OT- where to find bean plants?

[chrisstie]

So I was remembering when I was a kid in school and we got to do experiments with bean plants. We had a control bean that got x amount of sun, watered with normal water etc and we all had 1 bean plant to do that

Then our experiments ranged from growing a bean inside of a closet to hydroponics (at least as much as you could do as a 6th grader) to whatever.

I was thinking of simulating a similar experiment to find out how useful skimmate could be as a fertilizer but don't know what this type of fast easy growing bean is and where to get it...

anyone with bean experience out there who can help?

 

[flfirefighter13]

garedn departments of walmart or home depot should have them for ya, home depot staff may even be able to answer questions about the plants.

 

[loosbrew]

Unless skimmate has a good amount of salt I dont see why not try it. I wouldn't suggest the taste test though...

 

[Stoney Mahony]

Most bean plants grow rather quickly. Green beans are probably what you used in school and you can buy the seeds at home depot. They take a few days to pop up, I just planted some 2 weeks ago in full sun and they are already almost a foot tall . Are you planning on growing these hydroponically or in a soil mixture? If your trying to measure the direct effect of skimate you will probably want to go hydroponically and get a TDS/PPM meter to test the nutrient strength in the water. Skimate can work as a fertilizer but you have to skim very dry so you dont get an excess of salts in your collection cup. Salt= bad for plants . Also, you can make a DIY hydro system for next to nothing so it should not be expensive to get all the stuff you need.

 

[chrisstie]

I hadn't really thought of exactly how to do it.. Soil was definitely one of my possibilities because You can put a bean in a small pot and a bunch near each other and be able to see their progress right next to each other.

I was also considering a plant with a fresh water diluted skimmate mixure - i'd love to find a way to ge the chemical make up of the skimmate.. You know how htey make fertilizers that are number-number-number - some are for fruits, others flowers etc.. I am wondering what comes out of my tank comes close to one of those mixtures.

Stoney do you have any info or sites for a cheap DIY hydroponic setup? Sounds like it'd be a fun summertime project to experiment with anyway> I am in a townhome and don't exactly have a nice big yard or anything but I have an area where I could definitely set something somewhat small up