Note: to see all the posts in this series, go here.
It’s time to transplant the plants, which means that the experiment has ended. After almost three months, there is no appreciable difference between the plants which received kettle-boiled water and those that received microwaved water. So, I think it’s reasonable to conclude that there most probably is nothing that microwaves do to water that is likely to be any more harmful to living organisms than is any other method of heating water.
I accidentally left the plants outdoors too long one night last week and they took a bit of frost damage. Each one has some dying branches (see the first photo below) but also new growth at the top (see the second photo below, from the same plant). Plants in each group appear to have received similar damage and are recovering similarly.
April 9, 2012
The weather has improved enough to put the plants outdoors during the afternoon and early evening. I’ll keep them in the shade for at least the first week or two, though, as they’ve not been exposed to unfiltered direct sunlight before (photo below).
All six plants have grown taller than I’d like. So, I’ve pinched them back a bit (removed the new growing tip from each plant), something I learned about when I used to dabble in bonsai. I also raised the light again.
The first photo below shows the plants before starting these procedures. The second and third show a plant before pinching and the same plant after being pinched. The fourth shows the plants put back in place with the light raised.
March 27, 2012
Raised the grow light by three chain links to accommodate the height of the plants. Every week or so, I’ve been adjusting the timer on the light to more-or-less correspond to sunrise and sunset. As of this evening, it will go on at 7 am and off at 8 pm.
March 23, 2012
Morning: gave them each 1/4 cup water from the appropriate bottle.
Evening: the seedlings have grown a bit leggy and are starting to require support (see the first photo below), most likely a consequence of insufficient light compared to the temperature inside the room. This might correct itself once the plants are moved outside but, for now, I have staked them with bamboo shish kabab sticks and string (see the second photo below).
March 21, 2012
As you can see in the photo below, all six plants are doing well and there is no significant difference between the two groups, allowing for the fact that there will be variation and the numbers are few. The three on the left are the ones receiving kettle-boiled water while the three on the right are getting microwaved water.
March 10, 2012
The culling has been done. I’ve left just one seedling of more-or-less equal size and vigor in each pot. There is some variation, of course. [shrug] Plants are like that.
Germination has begun in all six containers. Now that things have reached the stage at which light may make a noticeable difference, I have rotated the container 180 degrees and will do so daily from this point on.
The pots are filled and watered with tap water and the seeds are sown. From this point on, all the water these plants receive will be either kettle-boiled or microwaved. Now, we await germination.