How to Grow Fast Plants®

Four Easy Steps for Growing Successful Wisconsin Fast Plants®:

1. Continuous Fluorescent Light
• Choose a light system. Fluorescent lights should be on 24 hours a day.

2. Continuous Water and Fertilizer
• Use pelleted fertilizer added to the soil at planting or nutrient solution and a self-watering growing system to keep your plants fed and watered continuously.

3. Consistent Room Temperature
• Optimal room temperature: 65–78 °F (18–26 °C) Keep a thermometer near the plants and check the temperature regularly.

4. Potting Mix
• The plant roots need the aeration that a light potting mix provides, so use a peat/vermiculite potting "mix" rather than a heavy "soil."

Grower's Calendar (with links to more detailed instructions) Fill in the dates as you plan for planting and growing your Fast Plants®
Day of cycle (time required) Activities
Preparation

(1 1/2 hours)

Date:____________

 Assemble light bank and rack or light box.

Set up reservoirs.

Saturate water mat according to growing instructions.

Arrange all planting materials.

Planting

Day 1 (1 hour)

Date:____________

 Plan to start life cycle on a Monday or Tuesday

Plant, water from above, label, set planters (quads or bottle tops) on water source (watermat or bottle bottom) with soil surface 5–10 cm from the lights.
Germination

Days 2 and 3

Date:____________

 Water from top with pipet.

Cotyledons emerge.
Tending

Days 4–5 (30 min.)

Date:____________

 Thin to 1 plant per cell.

Transplant if necessary to obtain 1 plant in every cell.

Check the water level in the reservoir!
Growth

Days 6–11
(15 min/day)

Date:____________

 Check plants and reservoir level daily throughout the rest of the life cycle.

Observe growth and development.
Flowering

Day 12 (30 min.)

Date:____________

 Flower buds beginning to open.

Make beesticks.
Pollination

Days 13–18
(15 min./day)

Date:____________

 Pollinate for 2–3 consecutive days.

On the last day of pollination, pinch off any remaining unopened buds.
Seed Development

Days 17–35
(10 min./day)

Date:____________

 Observe seed pod development.

Embryos mature in 20 days.
Seed Maturation

Day 36 (30 min.)

Date:____________

 Twenty days after the last pollination, remove plants from water reservoir.

Allow plants to dry for 5 days
Harvesting

Day 40 (30 min.)

Date:____________

 Harvest seeds from dry pods.

Clean up all equipment.

Plant your own seeds or store them
appropriately.

Download a pdf file with complete, illustrated growing instructions, including how to use a Growing System constructed from deli containers
Wisconsin Fast Plants® Program • University of Wisconsin – Madison
Science House • 1630 Linden Drive • Madison, WI 53706
1-800-462-7417 • info@fastplants.org • Web Credits