Fast Plants® Quad Growing System

The growing system components provided by Carolina Biological Supply Company, include everything you need in order to successfully grow Fast Plants®, except for the lighting system.

Unless otherwise specified, Classroom Kits are designed for use by up to 32 students working in groups of four. Planting and growing instructions for the Wisconsin Fast Plants® Kits! are provided with purchase.
Download Fast Plants Quad Planting Protocol Instructions »
Download Complete Illustrated Growing Instructions »

Materials

The following materials are included in the growing system:
  • Quads Fast Plants® seeds, rapid-cycling Brassica rapa (Rbr).
    Seeds are small and have to be handled with care.
  • Quads
    4-celled planting units in which you will grow one plant to maturity in each cell.
  • Potting mix & vermiculite
  • Diamond wicks
    Conduct water from water mat to soil in cell of quad.
  • Water mat
    Conducts water from reservoir to wicks.
  • Fertilizer pellets
    Slow-release source of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Pellets are larger than the seeds.
  • QuadsPlant labels
    To record student name, planting date and experiment.
  • Pipet
    To water cells from above when necessary.
  • Dried honeybees
    To make beesticks for pollinating.
  • Algae-squares (tinged blue)
    Contain copper sulfate to prevent algae growth in reservoir.
  • Water reservoir
  • Wooden stakes and plastic support rings
    To support the plants if necessary.

QuadsQuads

Instructions

Step 1
Label each cell as your teacher directs so that every student will know which plant is hers or his.
Step 2
Drop one wet wick into each cell so that the tip extends 2 cm out of the hole in the bottom.
Step 3
Fill each cell halfway with slightly moistened planting mix.
Step 4
Add 3 pellets of fertilizer to each cell.
Step 5
Fill each cell nearly to the top with planting mix.
Step 6
Drop 3 seeds on top of the planting mix.

Fill to the top of each cell with mix to just cover the seeds.
Step 7
Water very gently with a pipette or dropper until water begins to drip from each wick.
Step 8
Put your group’s quad on a water reservoir as your teacher directs.

The class quads (on their reservoirs) will all be placed under fluorescent lights that are on 24 hours/day and kept 5–10 cm from the top of the plants.
Step 9
Use tweezers or scissors to thin to one plant per cell when your plants have just pushed through the planting mix.

 

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