Sand Bean update

The bean in the sand has now gone mouldy! I did hold out some hope when I saw that the seed was beginning to split as the photo shows. However the seed has now gone mouldy, the salt content in the sand from the beach was clearly to high for the seed to germinate.

Gravel Bean

Well something else has found our bean investigation successful!!! I have found a few holes developing on 'Bean's leaves. It seems that we have an intruder! No less than a caterpillar who I have named Ceril! Needless to say he likes 'Bean' and we may not have much left to measure soon. Have taken a final photograph which I shall post and will measure 'Bean' before Ceril has finished munching!

Go cotton Wool

Well the bean is still growing! It now stands well above the top of the cup in which is was planted. However; the leaves seem to now be getting a few black spots on them which have not been noticeable previously. On research I have found out that plants obtain essential minerals from the soil. The most important nutrients are Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Although these are not needed to produce food as plants produce food through photosynthesis, plants need these nutrients and minerals in order to maintain cell walls, cell membranes, proteins and plant DNA. Magnesium, iron and sulphur are used in the manufacture of chlorophyll and are also important. If these minerals are usually found in soil it would be a safe assumption that my bean is not getting these minerals from the cotton wool. As I mentioned in my last post the bean had enough energy within it to successfully germinate. However; now it is becoming a plant, perhaps the black spots on the leaves indicate a deficiency. If the plant is not getting enough minerals to make chlorophyll then this maybe a reason why some parts of the leaves are black not green. I will keep a close eye on it and comment further at a later date!

The compost bean so far...

On Monday 29th October I put my bean into soak for 24hours. Exactly 24 hours later it was time to place my bean into a pot of damp compost and place it on my windowsill. It has sat there ever since making gradual progress over time. I continued to monitor the bean each day, adding water when necessary to make sure that the compost stayed damp. The first signs that it was developing was a few days later when I started to see roots growing. Then, on the 3rd November the bean’s shoot broke through the surface of the compost (picture A). It started as only 7mm out from the soil but as the days went on it quickly grew. I took my next picture the following day (picture B) and it now stood 2cm tall. I also tried to take a picture of the root network which was also making rapid progress (the picture did not come out very clearly though due to reflection (picture C). I then took another picture on 6th November (picture D), which shows that it has again grown and now stands at 3cm tall. The final photo taken so far was on 11th November (picture E) where it now stands 6cm tall. I have also taken a picture from above the bean to show how the leaves have opened out (picture F).

Picture A: Picture B:

Picture C: Picture D:

Picture E: Picture F:

Bean in Gravel

The bean is doing fantastic! Originally I wasn't sure if it was going to grow as the water could not be absorbed into the gravel and lay in the bottom of the cup, but it has and is growing really well.

Jelly Bean in the bin

Despite all my hopes, I'm afraid I have to report the demise of Jelly Bean. It was too mouldy to save. It has now gone to the recycling bin!