2113 Flashcards
State how each of the following factors affect the selection of a site for outdoor food production:
Soil texture / Drainage / Area of land available / Susceptibility to wind
Soil texture
Sandy soils warm up quickly in spring / are good for root crops / poor moisture retention
Clay soils are nutrient rich / good for growing brassicas
Loam soils are ideal for growing a range of crops
Drainage
Sandy soils may be too free draining and lead to crop dessication / may require additions of bulky organic matter to retain moisture and prevent the leaching of nutrients
Clay soils are prone to waterlogging / may require a full drainage system to overcome waterlogging
Poor drainage/waterlogging may cause anaerobic conditions and lead to crown/root rot
Area of land available
A small are of land willl limit the choice of crops that can be grown / will make rotation more difficult but for suitable raised beds
A large area of land is more suitable for crop rotation / the use of machinery / can include permanent crops e.g. top fruit and asparagus
Susceptibility to wind
causes a reduction in the quality and yield of crops / due to wind rock, dessication and wind scorch, reduced transpiration, fruit blown from trees, crops blown over / poor pollination as bees don’t fly in windy weather
Describe the produciton of a named crop of radish under eahc of the following:
sowing and thinning / pest and control
Radish ‘French Breakfast’
Sowing: March to September in drills 1-2cm deep and 10-15cm apart. Early or late sowings can be covered with a cloche or fleece. The drills should be watered before sowing. They can be successionally sown because they grow fast
Thinning: prevents spindly growth and to allow the roots to develop. Thinned to 3cm apart by carefully pulling up unwanted plants by the foliage causing minimal disturbance to the remaining crop.
Pest and control
Slugs - beer trap, handpicking
cabbage root fly - cover with horticultural fleece pigeons - netting
State how intercropping can be used to maximise crop production
Intercropping is when a fast maturing crop such as radish is sown/planted between rows of slow maturing crops e.g. parsnip. The fast maturing crop is harvested before the slower one matures and requires the space. This method maximises the space available for crop production, water use, fertiliser use and use of the root zone. Ideal for small vegetable plots
What is a top fruit?
What is a soft fruit?
Top fruit: e.g. Apple ‘Egremont Russet’, is a fruit that grows on a tree which are normally grafted onto specific rootstocks and are long lived. They can be trained/restricted for small spaces and the majority of them require a pollinator as they are not self-fertile.
Soft fruit: is a fruit that grows on a bush e.g. Blackcurrent ‘Baldwin’, cane or low growing perennial and is short-lived. Soft fruit are usually grown on their own roots and are self-pollinating. Some soft fruit require a specific support system e.g. rasberries.
Describe a named training system suitable for a named top fruit
Cordon e.g. Apple ‘James Grieve’. Single stemmed trees are growin as oblique cordons at an angle of 45 degrees, to encourage heavier fruiting. They are grown against a wall or fence with a wire framework for support. Cordons are grown to a height of 1.8m which gives a stem length of 2.4m
Named variety of fruit and fruit type
Gooseberry - ‘Invicta’ - Bush
Blackcurrants - ‘Ben Hope’ - Bush
Grapes - ‘Brandt’ - Vine
Rasberries - ‘Autumn Bliss’ - Cane
Describe the symptons and control measures of a named pest of blackcurrants
Blackbirds and pigeons: caused a lot damage. Blackbirds will strip the fruit leaving the bare strigs while pigeons strip the foliage leaving shredded foliage as well as eating the fruit. Blackcurrants should be grown in a fruit cagw or covered with netting. Bird scarers can also be used
Describe double digging
The area to be dug is marked out
A trench a spit length (30cm) deep is dug out
The soil from the first trench is placed at the opposite end of the area to be dug
The bottom of the trench is forked over to a depth of 30cm (spit)
Bulky organic matter is incoporporated into the forked over area
The next trench is dug, inverting the soil onto the bulky organic matter in the previous trench
The method is continued until the whole area has been dug
Fill the final trench with soil from the first trench
Describe the production of a crop of runner beans for:
sowing / one support system / aftercare / harvesting
Runner bean ‘Enorma’
Sowing: Direct sown outdoors in May, 30-60cm aprt and 5cm deep / station sown outdoors in May, 30-60cm apart and 5cm deep / sown indoors mid to late spring, one or two seeds per pot and 5cm deep.
Direct sowing : sown in May - June using a dibber or trowel / seeds sown at the base of each cane/pole 30-60cm apart and 5cm deep / all seeds are covered with soil, labelled and watered
Support system: A wigwam is made from 2.4m tall canes or pole which are tied tightly together at the top with one or two plants planted at the base or each cane/pole. Can also describe A-frame.
Aftercare : germinating seeds should be kept watered and pests such as slugs and black bean aphids controlled / young plants need to be encouraged to climb the structure which should be reulgarly checked for stability in exposed areas. Weeds must be removed and the tops of plants should be pinched out when they reach the top of the canes
Harvesting: from July/Augustuntil the first frosts. Harvest on a regular basis to ensure a continuous harvest. Harvest when they are 15-20cm in length and should be carefully pulled from the stalk
Name one disease and one distinct control measure for:
Leeks / Winter cabbage / Onions / Potatoes / Lettuce
Leeks: Leek rust / plant resistant cultivars, practice crop rotation and burn/destroy badly infected leaves.
Winter cabbage: Club root / controlled by raising the pH of the soil to pH 7 or 7.5 by liming or implementing a very long crop rotation.
Onions: Onion white rot / dig up and burn infected plants or sow pelleted seed which contains a fungicide
Potatoes: Blight / grow blight resistant cultivars or cut down and burn infected stem and leaves
Lettuce: Downy mildew / grow resistant cultivars or sow seed thinly
Describe the outdoor production of a crop of courgettes under each of the following:
filling the modules / sowing / aftercare / harvesting
Courgette ‘Defender’
Filling the modules
Modules are overfilled with growing media, ensuring that the corner modules are adequately filled modules are tapped/banged on the bench to eliminate air pockets and excess growing media is struck off level / the modules are slightly firmed to ensure the growing media is just below the top of the modules to allow for watering
Sowing: sow in late spring in a protected environment i.e. greenhouse. 1-2 seeds sown (on their sides) in pots or modules to a depth of 2-2.5cm, using a dibber or psuhed in. Use John Innes No. 1 or multi-purpose compost . Water and label. The weaker seedling is discarded / Seeds can also be sown outdoors in early summer afte any risk of frost has passed. Seeds are station sown, 2 seeds per station (the weaker seedling discarded) 90cm apart in all directions and 2-2.5cm deep.
Aftercare
Modules should be kept in a frost free, light position e.g. in a heated propogator at a temp, of 18-21. Modules should be kept moist but not waterlogged with a high humidity and monitored for pests e.g. slugs.
Harvesting: starts approximately eight weeks after sowing. The courgettes should feel firm to the touch and be 10-15cm long. They should be cut cleanly from the plant using a sharp knife. Harvest the courgettes regularly to ensure continuous cropping.
Name a pest of courgette and its symptoms
Slugs - eat young foliage of courgettes, abck to the stem and make holes in the young fruits. Foliage affected by red spider mite becomes rusted and mice gnaw holes in the courgettes at any stage of their development.
Appropriate rootstocks for:
Cordon - apple / pear / plum/gage/damson
Fan - cherry / plum/gage/damson
Cordon
Apple - M9 or M26
Pears - Quince A or Quince C
Plum/gage/damson - Pixy
Fan
Cherry - Colt
Plum/gage/damson - Pixy or St Julian A
Describe how weed control can affect quality and yield of a top fruit crop
Weeds compete for nutrition and water which leads to smaller fruits and lower yields
Nitrogen and potassium deficiency can occur
Competition for water may result in fruit split in apples and cherries and may contribute to bitter pit in apples
Weeds can harbour pests and diseases e.g. Spotted red sider mite which is found in dry conditions of wall trained fruit.
Long grass beneath trees cna create a damp microclimate which promotes scab and powdery mildew. Both of these will affect the quality of the yield of top fruit.
Describe the production of a crop of summer fruiting (early/mid-season) rasberries for:
cultivar selection / planting / pruning
Cultivar selection: Rasberry ‘Glen Moy’ or ‘Glen Ample’ should be purchased as DEFRA certified stock which is true to type, virus free and sourced froma reliable grower. Ideally the cultivar selected should have a good flavour and produce a heavy yield.
Planting: Dormant rasberry canes are planted in autumn/early winter in a humus rich, mosture retentive soil with a pH of 6.0-6.5. The canes are planted 38-48cm apart in rows 1.5-2m apart to a depth of 5-8cm with the roots spread evenly and gently firmed in. The canes are pruned to 25cm from grond level and mulched.
Pruning: Summer fruiting rasberries are pruned by cutting the old canes, which have just fruited to ground level, leaving the new canes to fruit the following year. Weak, diseased or damaged canes should be removed. The new canes are tied into the support system evenly spaced 8-10cm. The tips of the cane are pruned above the top wire.
State 2 limitations that need to be considered for the following:
poor soil and structure / soil depth / north facing aspect / exposure to wind / availability of water
Poor soil structure
Restriction of gaseous exchange at root level / may reduce the roots’ ability to access nutrients / Restriction of development of root crops
Soil depth
Shallow soils will impede the root establishment of fruit trees / shallow soils will limit the growing of root crops / there will be a lack of anchorage causing wind rock
North facing aspect
Soil may be cold / will receive lower light levels / frost potential is increased
Exposure to wind
Causes physical damage to crops / discourages pollinating insects from flying / can cause/contribute to soil erosion
Availability of water
May need to install water butts or rain harvesters / lack of water will result in poor and/or reduced crop yield / may need to transport water from elsewhere
Describe the production of a rcop of onions under the following:
planting of sets / harvesting
Red Baron
Planting of sets
Onion sets are normally planted from early to mid-spring in soil that is weed free and has been cultivated to a fine tilth. Onion sets are planted in rows 25-30cm apart and 7.5-15cm apart in the row depending on the cultivar. The onion sets are pushed into the soil so that the tips are at or just below soil level. If they are not planted deep enough birds may pull them out. Water and label them.
Harvesting
Onions are usually harvested on a dry sunny day during late August/early September when the foliage starts ti die down and the tops bend over. The onions are carefully lifted from the soil using a fork and in dry weather they are left on the surface for a minimum of seven days to dry. In damp weather dry the onions in slatted trays in a greenhouse or shed. The skins should be paper dry, Any diseased or damaged onions are removed and the roots and top growth can be removed once the onions are dry.
Describe the effect of plant spacing for one distinct name ‘baby’ vegetable crop under the following:
production of ‘baby’ vegetables / uniformity / crop yield
Production of ‘baby’ vegetables
Baby vegetables are produced by using closer crop spacing or from thinning a crop e.g. carrot to the final spacing where the thinnings become the crop for consumption. ‘Baby’ vegetables can also be intentionally grown by sowing thinly and spacing the crop to minimal distancing
Uniformity
Correct spacing will result in a uniform crop where the harvested crop is of equal quality. Spacing a crop too closely will cause competition which will result in a poor quality crop of uneven size
Crop yield
Correct final spacing will maximise the crop potential and should result in a high yield. Excessive spacing wastes potential cropping area and reduces potential yield. Spacing a crop too closely may make the crop more susceptible to pest and disease attack which will result in a poor yield.
Dessert apple cultivars
Culinary apple cultivars
Dessert - ‘Beauty of Bath’ / ‘Discovery’ / ‘James Grieve’
Culinary - ‘Lord Derby’ / ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ / ‘Grenadier’
State 6 factors to be considered when choosing an apple tree for a domestic garden
Choice of desssert or culinary cultivars
Early, mid or late season cropping cultivars
Susceptibility of cultivar to pest, disease or disorders
Rootstock choice
Ultimate size of tree
Potential yield
Flavour of apples
Storage capabilities of apples
Pests and diseases of apples
Pests : codling moth / apple sawfly / woolly aphid / wasp
Diseases : Apple canker / apple scab / powdery mildew / brown rot
Describe the establishment and maintenance of blackcurrants under the following:
site and soil / ground preparation / spacing / planting / pruning of established plants / harvest / store
‘Ebony’
Site and soil : require a sunny, sheltered site with soil that is moisture retentive, free draining, rich in organic matter with a pH or 6.5-7.0
Ground preparation : all weeds to be removed. The ground should be forked over and a balanced fertiliser e.g. Growmore applied at a rate of 35g/m squared and incorporated into the soil prior to planting.
Spacing : blackcurrant bushes should be spaced 1-1.5 m in all directions
Planting : Bare root (soaked before plantingbushed of blackcurrants are planted in late autumn/early winter 1.2m - 1.5m apart in both directions. The plants should be planted 5cm lower than previously to encourage new growth from the base. All stems should be cut down to one bud after planting to encourage strong, new growth. A mulch of bulky organic matter cna be applied around the base of the bush to a depth of 50-75mm.
Pruning of established plants : pruning is carried out in early to mid-winter where a quarter to one third of two year old wood is removed to the base as blackcurrants fruit on the previous seasons growth. Any dead, diseased or damaged wood is also removed.
Harvest
harvested by hand when the fruits are dry, black and plump. Whole strings are removed and any diseased or damaged fruit is discarded
Storage
Fruits can be stored in a fridge for a short period of time and frozen or bottled for longer term storage
Describe two methods to advance the productive season of outdoor food crops
Low polythene tunnel : has clear polythene stretched over metal hoops or a frame which is dug into the soil or weighted down. This helps to warm the soil, protects the crop from cold winds and provides frost protection to young plants.
Cold frame : is a solid framed structure with glass or twin-walled polycarbonate cladding. It provides protection from early frosts for young plants and protection for winter salad crops and carrots.
