Care For Your Garden

Question 1

Name seven tasks for early to mid-spring.

Answer 1

Protect against frost
Transplant seedlings
Feed fish
Tidy lawns and border
Guard against slugs and snails
Protect fruit blossom
Plant trees

Question 2

Name seven tasks for late spring to early summer.

Answer 2

Protect plants from slugs
Plant out vegetables
Move pots outside
Keep watering
Harvest fruit
Plant summer bedding
Trim hedges

Question 3

Name seven tasks for midsummer.

Answer 3

Support young peas
Harvest edible flowers
Pick raspberries
Deadhead flowers
Care for baskets
Water for birds
Plant out late bedding plants

Question 4

Name seven tasks for late summer to mid-autumn.

Answer 4

Harvest apples and pears
Feed tomatoes
Fix grease bands
Lift onions
Net ponds
Prune lavender
Rake leaves

Question 5

Name seven tasks for late autumn to winter.

Answer 5

Bring herbs indoors.
Leave seedbeds.
Plant fruit trees.
Winter-prune shrubs.
Feed the birds.
Store winter squashes.
Clean tools and equipment.

Question 6

Name six ways you can reduce the need to water pots.

Answer 6

1. Mulch with bark clippings or other biodegradable materials
2. Add water-retaining crystals to compost before planting
3. Choose plastic containers over terracotta pots
4. Group pots together so they shade each other
5. Fit pots with individual dip attachments from a hosepipe
6. Larger plastic containers retain moisture well

Question 7

Name four types of fertiliser.

Answer 7

Dry fertilisers
Slow-release fertilisers
Liquid fertilisers
Manure

Question 8

Which compost is best for shrubs, trees, and other perennials growing permanent in pots?

Answer 8

Soil-based compost

Question 9

Which compost is best for temporary displays of annual plants or vegetables?

Answer 9

Multi-purpose compost

Question 10

How do you prune stems that bear alternate buds?

Answer 10

Make an angled cut downwards just above a healthy bud

Question 11

How do you prune stems that bear opposite buds?

Answer 11

Prune just above a pair of healthy buds, making a clean, straight cut

Question 12

Name six pruning tools

Answer 12

Secateurs
Sharp-toothed pruning saw
Bow saw
Loppers
Electric hedge trimmers
Shears

Question 13

What four things do seeds need to germinate?

Answer 13

Water
Air
Darkness
Warmth

Question 14

What three things can you do to prevent damping off?

Answer 14

Start with clean pots
Sow thinly
Always use fresh compost and tap water (rather than rainwater)

Question 15

What are the three different types of cuttings?

Answer 15

Hardwood cuttings
Softwood cutting
Semi-ripe cuttings

Question 16

When should you take hardwood cuttings?

Answer 16

Winter

Question 17

When should you take softwood cuttings?

Answer 17

Spring to early summer

Question 18

When should you take semi-ripe cuttings?

Answer 18

Late summer

Question 19

How do you take a lazy cutting?

Answer 19

Gently tease apart sections or individual shoots, keeping plenty of root attached, then plant into pots or in the ground

Question 20

How do you propagate by division?

Answer 20

Lift plants from the ground with a fork, taking care not to damage the roots. Divide by pulling apart by hand or splitting with a spade or a knife.

Question 21

How do you propagate by layering?

Answer 21

Bend down a shoot and bury it in the soil

Question 22

What three things should you look for when choosing turf?

Answer 22

Weeds
Bare patches
Yellowing edges

Question 23

When is the best time to create a new lawn?

Answer 23

Autumn

Question 24

Name four tools needed to keep a lawn in shape

Answer 24

Mower
Rake
Edging tool
Shears

Question 25

What time of year does a lawn need regular trimming?

Answer 25

Early spring until autumn

Question 26

How often does a hardwearing family lawn need cutting?

Answer 26

Once a week

Question 27

How often does an ornamental lawn need cutting?

Answer 27

Up to three times a week

Question 28

How often and when should you feed a lawn?

Answer 28

Twice a year
In spring with a formulation high in nitrogen
In autumn

Question 29

What are two options for a herb lawn?

Answer 29

Thyme
Chamomile

Question 30

What are the four pieces of basic pond-care equipment?

Answer 30

Hand net
Cane for removing blanket weed
Netting to cover the pond in autumn
Section of mesh baskets for plants

Question 31

Name three aquatic invaders.

Answer 31

Water lettuce
Canadian pondweed
Parrot’s feather

Question 32

What is the biggest threat to fish and what are two ways to deal with it?

Answer 32

Herons
Heron netting or a low fence
A decoy heron

Question 33

How should you introduce fish to a pond?

Answer 33

Float the unopened bag on the pond’s surface until the temperature inside and outside the bag is the same