Care For Your Garden Flashcards
Name seven tasks for early to mid-spring.
Protect against frost
Transplant seedlings
Feed fish
Tidy lawns and border
Guard against slugs and snails
Protect fruit blossom
Plant trees
Name seven tasks for late spring to early summer.
Protect plants from slugs
Plant out vegetables
Move pots outside
Keep watering
Harvest fruit
Plant summer bedding
Trim hedges
Name seven tasks for midsummer.
Support young peas
Harvest edible flowers
Pick raspberries
Deadhead flowers
Care for baskets
Water for birds
Plant out late bedding plants
Name seven tasks for late summer to mid-autumn.
Harvest apples and pears
Feed tomatoes
Fix grease bands
Lift onions
Net ponds
Prune lavender
Rake leaves
Name seven tasks for late autumn to winter.
Bring herbs indoors.
Leave seedbeds.
Plant fruit trees.
Winter-prune shrubs.
Feed the birds.
Store winter squashes.
Clean tools and equipment.
Name six ways you can reduce the need to water pots.
- Mulch with bark clippings or other biodegradable materials
- Add water-retaining crystals to compost before planting
- Choose plastic containers over terracotta pots
- Group pots together so they shade each other
- Fit pots with individual dip attachments from a hosepipe
- Larger plastic containers retain moisture well
Name four types of fertiliser.
Dry fertilisers
Slow-release fertilisers
Liquid fertilisers
Manure
Which compost is best for shrubs, trees, and other perennials growing permanent in pots?
Soil-based compost
Which compost is best for temporary displays of annual plants or vegetables?
Multi-purpose compost
How do you prune stems that bear alternate buds?
Make an angled cut downwards just above a healthy bud
How do you prune stems that bear opposite buds?
Prune just above a pair of healthy buds, making a clean, straight cut
Name six pruning tools
Secateurs
Sharp-toothed pruning saw
Bow saw
Loppers
Electric hedge trimmers
Shears
What four things do seeds need to germinate?
Water
Air
Darkness
Warmth
What three things can you do to prevent damping off?
Start with clean pots
Sow thinly
Always use fresh compost and tap water (rather than rainwater)
What are the three different types of cuttings?
Hardwood cuttings
Softwood cutting
Semi-ripe cuttings
When should you take hardwood cuttings?
Winter
When should you take softwood cuttings?
Spring to early summer
When should you take semi-ripe cuttings?
Late summer
How do you take a lazy cutting?
Gently tease apart sections or individual shoots, keeping plenty of root attached, then plant into pots or in the ground
How do you propagate by division?
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.
How do you propagate by layering?
Bend down a shoot and bury it in the soil
What three things should you look for when choosing turf?
Weeds
Bare patches
Yellowing edges
When is the best time to create a new lawn?
Autumn
Name four tools needed to keep a lawn in shape
Mower
Rake
Edging tool
Shears
What time of year does a lawn need regular trimming?
Early spring until autumn
How often does a hardwearing family lawn need cutting?
Once a week
How often does an ornamental lawn need cutting?
Up to three times a week
How often and when should you feed a lawn?
Twice a year
In spring with a formulation high in nitrogen
In autumn
What are two options for a herb lawn?
Thyme
Chamomile
What are the four pieces of basic pond-care equipment?
Hand net
Cane for removing blanket weed
Netting to cover the pond in autumn
Section of mesh baskets for plants
Name three aquatic invaders.
Water lettuce
Canadian pondweed
Parrot’s feather
What is the biggest threat to fish and what are two ways to deal with it?
Herons
Heron netting or a low fence
A decoy heron
How should you introduce fish to a pond?
Float the unopened bag on the pond’s surface until the temperature inside and outside the bag is the same
