How to Grow Bacteria in a Petri Dish

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Ever wanted to grow bacteria for a science project or just for fun? This article will show you how to grow them in a petri dish.

Steps

Buy some agar or prepared petri dishes and keep them up side down until you need them. Do not open the petri dish until you use it.
Open the lid and do one of the following:
- Press your finger against the agar jelly.
- Place a hair in the dish.
- Place a drop of milk or watered down yoghurt in the dish.
Replace the lid quickly to avoid contamination.
Tape the lid shut.
Place it in a warm environment for a few days. (A window ledge facing the sun or an airing cupboard would be good places for this)

Tips

Keep it at 35 degrees celcius (95 fahrenheit) for optimum growth.
You can create comparisons by spliting the dish into sections and placing something different in each section.
Speak to your science teacher about disposing of the dish.

Warnings

Never put anything in the dish which is likely to grow into dangerous bacteria (bodily fluids should never be placed on a petri dish). If the dish is reopened it could cause serious illness.
Never reopen the petri dish.

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