Gardening Horticulture Practice Exam

Question 1 Gardening Horticulture

What are food forest layers?

A method dividing beds into 1-square-foot units for intensive planting. E.g., marigolds repel nematodes; basil deters tomato pests. Canopy, sub-canopy, shrub, herbaceous, ground cover, root, vine. They aerate soil and create castings rich in nutrients.

Question 2 Gardening Horticulture

What is the proper pruning angle?

2-4 inches; not piled against stems. Immediately after flowering. Compost made primarily from decomposed leaves; excellent soil conditioner. Just above an outward-facing bud at a slight angle.

Question 3 Gardening Horticulture

What is microclimate?

Multi-layered planting mimicking forest ecosystems. An informal, dense planting style with many varieties. Bending a stem to soil to root before separating. A small area with conditions different from surroundings.

Question 4 Gardening Horticulture

What is container-grown?

Supports roots, flowers, and fruits. Compact size suited to small spaces (tomatoes). Plants sold in pots, transplantable nearly year-round. The full moon nearest autumnal equinox; traditional harvest time.

Question 5 Gardening Horticulture

What is the role of native plants?

Meat, dairy, oils, diseased plants, pet waste. Adapted to local conditions; support native wildlife. A measure of acidity/alkalinity from 0-14; 7 is neutral. Connection with nature, fresh food, beauty, exercise, meditation.

Question 6 Gardening Horticulture

What are easy vegetables for beginners?

Cold treatment some seeds need to germinate. Collecting rain in barrels for garden use. Pruning during winter dormancy; less stress on plant. Lettuce, radishes, beans, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs.

Question 7 Gardening Horticulture

What is mycorrhizae?

Plants releasing chemicals that affect neighbors (e.g., walnut trees). Beneficial fungi forming symbiotic relationships with plant roots. Community of microbes including bacteria, fungi, protozoa. Planting dormant plants without soil around roots; common for trees, roses.

Question 8 Gardening Horticulture

What are examples of browns (compost)?

Offspring of two different parent varieties, often F1. Dry leaves, cardboard, straw, wood chips. Tropical plants benefit from higher humidity (40-60%+). Damage caused by pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes).

Question 9 Gardening Horticulture

What is integrated pest management (IPM)?

The outer edge of its canopy; mulch and water within this zone. A holistic approach using prevention, monitoring, and least-toxic control. Naturalistic style mimicking grasslands. Lightweight fabric protecting plants from pests and frost.

Question 10 Gardening Horticulture

What is the principle "right plant, right place"?

Watering thoroughly and less frequently to encourage deep roots. Solanaceae (tomato, potato), Brassicaceae (cabbage), Cucurbitaceae (squash), Fabaceae (beans). Match plants to your conditions for success. Garden setbacks teach more than easy successes.

Question 11 Gardening Horticulture

What is direct sowing?

A pruning cut removing entire branch back to its origin. Removing diseased plants prevents spread. Planting seeds directly in the garden. Basil with tomatoes; marigolds with most vegetables.

Question 12 Gardening Horticulture

Name examples of invasive plants.

A method dividing beds into 1-square-foot units for intensive planting. A young plant grown from seed. Japanese knotweed, kudzu, English ivy, garlic mustard (varies by region). At least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.

Question 13 Gardening Horticulture

What is the best location for vegetables?

A crop grown to protect or improve soil rather than for harvest. Seeds, cuttings, division, layering, grafting. Full sun (6+ hours), good drainage, near water source. The release of water vapor through plant leaves.

Question 14 Gardening Horticulture

What is a houseplant?

Multi-layered planting mimicking forest ecosystems. An indoor plant. Corn, beans, and squash grown together in Indigenous American tradition. A bacterial insecticide affecting caterpillars only.

Question 15 Gardening Horticulture

What is the role of humidity for houseplants?

Filtered light through tree canopies. Germinating seeds in containers before transplanting. Tropical plants benefit from higher humidity (40-60%+). Pairing plants that benefit each other.

Question 16 Gardening Horticulture

What is the most common houseplant killer?

4-6 hours of direct sunlight. Overwatering. Naturalistic style mimicking grasslands. Moving a plant from one location to another.

Question 17 Gardening Horticulture

What is the takeaway of gardening?

When a plant prematurely flowers, often due to heat (e.g., lettuce). Creating new plants from existing ones. The process by which a seed begins to sprout. Soil health is the foundation; observe, experiment, and enjoy the long process.

Question 18 Gardening Horticulture

What is thinning cut?

A crop grown to protect or improve soil rather than for harvest. Meat, dairy, oils, diseased plants, pet waste. Lavender, lilac, hydrangeas (pink), many vegetables. A pruning cut removing entire branch back to its origin.

Question 19 Gardening Horticulture

What is volcano mulching?

Sepals, petals, stamens (male), pistils (female). Bad practice of piling mulch against tree trunks. Overwatering. A contemplative style with rocks, water, pruned trees, gravel.

Question 20 Gardening Horticulture

What is division?

Immediately after flowering. Cutting tree tops broadly; generally harmful and discouraged. Splitting a clump into smaller plants. Removing spent flowers to encourage more blooms.

Question 21 Gardening Horticulture

What is gardening?

The cultivation of plants for food, beauty, or ecological purposes. A flower fertilizing itself. Tropical plants benefit from higher humidity (40-60%+). A pruning cut removing entire branch back to its origin.

Question 22 Gardening Horticulture

What is the role of failure?

Garden setbacks teach more than easy successes. Powdery mildew, downy mildew, blight, rust, leaf spot, root rot. Mounding soil around stems as plants grow for more tubers. Pothos, snake plant, spider plant, ZZ plant, philodendron.

Question 23 Gardening Horticulture

What is a kitchen garden (potager)?

"Greens" (nitrogen) and "browns" (carbon) in roughly 1:3 ratio. Joining two plant parts (rootstock + scion) to grow as one. A productive ornamental garden mixing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Sepals, petals, stamens (male), pistils (female).

Question 24 Gardening Horticulture

What is germination?

Japanese knotweed, kudzu, English ivy, garlic mustard (varies by region). Watering thoroughly and less frequently to encourage deep roots. An indoor plant. The process by which a seed begins to sprout.

Question 25 Gardening Horticulture

What is stratification?

Cold treatment some seeds need to germinate. Wilting, dry soil, brown leaf edges, slow growth. A plant grown to attract pests away from the main crop. Removing growing tips to encourage bushier growth.

Question 26 Gardening Horticulture

What is dormant pruning?

Pruning during winter dormancy; less stress on plant. Passive decomposition; slower but easier. Powder from fossilized algae; abrades insects. 8-12 inches minimum; 18+ for deep-rooted crops.

Question 27 Gardening Horticulture

What is a cottage garden?

Vegetable scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds. An organism causing damage to plants. An informal, dense planting style with many varieties. A small area with conditions different from surroundings.

Question 28 Gardening Horticulture

What are the three main soil textures?

Plants releasing chemicals that affect neighbors (e.g., walnut trees). A garden focused on edible plants. Sand, silt, and clay. Plants sold in pots, transplantable nearly year-round.

Question 29 Gardening Horticulture

What is drip irrigation?

Dry leaves, cardboard, straw, wood chips. Seeds, cuttings, division, layering, grafting. A garden focused on edible plants. Delivering water directly to plant roots via tubes; efficient.

Question 30 Gardening Horticulture

What is row cover?

Sepals, petals, stamens (male), pistils (female). Lightweight fabric protecting plants from pests and frost. Soil health is the foundation; observe, experiment, and enjoy the long process. Blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas (blue).

Question 31 Gardening Horticulture

What are common plant diseases?

Protects roots, conserves water; never piled against trunk. Transfer of pollen from anther to stigma for reproduction. Powdery mildew, downy mildew, blight, rust, leaf spot, root rot. A material supplying plant nutrients.

Question 32 Gardening Horticulture

What is a microbiome (soil)?

Dry leaves, cardboard, straw, wood chips. Community of microbes including bacteria, fungi, protozoa. Cold treatment some seeds need to germinate. Preparing a garden for winter (cleanup, mulching, draining).

Question 33 Gardening Horticulture

What are common plant families to rotate?

Healthier ecosystems, more pollinators, fewer pests. E.g., marigolds repel nematodes; basil deters tomato pests. Premature flowering, usually due to heat; leaves become bitter. Solanaceae (tomato, potato), Brassicaceae (cabbage), Cucurbitaceae (squash), Fabaceae (beans).

Question 34 Gardening Horticulture

What is the role of healthy soil?

Lab analysis of nutrients and pH; recommended every 2-3 years. Strong plants resist pests and diseases better. A productive ornamental garden mixing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Building beds over buried wood; retains moisture and provides slow nutrients.

Question 35 Gardening Horticulture

What is foliar feeding?

Compost made primarily from decomposed leaves; excellent soil conditioner. Pairing plants that benefit each other. Spraying nutrients on leaves for quick absorption. A plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season.

Question 36 Gardening Horticulture

What is a perennial plant?

Converting stored sugars back into energy for growth. A plant living for multiple growing seasons. Genetically modified through laboratory techniques. A structure providing controlled environment for plants.

Question 37 Gardening Horticulture

How do you test soil texture?

Feel the soil; or perform a jar test for layered settling. Removing growing tips to encourage bushier growth. Folk practice timing planting by lunar phases; effects are debated. Offspring of two different parent varieties, often F1.

Question 38 Gardening Horticulture

What is green manure?

Transfer of pollen from anther to stigma for reproduction. Garden setbacks teach more than easy successes. Cover crops tilled into soil to add nutrients. Composting using earthworms (typically red wigglers).

Question 39 Gardening Horticulture

What is indeterminate variety?

Annuals, biennials, and perennials. The release of water vapor through plant leaves. Sand, silt, and clay. Continuous-producing, often needing strong staking.

Question 40 Gardening Horticulture

What is partial shade?

Bee balm, lavender, salvia, coneflower, milkweed, sunflowers. 2-4 hours of sun, often morning. An indoor plant. Delivering water directly to plant roots via tubes; efficient.

Question 41 Gardening Horticulture

What is companion planting?

Soil health is the foundation; observe, experiment, and enjoy the long process. Pairing plants that benefit each other. When a plant prematurely flowers, often due to heat (e.g., lettuce). Full sun (6+ hours), good drainage, near water source.

Question 42 Gardening Horticulture

What is partial sun?

A holistic approach using prevention, monitoring, and least-toxic control. 4-6 hours of direct sunlight. Offspring of two different parent varieties, often F1. Organic comes from natural sources; synthetic is chemically manufactured.

Question 43 Gardening Horticulture

What is invasive species?

Don't remove more than 1/3 of canopy per year. Non-native plants outcompeting natives and harming ecosystems. An organic pesticide derived from the neem tree. An indoor plant.

Question 44 Gardening Horticulture

What is crop rotation?

Changing what's grown in each spot to manage pests and nutrients. Supports overall plant health and disease resistance. Insects that help the garden (pollinators, predators). Germinating seeds in containers before transplanting.

Question 45 Gardening Horticulture

What is bottom heat for cuttings?

Supports roots, flowers, and fruits. Feel the soil; or perform a jar test for layered settling. Warming the rooting zone speeds root growth. Applying material to soil surface to retain moisture, suppress weeds, regulate temperature.

Question 46 Gardening Horticulture

What is bare-root planting?

10% N, 10% P, 10% K by weight. Blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas (blue). Planting dormant plants without soil around roots; common for trees, roses. Canopy, sub-canopy, shrub, herbaceous, ground cover, root, vine.

Question 47 Gardening Horticulture

What is the role of crop hygiene?

Match plants to your conditions for success. A material supplying plant nutrients. Removing diseased plants prevents spread. Organic comes from natural sources; synthetic is chemically manufactured.

Question 48 Gardening Horticulture

What is a vegetable garden?

A garden focused on edible plants. Bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, bats, wind. Annuals, biennials, and perennials. Supports overall plant health and disease resistance.

Question 49 Gardening Horticulture

What is winterizing?

Preparing a garden for winter (cleanup, mulching, draining). Connection with nature, fresh food, beauty, exercise, meditation. Removing spent flowers to encourage more blooms. Collecting rain in barrels for garden use.

Question 50 Gardening Horticulture

What are propagation methods?

A flower fertilizing itself. Seeds, cuttings, division, layering, grafting. An organism causing damage to plants. Cutting tree tops broadly; generally harmful and discouraged.