Plants need soil to grow right? Well, not really. It's true that most plants anchor themselves in the soil with their roots, and they take up water and nutrients from the soil. Soil is composed of weathered rock and decomposing organic matter and is nature's design for fulfilling these basic plant needs. However, other materials can deliver the same resources.

For example, scientists have developed gel-like substances that provide the root support and nutrients needed by plants to grow. These gels were originally introduced to help with tissue culture. Tissue culture is a form of plant reproduction where pieces of plants (as small as one cell) are placed in a special, gel-like growing media full of all the necessary nutrients and hormones needed for growth. In the right environment, the cells will multiply and differentiate to form a new plant. It is a way to produce a lot of new plants from one or even part of one parent plant. Eventually the plant's roots and top growth will become large enough that it is not practical to use gel to provide the necessary support or nutrients, and at that point, they can be transplanted into soil.

Use gel as a growing medium for plants in your classroom. You can purchase gels from the Gardening with Kids Store (Plantarium Garden Lab) or make your own using tissue culture recipes. Create a classroom experiment by planting the same seeds in both the gel and in traditional soil filled pots. Keep daily journals noting the date of seed germination and comparing the growth rate of the new seedlings. Take measurements on plant height, width and leaf size. Also note any differences in plant color. Chart your results and make conclusions about the two types of media. Did you see any differences in plant growth? Which plants grew faster? Which plants looked healthiest?