One cubic foot: Insects

Bee:

Moth:

One Cubic Foot: Insects

bee

Initial Plant Research

1. Kyona Mizuna

a. Vegtable.
b. Typically Mizuna groes best in cooler weather and can with stand considerable frost. Because San Diego has a slightly cool weather in the fall Mizuna can be grown relatively well outdoors.
c. The plant takes approximately 5-10 days to germinate and requires no special treatment.
d. The plant sprouts in roughly ten days and harvests in roughly forty days. This is perfect for this semester and fits within the time zone.
e. The plant space will take up about 1'w x 1'h. The plants should be about 1/2'' apart.
f. The Minuza plant needs to be in very moistuized soil. It likes for the soil to be at a pH of 7.
g. The Minuza plant requires a lot of water. It is best to use drip irrigation directly into the soil to keep the soil moist.
h. companion plants include low growing slowers such as sweet assylum.

2. Mini Puplette Bunching Onion

a. Vegtable
b. Typically grown in the summers due to warm dry climate. However considering San Diegos Wdecently warm and definitely dry winters, the onion is able to grow.
c. 7-14 days to germinate. Prefers well drained soil in a warm climate.
d. Takes 60-65 days to harvest. This plant will either sprout at the end of this semester for our class to enjoy, or at the beggining or next semester for the other class to enjoy. Either way it will be enjoyed within the school year.
e. This plant needs at least 2in in diameter. They should be planted 3in apart.
f. This plant prefers to grow in more dry soil that is preferably warm and slightly acidic.
g. It does not require much water compared to other plants. It is best to water plant by drip irrigation system.
h. Chives, Bush Beans, and Beets are all companion plants to mini onions.

3. Lemon Gem Marigold

a. Flower
b. Thrives in room temperature soil. This will be perfect for San Diego's unintensive weather.
c. 65-80 days to germinate. It requires the soil to be kept moist until the plant is mature. It is recommended to use mulch to keep soil moist.
d. 80 days to mature. This will be unrealistic for our semester however, once this plant is thriving it could be used in next semesters garden.
e. Plant the seeds 6'' away from one another. It will require at least 6''-9'' to grow.
f. This plant thrives in neutral soil. It is a heavy feeder and requires a lot of moisture. However, you should not over-fertalize the area in which you grow this plant.
g. It requires a lot of water and it is best to use the drip irrigation system.
h. Other flowering plants make good companions for the Lemon Gem Marigold


3. INTERESTING FACTS:
Mizuna- Is often used as an addition to a fancy meal for visual appeal!
Onion- They turn pastel pink when pickled!
Lemon Marigold- Is a flower that is actually edible!

Carbon Fixation in Elodea

Analysis:

1. Phenol red changed colors when we blew into the tube because adding CO2 lowers the pH level and Phenol red is a substance that changes colors as the acidity is changed. Its color change indicated that the pH level was lowered by the CO2.
2. It took roughly 5-10 minutes to see a color change when we blew into the Phenol red. However, it took about 30 minutes to see a color change when we added the Elodea plant. The color change in the Phenol red with the Elodea Plant indicated that the plant had been photosynthesizing the CO2.
3. The Phenol red and Elodea light independent tube did not photosynthesize. This is because light is a key factor to photosynthesis and is not possible without it.
4. I did not see a change in color of the phenol red test tube with no elodea. This is because the elodea had been sucking up the CO2 for photosynthesis, and the elodea independent tube had not. Therefore, the acidity did not change.
5. Carbon fixation does not occur in humans. However, it does occur in some bacteria. Other than that, plant are the most well known for their carbon fixation.
6. A plant uses carbon + H20 + light to build simple sugars like glucose and fructose. Unlike many other living organisms, plants can make food energy instead of just being able to break it down.
7. Having a control in this experiment is important because we can manipulate the light component. Our control allows us to see that light is needed in order for photosynthesis to occur.