Final answer:
To improve the experiment, John and Emily should vary the concentration of road salt in the water and use a control group of plants watered with plain water.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to improve their experiment, John and Emily could vary the concentration of road salt in the water they use to water the plants.
By comparing different concentrations of salt water, they can determine the specific effects of road salt on plant growth.
Additionally, they should use a control group of plants that are watered with plain water, without any salt, to compare the growth of plants in different conditions.
This will help them isolate the effects of road salt on plant growth.