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.
Describe the establishment of a named crop of winter cabbage under the following:
sowing / transplanting
Cabbage ‘January King’
Sowing : takes place from April to June in an outdoor seedbed in drills 1-2cm deep and 15cm apart. The seeds are covered with soil and watered. Alternatively one or two seeds can be sown 1-2cm deep in individual modules and grown under glass
Transplanting : is carried in June and July when the plants have 5-6 true leaves or are approximately 10cm tall. They are planted 40-50cm apart in rows 40-60cm apart. It is important to plant them deeply by puddling (watering them in) and firming them well to avoid wind rock. Collars could be fitted around the base of the plants to protect them against cabbage root fly and netted to protect them against damage from pigeons.
State how an ideal soil pH can be achieved in the production of a crop of winter cabbage
cabbage prefer alkaline soils to avoid club root. Incorporate ground limestone into the soil at least 6 months prior to planting, ideally in winter while preparing the soil
Describe a suitable support system for a named summer fruitng rasberry
Rasberry ‘Glen Moy’ ‘Glen Ample’
2m high posts are set in a row 3m apart with wire strained between them at distances of 75cm, 1.1m and 1.5m. The wires must be kept taut between the posts to support the rasberry canes which are tied to them
For one common pest of rasberries, describe:
the symptons / one control measure
The symptons
Rasberry aphid : distorts the foliage and reduces the vigour of rasberries
Blackbirds : either remove and eat the whole fruit or partially eat and damage the fruits
Control measure
Rasberry aphids can be controlled by the use of a pesticide e.f fatty acids
Blackbirds can be controlled by either the use of netting or constructing a fruit cage.
Describe the harvesting and storage of an apple crop under the following:
harvesting for storage / method of storage
Apple ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ / Bramley’s Seedling. Mid or late season cultivars are good for storage
Harvest for storage : takes places when the apples are slightly under-ripe and still firm. The fruits should be free from pests and diseases, bruises and blemishes. Harvesting is carried our on a dry, cool day by cupping the fruit in the hand and twisting. The fruit will not come away as easily as fully ripe fruits.
Methods of storage
Apples can be stored in apple rack/drawers, in wooden boxes or perforated plastic bags. The fruits should be kept in vermin free, cool, frost free and dark locations at a temperature of 3-5 degrees C. Apples stored in wooden racks or boxes must be individually wrapped in grease-proof paper and not touching each other
Describe the benefits of providing shelter for trees in an apple orchard
Reduced wind speed resulting in less physical damage to trees
Improved pollination as bees do not fly in windy conditions
Reduced wind speed reduces excess transpiration and water loss
Provides warmer temperatures for ripening fruit
Reduced wind speed may reduce damage from wind frost
Encourages beneficial wildlife
Name non-living permeable windbreaks suitable for use in a vegetable garden
Paraweb / hurdles / hit and miss fencing / trellis / open brick work / willow/hazel screens / netlon
Describe how soil texture and structure influence the timing of soil cultivation
Soil texture
Sandy soils can be cultivated throughout the year but spring is preferable to avoid the leaching of nutrients.
Clay soils are best cultivated in late summer/early autumn to enable the frosts to break down clods. Clay soils should not be cultivated when wet,, waterlogged or frozen to avoid damage to the soil structure
Soil Structure
Sandy soils are very free draining so compaction is less of a problem in winter. Tilth production may result in soil surface capping after heavy rain or the use of irrigation.
The structure of clay soil is easily damaged by poorly timed cultivations and so should be cultivated in late summer/early autumn. When clay soils are wet or water logged the clay particales smear easily and compaction occurs
Describe the effect of plant spacing on a root vegetable crop
Optimum plant spacing is critical to achieve uniform growth and maximum yield
Close spacing rsults in competition for light, water and nutrients
Plants are more susceptible to attack by pests and diseases when planted too close
Excessive plant spacing wastes potential cropping area
Describe the production of a crop of leeks for the following:
soil preparation / sowing / transplanting
Soil preparation
The soil is single or double dug in the autumn/winter prior to sowing/planting to relieve any soil compaction / bulk organic atter is incorporated and fertiliser with a high N content can be apploed one month prior to transplanting the leeks at a rate of 70-100g/msquared / secondary cultivation is carried out prior to transplanting and includes levelling the soil, consolidation and the creation of the final tilth by raking
Sowing
Seeds cna be sown under cover from mid to late winter in a greenhouse / the seeds can be sown 1-2cm deep in seed trays or 3-4 seeds per module using a seed sowing or multi-purpose compost. The seeds are covered with compost and watered.
Outdoors, seeds can be sown from early to mid-spring in a prepared seed bed. The seeds are sown thinly in drills 1-2cm deep and 15cm apart. The seeds are covered with soil and watered
Transplanting
Leeks can be transplanted individually when they are pencil thick and 20cm in height. The tops of the plants and the roots can be trimmed before planting. Holes are made using a dibber 15-23cm apart and 15-20cm deep with rows 30-40cm apart. A single leek is dropped into each hole which is then filled with water . The soil is allowed to back fill naturally around the transplant to create a blanched stem. The bed is irrigated/watered prior to transplanting
Modules are watered well before planting. The modules contained 3-4 leeks are planted deeply by digging a hole with a trowel. They are planted 30cm apart in the row and 30cm between the rows. The leeks are watered well after planting
Plum cultivars
‘Czar’ or Victoria
What is the optimum time for pruning plum trees?
How to harvest plums
How to store plums
Late spring/summer to avoid infection from the fungal disease silver leaf
Harvest
Harvested in dry weather when they are fully ripe and jsut soft to the touch / they are carefully lifted with the stalk intact / don’t twist the fruits as this can damage the fragile skin and cause rot / the tree must be checked rgularly for ripening fruit
Storage
stored in fridge for a short period of time and then bottled, frozen or dried for longer term storage
Describe the fan training system for plums
A maiden whip or feathered maiden is planted 15-23cm away from a wall or fence which is fitted with horizontal wires 15cm apart / the aim is to create a fan shape which is achieved by removing the central leader to concentrate vigour on both sides of the tree / the laterals are cut back to strong buds to encourage side shoots which are tied in at an angle of 45 degrees and gradually lowered to the horizontal
What factors need to be considered wen selecting cultivars of soft fruit?
Selection of early, mid or late season cultivars
flavour
storage capability
pest and disease resistance
culinary or dessert cultivars
yield
vigour/ultimate size of plant
State how each of the following factors affect the suitability of a site section for outdoor food production:
susceptibility to frost / soil pH / slope
Susceptibility to frost
Can cause frost damage to fruit buds and flowers, seedlings cna be killed / sowing times are delayed as the soil is slow to warm up in the spring / frost pockets at the base of a slope must be avoided
Soil pH
Most crops will grow on a soil with a pH of 6.5-7.0 although some require a more specific pH, e.g. blueberries - acid, brassicas - alkakine to avoid club root /potatoes grow prefer slightly acidic soils but they will also grow in neutral to slightly alkaline. Potatoes can be affected by potato scab in very alkaline soils / problems with nutrient uptake can occur in soils with a low or high pH e.g. lime induced chlorosis in ericaceous plants that are grown in an alkaline soil
Slope
A slope could lead to problems with soil erosion, so it may be difficult to work, dry at the top and wet at the bottom with run-off which could lead to a build-up of nutrients at the base of the slope / the top of the slope would be exposed to wind and the aspect would affect how quickly the site warms up in the spring / a south facing slope will warm up quickly whereas a north facing slope will be colder.
Soil pH
Name materials used to construct the framework of a raised bed
timber planks / scaffold boards / bricks / blocks / new railways sleepers
State the specification of rased bed and path
Width - 1.2 - 1.6m
Length - 2.5 - 3m
Path - 0.5m wide (upto a 1m for wheelchair access)
Describe the no-dig system for managing raised beds
The soil is not turned over apart from the initial culitvation
Soil improvers/bulky organic matter are spread thickly on the surface of the soil
Soil organisms incorporate the organic matter etc. into the soil
Maintain soil structure
Avoids compaction of the soil
Soil erosion is reduced
Encourages biotic/organism diversity
Weed seed is not brought to the surface
State a distinct pest and control measure for it for the following vegetables
carrot / lettuce / runner bean / radish / brussel sprouts
Carrot
Pest : Carrot root fly
Control : 60cm high barrier, sow thinly to avoid thinning, thin crop in evening, use of resistant cultivars
Lettuce
Pest : Slug
Control : Hand removal, slug pellets e.g. ferric phosphate, beer traps
Runner bean
Pest : Black bean aphid
Control : spray with fatty acids
Radish
Pest : Flea beetle
Control : Cover seedlings/planting with enviromesh / spray with deltamethrin
Brussel sprouts
Pest : Large cabbage white caterpillar
Control : Encourage starlings to eat the larvae / cover crop with enviromesh before the butterfly lays the eggs
Describe the harvesting and storage of a main crop potato
King Edward / Maris Piper
Harvesting
carried out from August to October on a dry, sunny day, when the haulm has started to dry and collapse / lift the potatoes carefully using a fork, avoid spearing the potatoes / ensure no potatoes are left in the soil to prevent disease occurrence in the future / they can be left to dry on the soil surface for 2-3 hours
Storage
Should be stored in hessian sacks or double thickness paper sacks in a cool, dark, frost and vermin free environment. Diseased or damaged tubers should not be stored
Describe the production of strawberries for the following:
Ground preparation / planting / harvesting
Strawberry ‘Cambridge Favourite’ / ‘Florence’
Ground preparation
Primary cultivation is carried out in mid spring or late summer/autumn / weeds are removed and well-rotted manure or garden compost can be incorporated into the soil / secondary cultivation is carried out which includes raking the area roughly level, consolidating the soil and applying a general-purpose fertiliser e,g, growmore at rate of 100g/msquared before raking the area to a rough tilth
Planting
Need to be soaked well before planting / planted in August / September or in the spring in a sunny, sheltered situation with humus rich, fertile, well-drained soil / plantes planted 40-50cm apart in the row with 60-90cm between rows / the crown of the plant should be above soil level to avoid rotting and the plants must be firmed in well to prevent frost heave and drying out
Harvesting
Should be harvested when the fruits are pink/red all over on a dry day in the morning / picked carefully to avoid bruising by pinching the stalk between the fingers to ensure that the calyx is intact and not by twisting / any damaged or mouldy fruits aare discarded / important to not pile too many fruits on top of each other to avoid bruising/crushing
Name examples of a diploid and triploid apple cultivar
Diploid : ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ / ‘Discovery’
Triploid : ‘Blenheim Orange’ / ‘Bramley’s seedling’
Describe the cross-pollination of an apple crop for the followint:
flowering periods
compatability
Flowering periods
For successful cross-pollination it is neceesary to apple cultivars that have the same flowering periods / early, mid or late season cultivars can be divided into seven flowering groups /
early cultivars/flowering groups can be cross-pollinated by other early cultivars or by mid-season cultivars as they overlap
mid-season cultivars/flowering groups can be cross-pollinated by all there seasonal cultivars as they overlap
late cultivars can be cross-pollinated by other late season cultivar/flowering groups and by mid-season cultivars/flowering groups as they overlaps
Crab apples are universal pollinators of apple trees as they flower over a long period
Compatibility
Apple trees are not reliably self-fertile and need other apple cultivars flowering in the same period to cross-pollinate / apple cultivar pollen is only compatible with other apple cultivars / triploid cultivars are incompatible with each other and are poor pollinators as their pollen is sterile / they require two diploid cultivars for cross-pollination to take place
State the benefits and limitations of non-living and living permeable windbreaks
Non-living
Benefits : take up very little space compared with a hedge / no root competition / quick and easy to erect / limited maintenance requirements
Limitations : No benefit to wildlife / may be unsightly / wooden fencing needs regular maintenance
Living
Benefits : Aesthetically pleasing / long lived compared to fencing / beneficial to wildlife
Limitations : takes time to establish / requires annual maintenance/trimming / root competition with fruit and vegetable crops / can compete with crops for water and nutrients and may harbour pests and diseases
Describe the production of a crop of carrots under the following:
sowing / thinning / harvesting
Sowing
Carrots sown thinly in a continuous line from Feb to Jun in drills which are 0.5-1.5cm deep and 15-30cm between drills. The drills can be watered prior to sowing the seed or following them being covered and labelled
Thinning
Carrots are thinned to 3-7.5cm intervals to enable the remainder of the crop to reach its full potential at maturity. Thinning is carried out in the evening to reduce any damage by carrot root fly which is less active at that time / any thinnings are removed promptly to prevent the carrot root fly from smelling them / smaller carrots can be removed and used as baby vegtables / the remaingin crop is watered after thinning to re-firm them into the ground
Harvesting
Carrots are usually harvested 12-16 weeks after sowing / water the soil prior to harvest to prevent the roots from breaking / carefully lift the carrots using a fork or by gently pulling them from the ground by their foliage
Describe how onions can be successfully stored after harvest
They need to dry before being stored. Let them dry in the sun or on racks in a dry location e.g. a glasshouse if the weather is wet. This can take approximately two weeks after which the skins are paper dry / only healthy undamaged onions are stored ina a cool, light, well ventilated vermin free area in nets, old tights or hung in plaits
Describe how potatoes can be stored after harvest
Only maincrop potatoes are suitable / need to be undamaged / once harvested leave in the sun for the skins to dry / remove excess soil / store potatoes in hessian or thick paper at temperature 4-10 degrees c / stored in cool, dark place, dry, frost free, vermin free e/g/ garage or shed
Name benefits and limitations to rotary cultivation
Benefits
less labour intensive than digging / easier for large areas / buries annual weeds / incorporates organic matter and fertiliser / creates a tilth on uncultivated
Limitations
chops up and distributes roots of perennial weeds / create a rotavation pan / destroys structure of top soil / unsuitable for raised or narrow beds / some machines can be heavy and difficult to use in small areas
Describe the production of a crop of beetroot under the following:
sowing / thinning / harvest
Beetroot boltardy
Sowing
Outside from April to June in drills 2-3 cm deep and 20-30cm apart. The drill cna be watered before sowing the seed thinky or individually placed 2.5cm apart. Successional sowings can be made every two weeks or the seeds can be sown in modules in a greenhouse in March and transplanted
Thinning
Seedlings shold be thinned as soon as possible. If mini beets are required (golf ball size) thin to 2.5cm-4cm apart. If regular beets are required (tennis ball size) thin to 7-8cm apart
Harvest
Beetroot are harvested 10-12 weeks after sowing when they are golf ball or tennis ball size. They are lifted carefully with a fokr to avoid damaging the root and the leaves are twisted off to avoid bleeding. The roots should not be left in the soil too long or they will become woody
Name a distinct disease and state a sympton of it for each of the following fruits:
rasberries / strawberries / blackcurrants / apples / plums
Rasberries
Disease : Grey mould - produces grey/brown fuzzy fungal growth on all of the above ground parts of the plant
Strawberries
Strawberry powdery mildew - grey/white patches on the underside of the leaves and red blotches on the upper surfaces of the leaf / the flowers become distorted and fail to open
Blackcurrants
Blackcurrant reversion virus - which causes the flowers to appear shiny, a reduced yield and a reduction in the size and shape of the leaves
Apples
Apple scab - development of blackish-brown scabby patches on the fruits, greenish/grey spots on the foliage and the fruits become cracked or split in extreme cases
Plums
Bacterial canker - clearly defined area of bar flatten and sink inwards and amber coloured resing-like ooze may appear / the buds at the tips of the branches may fail to open and the leaves may appear but wither and die back / affected foliage appears small and yellow
State what is meant by the term ‘cultivation window’
the optimum time to cultivate any soil type without damaging the structure / i.e. when the soil is not too dry or wet / can be a narrow window
Describe the foramtive pruning of an open-centred apple tree
The aim is to produce a goblet-shaped tree on top of a clear trunk with a balanced branch system / pruning is carried out in the dormant season between Nov and early March
For feathered maiden tree - the central stem is cut back jsut above the strong shoot approximately 60-80cm above the ground in the first year - this is ti ensure that there are 3-4 evenly spaced shoots below / these branches are shortened by half to two thirds cutitng to an outward facing bud - any remaing lower branches are removed
During the second year the previous yyears’ growth on the main stem/branches are shortened by a third leaving 8-10 branches to form a permanent frmaework / the side branches arising from the main stems ae not pruned / any strong upright shoots that develp at the top of the tree are removed
Repeat year two for year three
State the benefits of training apple trees as espaliers
easy access to trees for maintenance and to harvest the fruit
allows good fruit production in a small space
heavy fruit yield as more lateral spurs
aesthetically pleasing
State three benefits and and limitations of crop rotation
Benefits
Reduces/limits soil borne pests and diseases / enables nitrogen fixed by legumes to be available for the next crop e.g. brassicas / allow specific soil preparation for specific crops / allows liming for brassicas to reduce risk of clubroot/avoids liming for potatoes which may cause scab
Limitations
Difficult to implement crop rotation successfully in a small garden / not effective for longterm pests and diseases / difficult to implement permanent crops / does not allow for personal preference of crops
Describe the timing and method of pruning for the established training of the single espalier
Main period of pruning is during later summer when the side shoots are more than 22cm in length are cut back to three leaves above the basal cluster / any regrowth is pruned in september to one leaf above the previous cut / the leaders are only cut when they reach full length / spur thinning takes place in winter when the 3D’s can also be pruned
