrogen levels within coffee
grounds being helpful and healthy for the sunflower. Coffee grounds are less
harmful than the manure and fertilizer commonly used in other plant soils.

Variables:

Causes Effects
(IVs and CVs) (DVs)

Same amount of water (CV) Height of stem

The same potting mix (CV) Size of head
Adding in coffee grounds (IV) Mass of head (DV)
The same pot size (CV) Size of petals
No modifications to the seed Amount of petals
(CV)

IV = Independent Variable DV = Dependent Variable

CV = Controlled Variable

Risk Assessment:
Hazard Prevention Management
Other children Move sunflowers to a Sunflowers were moved
damaging the safe and protected area to an out of bounds
sunflowers area
Chemicals in the soil Wear protective gear Face masks were worn
consume when handling the soil as protection
Chemicals in soil - hands Cleanse the skin as the Hands were washed
fertiliser could be after plantation of the
harmful sunflower soil

Equipment/Materials:
Item Quantity
Pots 2
Name Tags 2
Marker 1
Sunflower Seeds 4
Soil Enough to fill 2 pots
Water Enough to water the sunflower for 2
months
Camera or Phone for photos 1
Plates plastic, base for pots 2
An area that receives lots of sun 1
Rulers 1 to measure

Method:
1. The marker and two name tags were collected to write the names of the
members in the group on.
2. The soil was added to both the two pots.
3. The coffee grounds were added to one pot.
4. Two seeds were added into each pot.
5. The two name tags were placed into each of the two pots.
6. The sunflowers were placed under the roof of W Block.
7. The sunflowers were moved to the greenhouse.
8. The two pots were watered every two to three days, with photos taken.
9. The end heights were recorded and used for analysis.
10.
Results:
Date of Height with Height with Controlled Controlled
Data coffee grinds coffee grinds height without height without
Recorded (IV) (IV) coffee grinds coffee grinds
Sunflower 1 Sunflower 2 Sunflower 1 Sunflower 2
28th / Feb 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm
1st / Mar 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm
2nd / Mar 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm
3rd / Mar 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm
7th / Mar 4cm 0cm 0cm 0cm
9th / Mar 6cm 2cm 0cm 0cm
14th / Mar 10cm 8cm 0cm 0cm
24th / Mar 17cm 15cm 0cm 0cm
28th / Mar 20cm 17cm 0cm 0cm
20th / April 22cm 18cm 0cm 0cm
24th / April 25cm 20cm 0cm 0cm
28th / April 25cm 20cm 0cm 0cm

*Not to scale taken on the 28th of April 2017

The final height of the sunflowers was recorded on the 28th of April. Pot twos sunflowers both did
not grow so the final height for both those seeds was 0cm. In pot one, the first seedling germinated
to 25cm and the second seedling grew to 20cm. This was measured from the base of the pot to the
top of the sunflower.
 Height of a Sunflower
30

25
Height of Sunflower (CM)

20

15

10

0
28th of 1st of 2nd of 3rd of 7th of 9th of 14th of 24th of 28th of 20th of 24th of 28th of
Feb Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar Mar April April April
Date of Data Collected

Sunflower 1, Pot 1 Sunflower 2, Pot 1 Sunflower 1, pot 2 Sunflower 2, Pot 2

Analysis and Discussion:

Analysis of the results revealed that the sunflower with coffee grounds is
clearly the most effective method to use. This analysis is clearly supported
above, as the line graph demonstrates that the pot in which the coffee grounds
were added, contained the only sunflowers to grow. This would be because
the nutrients within the coffee grounds, benefit the sunflowers growth. The
nutrients within the coffee grounds include: nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus
and many others. These nutrients help balance the PH levels in the soil. The
first sunflower in pot one, grew to a total height of 25cm. The second
sunflower in pot one, grew to a total height of 20cm. The first sunflower in pot
one, had a 25% higher end result than sunflower two. Both sunflowers in pot
two, did not sprout or germinate. A trend that emerged from the data
recorded above, demonstrates that from the time period of the 14th of March
to the 24th of March, the sunflowers in pot one grew very rapidly.
Evaluation:
An error within this experiment was the amount of water each sunflower
received on a day-to-day basis. The original plan was to water the sunflowers
with 100mL-150mL of water every two to three days. This variable was
modified as rain, the effects of a cyclone, and variation in times between
watering changed and affected the reliability of the experiment. This changing
variable affected the experiment because it is unknown whether the
sunflowers health and strength were affected due to too much rain or not
enough rain. This means that the results collected, could be slightly different to
the results that would have been collected if it were not for this changing
variable. To improve the accuracy of the experiment, all controlled variables
would be kept controlled, therefore not affecting the results in the experiment.
For future experiments, a different independent variable would be tested that
would have a very different results table to the one in this experiment.

Conclusion:
It was hypothesised that, If coffee grounds are added to the soil of a
sunflower, then the mass of the head will increase because of the nutrient and
nitrogen levels within coffee grounds are helpful and healthy for the
sunflower... This hypothesis was supported in the results as the pot with the
coffee grounds added grew to 25cm and 20cm whereas the pot without coffee
grounds did not grow.
Bibliography:

Rhoades, H. (n.d.). Coffee Grounds & Gardening: Using Coffee Grounds As Fertilizer.
Retrieved from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/ingredients/coffee-
grounds-gardening.htm

E. (2015, August 11). Grow Your Own Sunflower. Retrieved from

https://www.hoselink.com.au/blog/grow-your-own-giant/

Interflora. (n.d.). Sunflower information from Flowers.org.uk. Retrieved from

http://www.flowers.org.uk/flowers/flowers-names/q-t/sunflower/

Nelson, J. S. (2011, January 9). Coffee as Fertilizer? - Plant Palette - University of Illinois
Extension serving Dewitt, Macon and Piatt Counties. Retrieved from
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/palette/110109.html

Plants & Shrubs That Like Coffee Grounds | Home Guides | SF Gate. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plants-shrubs-like-coffee-grounds-45743.html