======Salt Crystal Garden======


<WRAP right box>
**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
\\
**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
\\


**Alternative titles:** Bluing Crystal Garde
</WRAP>

====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}



====Procedure====  
  - Choose a shallow, wide container to promote evaporation and place pieces of porous base inside, such as coal, broken brick, terracotta, or sponge.
  - Mix a starter solution and pour it over the base: about 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons table salt, and 2 tablespoons liquid laundry bluing per garden.
  - Allow to sit in open air. On the next day, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons dry salt directly on the top surfaces that are damp.
  - On the third day, slide fresh solution around the edges of the container so it flows under the existing growth, not onto the crystals. Use about 2 tablespoons each of salt, water, and bluing. Add a few drops of food coloring to different base pieces to create multicolored growth.
  - For faster growth in very humid conditions, add up to 2 tablespoons household ammonia to the liquid at the side of the container. Ventilate well and supervise.
  - Maintain the garden by occasionally adding small amounts of water, bluing, and salt at the sides so capillary action can carry liquid up through the base as older liquid evaporates.
  - Observe daily. Record which areas grow first, crystal shapes, and color patterns. Refresh only from below to avoid dissolving delicate structures.



====Links==== 
Crystal Garden - Science Beyond: 
{{youtube>xtrLa3rHHVk?}}\\

Salt Crystal Garden - Anne Helmenstine: 
{{youtube>2KTrt38SYlc?}}\\

📄 Salt Crystal Garden - Mrs Stewart's Liquid Bluing: [[https://mrsstewart.com/pages/salt-crystal-garden]]\\

📄 Grow A Crystal Garden Kitchen Science Experiment (with epsom salt- Science Fun For Everyone: [[https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/grow-a-crystal-garden-kitchen-science-experiment/]]\\


====Variations====
  * Compare base materials such as coal, sponge, brick, and coffee filter paper and rank growth speed and coverage.
  * Test with and without ammonia and note differences in growth rate under the same room conditions.
  * Make a blotter paper tree or shape and stand it in the solution to create a holiday display.
  * Vary container geometry. Use a shallow pie plate vs a tall jar to see how air exposure affects growth.
  * Try different salt types, such as iodized vs noniodized, and compare crystal appearance.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Adult supervision required. Keep all materials out of reach of young children and pets. Do not eat any materials or crystals.
  * Use household ammonia only in small amounts, in a well ventilated area, and avoid breathing fumes. Wear eye protection when handling ammonia.
  * Food coloring can stain surfaces and skin. Protect work areas and wash hands after setup and maintenance.
  * Avoid splashing liquids onto existing crystals since they can dissolve and collapse.
  * Use only glass or plastic containers that are stable and will not tip. Clean up spills promptly.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does dry air help the crystals grow faster? (Faster evaporation leaves salt behind more quickly, increasing local supersaturation and growth.)
  * What role does the porous base play? (Capillary action lifts liquid to the surface where it evaporates, spreading growth across a larger area.)
  * How does bluing affect crystal formation? (Bluing contains tiny suspended particles that act as nuclei where salt begins to crystallize.)
  * Why might ammonia speed the process? (It increases evaporation and may help the surface dry, which raises supersaturation at the crystal front.)
  * Is a chemical reaction occurring? (No. The process is dissolution and recrystallization of sodium chloride aided by wicking and evaporation.)