Varying Effects of Vegetable Scraps, Fruit Scraps and Grass Clipping

as an Alternative Liquid Fertilizer to Lady’s Finger (abelmoschus

esculentus)

An Investigatory Project

Submitted to

Celinniel De Guzman

Science Teacher

Eastern Star Academy

Debolgado, John Carlos

Dela Cruz, Rubyn

Escaño, Angel Rain E.

Flores, Marcel Louise

Jao, Gabrielle Benedict

Javier, Frances Jesse

Roda, Sophia Ysabel

Serrano, Lemuel

Ortega, Lui Andrei

 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

One of many people’s, such as the farmers, needs fertilizers to grow

nutritious plants such as the lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus). Fruit and

vegetable peels have a large concentration of nutrients and the colorful peels can be a

concentrated source of potentially beneficial phytonutrients. (John Balms, 2017)

Grass clippings contain nitrogen and others, as well as lesser amounts of other

essential plant nutrients. (Rot, 2012)

Food scraps make up 25 billion pounds of trash per year in every country without

knowing that it can help us to grow nutritious plants like lady’s finger (abelmoschus

esculentus) by making alternative fertilizers with the use of it such as vegetable scraps,

and fruit scraps. (Stone, 1990)

The researchers come up with this idea and decided to make an alternative liquid

fertilizer from vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, and grass clippings. These ingredients

contained some nutrients that may help the plant to grow healthier like phosphorus

(involved in the metabolic processes responsible for transferring energy from one point

to another in a plant), potassium (helps regulate plant metabolism and affects water

pressure regulation inside and outside of plant cells), and also nitrogen (promotes the

plant growth). (Better Homes and Gardens, 2017)

 Epsom salt is also needed to make a liquid fertilizer because it will be the source

of magnesium and sulfur that helps seed germinate, increases chlorophyll production,

and many more.(Nardozzi, 2008)

The researcher used lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus) to test its effects

and the researchers picked this because it is easy to grow and it is easy to produce

flowers or fruits. (States, 2019)

Lady’s finger also contains Fiber (helps regulate the body's use of sugars,

helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check), Folate (make red and white blood

cells in the bone marrow, convert carbohydrates into energy, and produce DNA and

RNA), and Vitamin K (helps the blood clot, and prevent excessive bleeding. (Ware,

2017)

Composting your left over is a great way to generate rich nutrients for your
garden, but a real compost bin isn’t viable option for everyone. If you don’t have space,
creating cold compost in your blender is a great alternative. Breaking down the raw
materials in a blender will let Mother Nature decompose them faster. Liquid fertilizers
are fertilizers that come in liquid form, most commonly as a concentrate. The biggest
advantage of liquid fertilizer is increased control. With a liquid fertilizer it can help the
gardener to lessen their expenses. Another advantage is the instant availability of some
nutrients. This is advantageous because it allows growers to give the plants what they
need. (McAllister, 2013).

The purpose of this study is to know the variation effects of vegetable scraps,
fruit scraps and grass clipping to lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus). It will help the
researchers and the future researcher to learn new skills and knowledge, it will also help
the government in their environmental activities/projects and it will help the farmers to
lessen their expenses, lastly, it will help our Mother Nature to reduce land pollution due
to chemical fertilizers.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

These are the problems and questions that guided the researchers in the study
of the various effects of vegetables scraps, fruit scraps, and grass clipping as an
alternative liquid fertilizer to lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus).

1. What are the effects of vegetable scraps as an alternative liquid fertilizer to

lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus) in terms of:

1.1. Amount of leaves

1.2. Production of flowers
1.3. Color of the leaves
2. What are the effects of fruit scraps as an alternative liquid fertilizer to lady’s

finger (abelmoschus esculentus) in terms of:

2.1. Amount of leaves

2.2. Production of flowers
2.3. Color of the leaves
3. What are the effects of grass clipping as an alternative liquid fertilizer to
lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus) in terms of:
3.1. Amount of leaves
3.2. Production of flowers
3.3. Color of the leaves

4. How much does the lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus) produce flowers
using vegetable scraps, fruit scraps and grass clippings in:

4.1. 1 week

4.2. 2 weeks

4.3. 3 weeks

4.4. 4 weeks

4.5 5 weeks
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study aims to investigate the varying effects of vegetable scraps, fruit scraps
and grass clippings as an alternative liquid fertilizer to finger’s lady(abelmoschus
esculentus).

 Researchers

This helps the researchers to acquired new skills and knowledge about the

purpose of vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, and grass clipping.

 Farmers

With the use of this study, it will help the farmers to lessen their expenses

because it is cheap and also it will help your plants to grow nutritious.

 Government

The researchers believed that with the help of this study, alternative liquid

fertilizers can help the government in their environmental projects because it is made up
of eco-friendly materials.

 Environment

This will help the environment or our Mother Nature to reduce land pollution

because the materials that are used in this study are made up of eco-friendly materials
unlike to chemical fertilizers.

 Home keepers

This research will help other home maker or home keeper to have an affordable

and organic fertilizer to their plants.

  Peoples/ Humans

This research will help the people because this fertilizer is organic and will not

cause us harm. But some fertilizers are harmful to people or humans.

 Sellers

They can sell organic fertilizers with a friendly amount. And they can make sure

to their customers that the fertilizers that they are selling is organic and not harmful

unlike other fertilizers that can harm the plant nor the humans.

 Science teachers

They can teach this new knowledge about organic fertilizers, and about

vegetable and fruit scraps.

 Consumers

It helps the consumers to buy a fresh lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus)

because of the use of vegetable and fruit scraps as their organic fertilizer.

 Community

The vegetable and fruit scrap as an fertilizer will provide a clean, not harmful and

fresh lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus).

 Future Researchers

This theory can help the future researchers on their investigatory project

because it can be one of their reference and related studies.

SCOPES AND DELIMITATIONS

The scope of this study is all about the varying effects of vegetable scraps, fruit
scraps, and grass clipping as alternative liquid fertilizers to lady’s finger (abelmoschus
esculentus). In the study, the researchers used vegetable scraps, fruit scraps and grass
clipping as alternative liquid fertilizers to grow nutritious pants like lady’s finger
(abelmoschus esculentus). The researcher used 1 kilo of vegetable scraps (carrot
peels, potato peels, ginger peels, and onion peels), 1 kilo of fruit scraps (orange peels,
apple peels, banana peels, and tomato peels) and 1 kilo of grass clippings.
Researchers also used Epsom salt, water, 3 empty bottle sprayer, 3 empty containers
and 15 lady’s finger seeds.

The researchers will observe and investigate the lady’s finger

(abelmoschus esculentus) growth for 5 weeks to see what are the effects of vegetable
scraps, fruit scraps, and grass clippings as an alternative fertilizer to lady’s finger
(abelmoschus esculentus). The researchers only used 15 sprays of liquid fertilizer in
each plant.

The researchers made tables that can help them to find the varying effects
of vegetable scraps to fruit scraps and grass clippings. The table is consisted by
indicators such as the color of the leaves, stem of the plant, production of flowers, and
the amount of leaves.

1 2 3
Indicator (poor) (good) (very good)
Color of the Yellowish color Pale Green color Green color of
Leaves of the leaves of the leaves the leaves
Stem of the Thin Not too thin, not Thick
Plant too thick
Production of 0 – 2 flowers 3 – 5 flowers 6 and more
Flowers flowers
Amount of 10 – 15 leaves 16 – 21 leaves 22 and more
Leaves leaves
 Chapter II

This chapter presents the review of the Related literature and studies, the

conceptual model of the study, the research hypothesis and the definition of terms.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This chapter presents the review of related literatures and studies about the

varying effects of vegetable scraps, fruit scraps and grass clipping as an alternative

fertilizer to lady’s finger (abelmoschus esculentus).

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

A number of books, journals, unpublished materials and articles from the internet

were browsed to get insights for the conceptualization of this study. These are

presented here under.

RELATED STUDIES

Here in Related Studies you can see some knowledge and conflicts in the

previous research. These studies will help the researchers to prove the study about

vegetable scraps, fruit scraps and grass clipping as an alternative liquid fertilizer.

Organic fertilizers have higher nitrogen and phosphorus and also have high-

moisture that can help your plants to grow healthier compared to chemical fertilizers.

However, nutrient value of animal manures is more variable than that of agricultural by-

products. (Green, 2015)

 Epsom salt helps improve flower blooming and enhances a plant’s green color. It

can even help plants grow bushier. Epsom salt is made up of hydrated magnesium

sulfate (magnesium and sulfur), which is important to healthy plant growth. (Tilley, 2016)

Grass clippings are actually good for the lawn as an alternative fertilizer. Grass

clippings are over 80% water, so they decompose quickly and release nitrogen and

other nutrients back into the lawn and soil naturally, thereby improving lawn quality.

Grass clippings add water-saving mulch and encourage natural soil aeration by

earthworms.(Rot, how to compost grass clippings, 2013)

Fruits and vegetables are great for adding nutrients and moisture to your soil. It

helps to protect your pants from pests like slugs, adds calcium to the soil and helps your

plant to grow healthy.(espiritu, 2016)

COLLECTIVE IDEA

RELATED LITERATURE

Related literature is review surveys books, scholarly articles, and any other

sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing,

provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works in relation to the

research problem being investigated.

Taking out the garbage is a traditional source for jokes and sight gags, but it is

enjoying a new role in the "greening" of society. Instead of bagging up slimy residents of

the crisper drawer or long-forgotten leftovers, you can turn that spoiled food into
fertilizer for your houseplants, flowers and vegetable garden without much extra effort.

Repurposing old food means you will generate as much as 25 percent less garbage,

according to the State of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental

Protection. Since you have less trash, you have to bag and haul less, and your waste

bills may decrease. As more people do the same, your community needs less space for

transfer stations and landfills, and the incinerators release fewer noxious emissions. In

your garden or flowerbeds, using these composted materials adds nutrients to the soil in

a form plants can easily use, improving the health and yield of the plants. It also breaks

up heavy soils, such as clay, making it easier for roots to develop; and it increases the

capacity of sandy soils to hold onto water and nutrients. (Pme79)

One of the "great waves" in municipal and home recycling is the concentration on

what to do with the enormous amount of food waste generated in and out of the home,

by businesses, or as a result of surplus farming. A typical household throws away an

estimated 474 pounds of food waste each year. Up to 90 percent of waste thrown out by

businesses like supermarkets and restaurants is food scraps. In fact, food scraps are

the third largest segment of the waste stream with nearly 26 million tons generated each

year. Therefore, a community may desire more control over food waste recycling. Some

communities are exploring curbside food waste disposal, using specially designed

receptacles. They believe they can control the food waste stream better. Unfortunately,

such food disposal has a flaw, from our perspective. They know that with the use of

these food wastes it can help everyone to make an alternative liquid fertilizer without

extra effort. (Clark-McDowell, 2008)

 Peels are often discarded due to preference, habit or in an attempt to reduce

exposure to pesticides. However, removing the peels may result in removing one of the

most nutrient-rich parts of the plant. Peels are packed with beneficial nutrients. The

amounts of nutrients they contain vary based on the type of fruit or vegetable. However,

generally speaking, non-peeled produce contains higher amounts of vitamins, minerals

and other beneficial plant compounds, compared to its peeled counterparts. (Petre,

2017)

COLLECTIVE IDEA