Ch 6 | Garden Care Basics Flashcards
What are the two main benefits to adding organic matter to your soil?
- It helps the soil retain moisture, and thus manage dry spells better.
- It supports soil organisms that aerate and break down nutrients into forms plants can absorb.
What are the four basic requirements for garden care?
- Supply water as needed
- Get rid of competing weeds
- Add mulch (helps with watering and weeding)
- Feed plants with fertilizer and compost
Annual veggies and flowers grow best in soil that is ________ _________.
constantly moist
To prevent plants from getting stressed, how many inches of soil should you keep moist?
1–2 inches
How many inches of water should you initially use per week as your baseline? In the heat of summer, how much may be needed?
- 1 inch
* 2+
Which weather conditions will affect the amount of water needed?
- rainfall
- humidity (decreases moisture loss)
- wind (increases moisture loss)
When should you water to avoid water evaporation?
Early or late
Group plants by ______ needs.
water
To test soil, push index finger in _____ inches. If it _____, don’t water.
- 3 inches
* damp
Why should extra attention be given to transplants in regards to watering needs?
Moving them disrupts their roots, and reduces their ability to absorb moisture.
What is the best method for watering your garden?
Drip lines (they are better than sprinklers)
A programmable timer for drip irrigation controls what three aspects?
- frequency
- time
- duration
What are two ways to reconfigure your drip lines as needed to reduce the waste of water?
- use on/off valves
* use different types of emitters
What are three types of emitters?
- mini sprinkler heads w/ various spray patterns
- special drippers for containers
- soaker drip lines
Where is a good place to store a rain barrel?
on cinder blocks
