Depending on the growing system used, the planting instructions vary. However, no matter which system is used for growing Fast Plants there are fundamental points that need to be addressed. 

Lighting: 

Perhaps the most critical component for growing Fast Plants is 24 hours of fluorescent lighting. Fast Plants require an intense source of fluorescent light. Fast Plants will not be successful with the light available on a windowsill or in a greenhouse without additional lighting. This is very important in order to grow strong, healthy plants and complete the growth cycle in 35-40 days. 

Soil: 

Fast Plants require a light potting mix (1 part peat moss and 1 part vermiculite) Fast Plants may not grow well in potting soil or soil from a garden. Some options are: use a commercially available peat/vermiculite mixture such as Jiffy Mix® or Scotts Redi-earth®, or mix peat moss and vermiculite yourself in a 1:1 ratio. Carolina Biological Supply Company also provides a suitable soil, available in bulk. Do not compact soil when planting. 

Planting:

The soil should be lightly moistened, but it should not be wet enough for water to be squeezed out of it. Fill the potting container loosely and tap it several times to settle the soil. Scrape the excess soil off the top, but do not push down or pack the soil mixture. Water carefully until the wick drips (the soil will recede about 0.5 cm). 

Drop seeds on top of the moistened soil using 2 or 3 times the number of seeds as plants you intend to grow to maturity (Plant 4 - 6 seeds in a Film Can Wick Pots and thin to 2 plants after they emergence.) Check the maximum number of plants recommended for the container you are using in under Growing Systems. Cover the seeds with vermiculite and water lightly to wet the vermiculite. Fill the growing system reservoir and place the system under lights. 

Fertilizer:

The three most common options for fertilizing your Fast Plants are: 

• Osomocote: (NPK Pellets) -add prior to planting
  
• Peters Professional™ Fertilizer: add prior to planting
  
• Hoaglands Solution: add prior to planting

Osomocote, (NPK Pellets)

Osomocote, (NPK Pellets), is a time-released plant food that many professional growers use for flowers, vegetables, house plants, patio plants, and bedding plants. The nutrients are combined in small, compact pellets that are suited for mixing with the soil. 

Nutrients released from Osmocote are affected by changes in soil temperature and moisture. Upon moistening, the pellets begin to dissolve. The release rate of each pellet increases as the soil warms, when plants are growing rapidly. The release rate decreases as the soil cools, when plant growth is less.

When used as recommended, there is virtually no risk of over-fertilizing or "burning" the plants from excess nutrients. The Osmocote pellets have an N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) ratio of 14-14-14 or 20-20-20 with trace elements included. The advantage of Osmocote is that it eliminates the need to worry about fertilizing throughout the life cycle of the plant. 

Osomocote must be added when filling the container with soil. They should be positioned at approximately half of the depth of your potting system. The number of pellets used depends on the volume of soil, and thus on the potting system used (6 per Film Can Wick Pots, 3 per cell in quads in the Wisconsin Fast Plants™ Kits.) 

Liquid fertilizer (Peters Professional™ Fertilizer) - provide to plants on certain days in the life cycle or in water reservoir throughout the life cycle.

Peters Professional™ Fertilizer:

Peters liquid fertilizer solution provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium plus some trace elements to plants. Make a stock solution of Peters™ by dissolving one level soda-bottle capful (7cc) of Peters crystals into one liter of water. This stock solution is considered "full strength" and can be applied in two ways: 

Direct application: 

Apply 2 ml of the stock solution to the soil surface on Days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 for each plant that will be grown to maturity.

Hydroponically from the reservoir: 

Dilute the Peters stock solution by 1 part Peters to 7 parts water to reach a 1/8 strength nutrient solution. Keep the reservoir filled with this 1/8 strength solution throughout the life cycle rather then with just water. 

For more detailed information regarding the elements in Peters, see Chemical Environment from Understanding the Environment 

Hoaglands Solution: 

Hoaglands Solution is used in reservoirs for continuous irrigation, mixed in the proportions listed below. As an alternative to mixing the stock solutions and preparing the solution, premixed Hoaglands can be diluted to half-strength for use with Fast Plants and is available through most major chemical supply companies. 

Four stock solutions are needed. 

Stock Solutions: 

Stock Solution 1: Mixture

• Add gram amounts to distilled water to make 1.8 liters of stock solution: 
  
• 1.0 M KNO3 (potassium nitrate) 182 grams 
  
• 0.2 M KH2PO4 (potassium phosphate monobasic) 49 grams 
  
• 0.4 M MgSO4o7H2O (magnesium sulfate) 177.5 grams (or 86.6 grams anhydrous) 

Stock Solution 2: Calcium Nitrate 

• Add gram amounts to distilled water to make 1.8 liters of stock solution: 
  
• 1.25 M CaNO3 (calcium nitrate) 531.4 grams 

Stock Solution 3: A-Z (micronutrients)

Add gram amounts to distilled water to make 100 ml, then put 45 ml solution in 2-liter bottle, fill to 1.8 liters using distilled water (discard excess): 

• H3BO3 (boric acid) 2.9 grams 
  
• MnCl2o4H2O (manganese chloride) 1.8 grams 
  
• ZnSO4o7H2O (zinc sulfate) 0.2 grams 
  
• CuSO4o5H2O (copper sulfate) 0.08 grams 
  
• H2MoO4oH2O (molybdic acid) 0.09 grams 

Stock Solution 4: Iron 

Dissolve gram amounts in 400 ml of distilled water by heating to 80°C for one hour; let cool slightly and add distilled water to reach total volume of 1.8 liters: 

• FeSO4o7H2O (iron sulfate) 2.5 grams 
  
• Na EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) 3.3 grams 

This nutrient solution used in the reservoirs for continuous irrigation is a modified half-strength (0.5X) Hoagland's solution. To make half-strength Hoaglands for Fast Plants, mix the following quantities of the four stock solutions and add distilled water to make a total volume of one liter: 

• 2.0 ml Mixture (Stock Solution 1) 
  
• 2.5 ml Calcium Nitrate (Stock Solution 2) 
  
• 2.0 ml A-Z (Stock Solution 3) 
  
• 2.0 ml Iron (Stock Solution 4) 

All fertilizers mentioned contain supplemental nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and are available from local gardening stores. Other fertilizers are potentially available to use with Fast Plants. However, no standard protocols for dosage levels have been developed and may significantly alter the growth of your plants. 

For further information on the growing parameters see Understanding the Environment.