Name: Sam
Status: student
Grade: 6-8
Location: WY
Country: USA
Date: Winter 2011-2012
Question:
I'm curious about nitrogen-fixating plants that convert nitrogen to nitrates and nitrites and wondered if there is such a thing as nitrogen-free soil for me to experiment with in my family's greenhouse?
Replies:
Hi Sam,
A fine sand, washed in distilled water, would be the nearest to a nitrogen-free soil you could easily get. Any soil with organic material/humus would likely have some forms of organic and inorganic nitrogen.
Sand would also be deficient in nearly all other nutrients, but overall it would allow you to control all nutrients independently.
Don
You can use the silica (quartz) sand used in fish tanks. That medium
will be nitrogen-free, or very close to nitrogen-free.
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.
