Deep Dive- Growing methods

One big concern people addressed with having cat grass, or even regular house plants, around is that their cats like to dig in the dirt and make a mess. Because of this problem, I did some research to see if there is a different way to grow cat grass without having to use soil. Without the use of soil, growing cat grass would be more appealing to cat owners.

Through some research, I found a method that does not involve soil. This method utilizes a porous type of stone, called grow stones, that allow the roots of the grass to grasp on and soak up water to grow. To better understand this method and test if it actually works, I bought some of the stones and cat grass seeds and started the process. 

All that is needed for this method of growing is grow stones, a filter paper, and seeds. I filled 2/3 of a mug I had with grow stones, put a piece of paper towel on top, and sprinkled seeds on the top. I filled water up in the mug until the water just touched the seeds. I made sure to put it in a somewhat sunny area, and kept checking on the water levels.

The time I did this experiment, the seasons were changing and I thought the cold weather and less light would effect the growing process. After 5 days of growing, I started seeing results. Seeds were sprouting even and growing like crazy. I learned that cat grass is very easy to grow (even for those with a black thumb, like me) and cats actually do like it! I brought it to my cat and at first I was worried he wasn't interested, but he kept coming back to chew some more. These tests were a success and insight I will use to guide the design.