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Wisconsin Fast PlantsTM

Four Easy Steps for Growing Successful Wisconsin Fast PlantsTM:

1. Continuous Fluorescent Light

Fluorescent lights should be on 24 hours a day.

Choose a light system (at right).

EitherlightsystemcanbeorderedfromCarolinaBiological

SupplyCompany(call1-800-334-5551)orconstructedfrom

householdmaterialsandhardwarestoresupplies(seewww.fastplants.orgforinstructions).

ThePlantLightHouse(catalognumber15-8997)canhold

11growingsystems.ThePlantLightBankcanhold25grow-

ingsystems(catalognumber15-8998).

Construct or assemble the light systemaccordingtotheinstructions,thenplugitinandleaveiton,24hoursaday.

2. ContinuousWaterandFertilizer Usethenutrientsolution(madefromthebluefertilizercrys-

talsthatareincludedwithkits)andtheself-wateringgrowingsystemtokeepyourplantsfedandwateredcontinuously.

3. ConsistentRoomTemperature Optimalroomtemperature:6578F(1826C) Keepathermometerneartheplantsandcheckthetemperatureregularly.

4. PottingMix Theplantrootsneedtheaerationthatalightpottingmixprovides,souseapeat/vermiculitepottingmix

(includedwithkits)

ratherthanaheavysoil.

Wisconsin Fast PlantsTM(Brassica rapa)aretheproductof30yearsofplantbreedingattheUniversityofWisconsinMadison.Originallyselectedundercontinuousfluorescentlighttogrowandreproducequicklyforresearchpurposes,

thesepetite,fast-growingplantshavebeenusedforteachingbiologyconceptsinclassroomsworldwideforover15years.Relatedtocrucifers(plantsinthemustardfamily,suchasbroccoli,cabbage,andturnips),WisconsinFastPlants TMcom-

pleteanentirelifecyclein4045days.

Allbiologicalorganismsrequirecareandattention.WisconsinFastPlants TMhavebeen

bredtobelowmaintenance.These Growing Instructionsaredesignedtohelpyougrow

robust,successfulWisconsinFastPlantsTMthroughanentirelifecycle.Plantsgrown

underalternativeconditionsmaytakelongertocompletethelifecycle.Attheendof

thelifecycle,thenewseedscanbeplantedorstoredforfutureclasses.

ForideasabouthowtouseWisconsinFastPlants TMintheclassroom,refertowww.fast-

plants.org.

Growing Instructions

Time needed for entirelife cycle: 4045 daysItisrecommendedthat

youplantseedsona

Monday.

These growing instructions are written forthe Plant Light House, but the same grow-ing methods apply to the Plant Light Bank.

Important note: If bulbs are used for

extended periods, the plants may appear

spindly and exhibit signs of delayed growth

and development. Purchase new bulbs every

three years.

Plant Light House Plant Light Bank

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Put Pots in Plant Light HouseCover Seeds with Potting Mix

Plant the SeedsWet the Potting Mix

Assemble the Growing SystemWet Watermat

Put Potting Mix in Pots

Step-by-Step Growing Instructions

Wisconsin Fast PlantsTM

Gentlypourwateroverthepottingmix

untilitrunsoutthebottomofthepot.

Wetthewatermatandwicksthoroughlyin

tapwater.

Reminder:

Keep the light on 24 hours a day.

Replenish the nutrientsolution often.

Monitor the room temperature.

Makenutrientsolutionbyadding1/2tspof

thebluefertilizercrystalsto2litersoftap

water.Shakewell.Storeinthedark.

Day 0: Assemble Growing System and Plant Seeds

Insertthelongwick

throughtheholein

thesmallercontainer

sothatallbut3-4cm

hangsdownintothe

lowerreservoir.Place

thewatermatinthesmallcontainersothat

itiscoveringandtouch-

ingtheupper3-4cmof

thewick.Coverwith

thelid.

Make Nutrient Solution

Placethepotsinthegrowingsystem.Press

thepotsdownsothatthewickonthebot-

tomofeachpotistouchingthewetwater-

mat(butdonotpressthepottingmix).

PlaceeachgrowingsystemintothePlant

LightHouse.Prop

thegrowingsystems

upsothetopofthe

potsis10cmbelow

thelight.Turnon

thelight,andleave

iton24hoursaday.Covertheseedswithathinlayerofpotting

mix.Do notpackitdown.PourNutrientSolutionoverthetopuntilitrunsoutthe

bottom.Fill reservoirs with Nutrient

Solution.

Place3-4seedsontopofthewetsoil.

Distributethemevenly.Do notpressthedown.Labelpotswithnameanddate.

Threadasmallwatermatwickthroughthe

holeonthebottomofeachpot.Filleach

potwithpottingmixuntilitislevelwiththe

topofthecan.Do not

packthepottingmix

down.

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Days 19-36

Seed Storage

Reminder:

Keep the containers full ofnutrient solution until day

37.

Storetheseedsinadark,cool,dryplace...

orplantthemforanotherexperimentor

activity.

To harvest many seeds:

Placethestemsandpodsinapaperbagandcrushtheminside.Pourthecontentsinto

adish,blowoffthechaff,andpickoutthe

seeds.

Day 18: Terminate Buds

Day 37: Stop Watering

Day 13: Make Beesticks

Clean Up

Day 44: Harvest Seeds To harvest a few seeds, or if small chil-dren are harvesting seeds:

Placeseedpodsbetweentwopiecesofcl

tapewiththeendsfoldedover.Crushthe

podsinsidethetape,thenpeelopentogetheseeds.

Cutoffthestemsandseedpodswitha

scissors.

Twentydaysafterfinalpollination,remove

plantsfromthenutrientsolutionandallow

themtodryforone full weekintheirpotsuntiltheyarebrownandcrispy.

Onedayafterthefinalpollination,cutoff

anynewflowersorbudssotheplantcan

channelitsenergytowardseedgrowth. Donotcutoffflowersthatwerepollinated.

Brushthebeesintotheflowerstopickup

anddistributepollen.Transferpollenback

andforthamongseveralplants.(Wisconsin

FastPlantsTMdonotself-pollinate.)

Pollinatetheflowersfor2-3days.Lookat

thebeestoseeif

theyarepickingup

pollen.(Formore

informationonpol-

linationandmaking

specificcrosses,

Placeadropofglueonthetipofatooth-

pick.Pokethetoothpickintothetipoft

thorax(mid-section)ofabee.Letthebe

tickdryovernight.

Days 15-17: Pollinate Flowers

Days 5-12: Tend the PlantsDay 4: Thin the Plants

Aftertheplantsgerminate,removeall

butoneortwoplantsperpottoprevent

crowding.Thisiscalledthinning.

Soakthereservoirs,pots,watermats,and

wicksfor10minutesinasolutionmadeu

of95%waterand5%bleach.Scrub,rinse

andletairdry.

Replenishthenutrientsolutionoftenabig

growthspurtiscoming!Everyotherday,

adjustthegrowingsystemssothetopof

theplantsis10cmfromthelight.

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Problem Possible Reasons Solutions

Poor Germination Seedsplantedtoodeepinpot..................Replant.Pottingmixwascompactedduringplanting.Replant.

Pottingmixwasnotsufficientlywatered

afterplanting...................................Trywateringfromthetopofpotsuntilwaterdripsfrombelow.

Seedswashedoutofpot........................Replant.

Roomtemperatureistoohighortoolow....Adjusttemperature.

If seedlings do not appear within 4 days after planting, start over.

lantsGrowSlowly Toocold............................................Makesuretheschooltemperatureisntloweredonweekends. Moveplantsawayfromdraftywindowsorairconditioners.

Notenoughlight..................................Keepthelighton24hoursaday.

Bulbshavebeenusedformorethanthreeyears.(Ifbulbsareus

extendedperiods,theplantsmayappearspindlyandexhibitsig

delayedgrowthanddevelopment.)

Propplantsuptowithin10cmofthelights,usingbooks.

Notenoughfoodorwater.......................Replenishthenutrientsolutionoften.

Verifythatwatermatsandwicksaremoistandtouchingeachot

Arethewickspositionedcorrectlyinthebottomofeachpotso

theyaretouchingboththepottingmixandtheroundwatermat

he

longwatermatstripreachingintothenutrientsolutioninthebo

reservoir?Werethewatermatsandwickswetthoroughly?

Ifthereservoirrandryandtheplantsarewilting(butnotyetc

youmaybeabletosavethem.Waterthepotsfromthetopto

re-saturate thepottingmixand re-establish thecapillaryactionof the

watermats.Be sure thatthewicksaredrippingandthepottingmix is throroughlymoistened.

lantsareSpindly Notenoughlight..................................Seeabove.Notenoughfood..................................Seeabove.

Toomanyplantsperpot.........................Removeallbut1-2plantsperpot(bestdoneatday4).

lantsTipOver Tallplants..........................................Staketheplants,usingthewoodenstakesandties(days1120

lantsWilt Notenoughwater.................................Seeabove.

lantsDie Notenoughfoodorwater.......................Seeabove. Oldwatermats.....................................Soakfor5minutesina5%vinegarsolutiontoclean;rinsethoro

Plantsweredamagedduringhandling........Startover.

eedsareNotProduced Inadequatepollination...........................Waspollentransferredamongmanydifferentplants?(Wisconsi PlantsTMdonotself-pollinate.)Waspollinationdoneondays15

usingabeestick?Waspollen(yellowdust)visibleonthebeestic

Roomtemperaturetoohigh.....................Adjusttemperature.(Plantsmayloseabilitytoproducepollen

temperatures.)ToorderWisconsinFastPlantsTMmaterialsandseeds:

CarolinaBiologicalSupplyCompany,2700YorkRoad,Burlington,NC27215Phone:1-800-334-

5551

Orderinginfo:www.carolina.com/fastplantsActivityideas:www.fastplants.orgWisconsinFastPlantsTMSeedStocksAvailable:StandardPurpleStem,HairyNon-PurpleStem,Hairless

Non-PurpleStem,Yellow-GreenLeafYellow-GreenLeafPetiteRosette-DwarfTallPlantVariegatedF1andF2GeneticStocks

Tips and Troubleshooting

Allbiologicalorganismsrequirecareandattention.WisconsinFastPlants TMhavebeenbredtorequireonlyminimummain

ance,butoccasionallyproblemsoccur.Thissectionofferstipsforgrowingsuccessfulplants,aswellastroubleshootingsu

estions.Formoretips,suggestions,orclassroominvestigationideas,see www.fastplants.org.