In order to use plants as part of a bioregenerative life support system capable of sustaining long-term human habitation in space, it is critical to understand how plants adapt to the stresses associated with extended growth in spaceflight. Optimally, dormant seeds would be germinated on orbit to divorce the effects of spaceflight from the one-time stresses of launch. At an operational level, it is also important to develop experiment protocols that are flexible in timing so they can adapt to crew schedules and unexpected flight-related delays.