Title: Gardening Horticulture — LearnCoachAssist

Q: What is gardening?
A: The cultivation of plants for food, beauty, or ecological purposes.

Q: What is horticulture?
A: The science and art of growing plants.

Q: What are the three main plant groups for gardeners?
A: Annuals, biennials, and perennials.

Q: What is an annual plant?
A: A plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season.

Q: What is a biennial plant?
A: A plant taking two growing seasons to complete its life cycle.

Q: What is a perennial plant?
A: A plant living for multiple growing seasons.

Q: What is a hardiness zone?
A: A region categorized by climate suitability for plants (USDA system).

Q: How are USDA zones numbered?
A: 1 (coldest) to 13 (warmest), based on minimum winter temperatures.

Q: What is microclimate?
A: A small area with conditions different from surroundings.

Q: What is full sun?
A: At least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.

Q: What is partial sun?
A: 4-6 hours of direct sunlight.

Q: What is partial shade?
A: 2-4 hours of sun, often morning.

Q: What is full shade?
A: Less than 2 hours of direct sun.

Q: What is dappled shade?
A: Filtered light through tree canopies.

Q: What is photosynthesis?
A: The process by which plants convert sunlight, CO₂, and water into sugars and oxygen.

Q: What is respiration (plant)?
A: Converting stored sugars back into energy for growth.

Q: What is transpiration?
A: The release of water vapor through plant leaves.

Q: What are the parts of a flower?
A: Sepals, petals, stamens (male), pistils (female).

Q: What is pollination?
A: Transfer of pollen from anther to stigma for reproduction.

Q: What are common pollinators?
A: Bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, bats, wind.

Q: What is cross-pollination?
A: Pollen from one plant fertilizes another of the same species.

Q: What is self-pollination?
A: A flower fertilizing itself.

Q: What is a hybrid plant?
A: Offspring of two different parent varieties, often F1.

Q: What is an heirloom plant?
A: An open-pollinated variety with a long history.

Q: What is an open-pollinated plant?
A: A plant naturally pollinated, producing offspring true to type.

Q: What is a GMO plant?
A: Genetically modified through laboratory techniques.

Q: What is a seedling?
A: A young plant grown from seed.

Q: What is germination?
A: The process by which a seed begins to sprout.

Q: What is stratification?
A: Cold treatment some seeds need to germinate.

Q: What is scarification?
A: Scratching seed coats to aid germination.

Q: What is direct sowing?
A: Planting seeds directly in the garden.

Q: What is starting indoors?
A: Germinating seeds in containers before transplanting.

Q: What is hardening off?
A: Gradually acclimating indoor-grown plants to outdoor conditions.

Q: What is transplanting?
A: Moving a plant from one location to another.

Q: What is bolting?
A: When a plant prematurely flowers, often due to heat (e.g., lettuce).

Q: What is deadheading?
A: Removing spent flowers to encourage more blooms.

Q: What is pinching?
A: Removing growing tips to encourage bushier growth.

Q: What is pruning?
A: Cutting back stems and branches to shape plants and improve health.

Q: What is the best time to prune most shrubs?
A: Late winter or early spring before growth starts.

Q: What is the best time to prune spring-flowering shrubs?
A: Immediately after flowering.

Q: What is staking?
A: Supporting tall plants with structures.

Q: What is mulching?
A: Applying material to soil surface to retain moisture, suppress weeds, regulate temperature.

Q: What are types of mulch?
A: Wood chips, straw, leaves, compost, gravel, plastic.

Q: What is the ideal mulch depth?
A: 2-4 inches; not piled against stems.

Q: What is composting?
A: Decomposing organic matter into nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Q: What are the ingredients of compost?
A: "Greens" (nitrogen) and "browns" (carbon) in roughly 1:3 ratio.

Q: What are examples of greens (compost)?
A: Vegetable scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds.

Q: What are examples of browns (compost)?
A: Dry leaves, cardboard, straw, wood chips.

Q: What should NOT go in compost?
A: Meat, dairy, oils, diseased plants, pet waste.

Q: What is hot composting?
A: Active composting that reaches 130-160°F (54-71°C), faster but requires turning.

Q: What is cold composting?
A: Passive decomposition; slower but easier.

Q: What is vermicomposting?
A: Composting using earthworms (typically red wigglers).

Q: What is leaf mold?
A: Compost made primarily from decomposed leaves; excellent soil conditioner.

Q: What is soil?
A: A mixture of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air, and organisms.

Q: What are the three main soil textures?
A: Sand, silt, and clay.

Q: What is loam?
A: An ideal soil mixture of sand, silt, and clay with organic matter.

Q: How do you test soil texture?
A: Feel the soil; or perform a jar test for layered settling.

Q: What is soil pH?
A: A measure of acidity/alkalinity from 0-14; 7 is neutral.

Q: What pH do most plants prefer?
A: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0).

Q: What plants like acidic soil?
A: Blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas (blue).

Q: What plants like alkaline soil?
A: Lavender, lilac, hydrangeas (pink), many vegetables.

Q: How do you raise soil pH?
A: Add lime.

Q: How do you lower soil pH?
A: Add elemental sulfur or organic matter like peat moss.

Q: What is soil testing?
A: Lab analysis of nutrients and pH; recommended every 2-3 years.

Q: What are the three primary nutrients (NPK)?
A: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K).

Q: What does nitrogen do?
A: Promotes leafy growth and green color.

Q: What does phosphorus do?
A: Supports roots, flowers, and fruits.

Q: What does potassium do?
A: Supports overall plant health and disease resistance.

Q: What are secondary nutrients?
A: Calcium, magnesium, sulfur.

Q: What are micronutrients?
A: Iron, manganese, zinc, boron, copper, molybdenum, chlorine.

Q: What is fertilizer?
A: A material supplying plant nutrients.

Q: What is the difference between organic and synthetic fertilizer?
A: Organic comes from natural sources; synthetic is chemically manufactured.

Q: What does "10-10-10" on a fertilizer bag mean?
A: 10% N, 10% P, 10% K by weight.

Q: What is slow-release fertilizer?
A: Fertilizer releasing nutrients gradually over weeks or months.

Q: What is over-fertilization risk?
A: Plant burn, water pollution, weakened plant.

Q: What is foliar feeding?
A: Spraying nutrients on leaves for quick absorption.

Q: What is cover crop?
A: A crop grown to protect or improve soil rather than for harvest.

Q: What are common cover crops?
A: Clover, rye, vetch, buckwheat.

Q: What is green manure?
A: Cover crops tilled into soil to add nutrients.

Q: What is no-till gardening?
A: Avoiding tilling to preserve soil structure and microbiome.

Q: What is double-digging?
A: A method of deep soil preparation by removing and amending two spade depths.

Q: What is raised bed gardening?
A: Growing in elevated containers; warms faster, drains better, eases access.

Q: What is the typical depth for raised beds?
A: 8-12 inches minimum; 18+ for deep-rooted crops.

Q: What is square foot gardening?
A: A method dividing beds into 1-square-foot units for intensive planting.

Q: What is companion planting?
A: Pairing plants that benefit each other.

Q: What are "three sisters"?
A: Corn, beans, and squash grown together in Indigenous American tradition.

Q: What is allelopathy?
A: Plants releasing chemicals that affect neighbors (e.g., walnut trees).

Q: What is succession planting?
A: Planting in sequence to extend harvest.

Q: What is crop rotation?
A: Changing what's grown in each spot to manage pests and nutrients.

Q: What is the simple rotation rule?
A: Don't grow the same family in the same spot for 2-3 years.

Q: What are common plant families to rotate?
A: Solanaceae (tomato, potato), Brassicaceae (cabbage), Cucurbitaceae (squash), Fabaceae (beans).

Q: What is intercropping?
A: Growing two or more crops in the same space simultaneously.

Q: What is monoculture?
A: Growing only one crop in an area; reduces biodiversity and increases pest risk.

Q: What is biodiversity in the garden?
A: Variety of plants and species supporting ecosystem health.

Q: What is integrated pest management (IPM)?
A: A holistic approach using prevention, monitoring, and least-toxic control.

Q: What are beneficial insects?
A: Insects that help the garden (pollinators, predators).

Q: Name beneficial insects.
A: Ladybugs, lacewings, ground beetles, parasitic wasps, hoverflies.

Q: What is a pest?
A: An organism causing damage to plants.

Q: Name common garden pests.
A: Aphids, slugs, caterpillars, spider mites, whiteflies, scale.

Q: What is the role of birds?
A: They eat insects and pests; sometimes also fruit.

Q: What is hand-picking pests?
A: Removing pests manually; effective for slugs and caterpillars.

Q: What is row cover?
A: Lightweight fabric protecting plants from pests and frost.

Q: What is neem oil?
A: An organic pesticide derived from the neem tree.

Q: What is Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)?
A: A bacterial insecticide affecting caterpillars only.

Q: What is diatomaceous earth?
A: Powder from fossilized algae; abrades insects.

Q: What is companion planting against pests?
A: E.g., marigolds repel nematodes; basil deters tomato pests.

Q: What is a trap crop?
A: A plant grown to attract pests away from the main crop.

Q: What is plant disease?
A: Damage caused by pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes).

Q: What are common plant diseases?
A: Powdery mildew, downy mildew, blight, rust, leaf spot, root rot.

Q: What is the role of air circulation?
A: Prevents fungal diseases by drying foliage.

Q: What is the role of crop hygiene?
A: Removing diseased plants prevents spread.

Q: What is solarization?
A: Covering soil with clear plastic to kill pests with heat.

Q: What is the role of healthy soil?
A: Strong plants resist pests and diseases better.

Q: What is water-wise gardening?
A: Practices reducing water use (xeriscaping).

Q: What is xeriscaping?
A: Gardening with drought-tolerant plants and minimal irrigation.

Q: What is deep watering?
A: Watering thoroughly and less frequently to encourage deep roots.

Q: What is the best time to water?
A: Early morning, when evaporation is low and leaves dry before night.

Q: What is drip irrigation?
A: Delivering water directly to plant roots via tubes; efficient.

Q: What is a soaker hose?
A: A porous hose seeping water along its length.

Q: What is rainwater harvesting?
A: Collecting rain in barrels for garden use.

Q: What is greywater?
A: Reused household water from sinks, showers (not toilets).

Q: What is mulch's role in water conservation?
A: Reduces evaporation and keeps soil cool.

Q: What are signs of overwatering?
A: Wilting (yes, overwatering too!), yellow leaves, root rot, fungal growth.

Q: What are signs of underwatering?
A: Wilting, dry soil, brown leaf edges, slow growth.

Q: What is the "finger test"?
A: Stick a finger 1-2 inches into soil to check moisture.

Q: What is a vegetable garden?
A: A garden focused on edible plants.

Q: What are easy vegetables for beginners?
A: Lettuce, radishes, beans, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs.

Q: What is the best location for vegetables?
A: Full sun (6+ hours), good drainage, near water source.

Q: What is the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes?
A: Determinate grow to fixed size; indeterminate keep growing.

Q: What is staking tomatoes?
A: Supporting them with stakes or cages to keep fruit off ground.

Q: What is hilling potatoes?
A: Mounding soil around stems as plants grow for more tubers.

Q: What is bolting in lettuce?
A: Premature flowering, usually due to heat; leaves become bitter.

Q: What is "cut and come again"?
A: Harvesting outer leaves while plant keeps producing (lettuce, kale).

Q: What is a flower garden?
A: A garden focused on ornamental flowering plants.

Q: What is a cottage garden?
A: An informal, dense planting style with many varieties.

Q: What is a formal garden?
A: A garden with symmetry, geometric beds, and clipped plants.

Q: What is an English garden?
A: Romantic, layered, naturalistic style.

Q: What is a Japanese garden?
A: A contemplative style with rocks, water, pruned trees, gravel.

Q: What is a meadow garden?
A: Naturalistic style mimicking grasslands.

Q: What is a pollinator garden?
A: A garden planted to support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Q: What plants attract pollinators?
A: Bee balm, lavender, salvia, coneflower, milkweed, sunflowers.

Q: What is the role of native plants?
A: Adapted to local conditions; support native wildlife.

Q: What is invasive species?
A: Non-native plants outcompeting natives and harming ecosystems.

Q: Name examples of invasive plants.
A: Japanese knotweed, kudzu, English ivy, garlic mustard (varies by region).

Q: What is a perennial border?
A: A long bed planted with perennials in layers by height.

Q: What is the principle "right plant, right place"?
A: Match plants to your conditions for success.

Q: What is a microbiome (soil)?
A: Community of microbes including bacteria, fungi, protozoa.

Q: What is mycorrhizae?
A: Beneficial fungi forming symbiotic relationships with plant roots.

Q: What is the role of earthworms?
A: They aerate soil and create castings rich in nutrients.

Q: What is bare-root planting?
A: Planting dormant plants without soil around roots; common for trees, roses.

Q: What is balled-and-burlapped?
A: Trees/shrubs with root ball wrapped in burlap.

Q: What is container-grown?
A: Plants sold in pots, transplantable nearly year-round.

Q: What is a tree's drip line?
A: The outer edge of its canopy; mulch and water within this zone.

Q: What is the rule of thirds in tree pruning?
A: Don't remove more than 1/3 of canopy per year.

Q: What is heading cut?
A: A pruning cut removing part of a branch back to a bud.

Q: What is thinning cut?
A: A pruning cut removing entire branch back to its origin.

Q: What is topping (tree)?
A: Cutting tree tops broadly; generally harmful and discouraged.

Q: What is the proper pruning angle?
A: Just above an outward-facing bud at a slight angle.

Q: What is dormant pruning?
A: Pruning during winter dormancy; less stress on plant.

Q: What is the role of woody mulch around trees?
A: Protects roots, conserves water; never piled against trunk.

Q: What is volcano mulching?
A: Bad practice of piling mulch against tree trunks.

Q: What is a houseplant?
A: An indoor plant.

Q: What are easy houseplants?
A: Pothos, snake plant, spider plant, ZZ plant, philodendron.

Q: What is the most common houseplant killer?
A: Overwatering.

Q: What is the role of humidity for houseplants?
A: Tropical plants benefit from higher humidity (40-60%+).

Q: What is propagation?
A: Creating new plants from existing ones.

Q: What are propagation methods?
A: Seeds, cuttings, division, layering, grafting.

Q: What is cuttings propagation?
A: Rooting a stem cutting in water or soil.

Q: What is division?
A: Splitting a clump into smaller plants.

Q: What is layering?
A: Bending a stem to soil to root before separating.

Q: What is grafting?
A: Joining two plant parts (rootstock + scion) to grow as one.

Q: What is bottom heat for cuttings?
A: Warming the rooting zone speeds root growth.

Q: What is a cold frame?
A: A small unheated enclosure extending the growing season.

Q: What is a greenhouse?
A: A structure providing controlled environment for plants.

Q: What is a high tunnel?
A: An unheated greenhouse for season extension.

Q: What is winter mulching?
A: Heavy mulch protecting plants from freeze-thaw cycles.

Q: What is winterizing?
A: Preparing a garden for winter (cleanup, mulching, draining).

Q: What is the "first frost date"?
A: Average date of first autumn freeze in your area.

Q: What is the "last frost date"?
A: Average date of last spring freeze.

Q: What is a frost-tender plant?
A: One damaged by freezing temperatures.

Q: What is a hardy plant?
A: One tolerating cold winters in your zone.

Q: What is bolt-resistant variety?
A: One that resists premature flowering in heat.

Q: What is determinate variety?
A: Compact size suited to small spaces (tomatoes).

Q: What is indeterminate variety?
A: Continuous-producing, often needing strong staking.

Q: What is succession sowing example?
A: Plant lettuce every 2 weeks for continuous harvest.

Q: What is the role of journaling?
A: Tracking what worked and what didn't accelerates learning.

Q: What is the role of patience in gardening?
A: Plants grow on their own timeline; trust the process.

Q: What is the joy of gardening?
A: Connection with nature, fresh food, beauty, exercise, meditation.

Q: What is the role of failure?
A: Garden setbacks teach more than easy successes.

Q: What is the most important gardening skill?
A: Observation — watching plants closely tells you what they need.

Q: What is companion planting example?
A: Basil with tomatoes; marigolds with most vegetables.

Q: What is the harvest moon?
A: The full moon nearest autumnal equinox; traditional harvest time.

Q: What is moon gardening?
A: Folk practice timing planting by lunar phases; effects are debated.

Q: What is the lasagna gardening method?
A: Layering organic material to create new beds without digging.

Q: What is hugelkultur?
A: Building beds over buried wood; retains moisture and provides slow nutrients.

Q: What is a permaculture food forest?
A: Multi-layered planting mimicking forest ecosystems.

Q: What are food forest layers?
A: Canopy, sub-canopy, shrub, herbaceous, ground cover, root, vine.

Q: What is a kitchen garden (potager)?
A: A productive ornamental garden mixing vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Q: What is a herb spiral?
A: A vertical spiral planting designed for different microclimates.

Q: What is succession in a garden?
A: Plant communities changing over time.

Q: What is xeric, mesic, hydric plants?
A: Drought-tolerant, moderate-moisture, water-loving.

Q: What is the importance of biodiversity in your garden?
A: Healthier ecosystems, more pollinators, fewer pests.

Q: What is the takeaway of gardening?
A: Soil health is the foundation; observe, experiment, and enjoy the long process.