Past paper September 2020

Question 1

state how each of the following factors affect the selection of a site for outdoor food production; SOIL TEXTURE

Answer 1

sandy soils warm up earlier in the spring which enables earlier sowing and planting of crops.
Sandy soils have poor moisture retention
Root crops eg; Carrots prefer sandy soils

Clay soils retain their warmth for longer in autumn
Clay soils are cold and are slow to warm up in the spring
Clay soils are nutrient rich
Brassicas perform better on clay soils

Question 2

State some facts about clay soils (warmth, nutrients, which crops do well on them etc)

Answer 2

Clay soils retain their warmth for longer in autumn
Clay soils are cold and are slow to warm up in the spring
Clay soils are nutrient rich
Brassicas perform better on clay soils

Question 3

state some facts on sandy soils (warmth, drainage, which crops prefer them etc)

Answer 3

sandy soils warm up earlier in the spring which enables earlier sowing and planting of crops.
Sandy soils have poor moisture retention
Root crops eg; Carrots prefer sandy soils

Question 4

state how each of the following factors affect the selection of a site for outdoor food production;; Susceptibility to wind

Answer 4

broken branches may occur on fruit trees
blossom and fruit can be blown from the fruit tree
pollinators are unable to fly in windy conditions
support structures may be blown over

Question 5

List three limitations of growing fruit and veg in a small garden.

Answer 5

Difficult to rotate crops, or is less effective
lack of space to grow top fruit
more difficult to grow permanent plantings eg; asparagus, rhubarb, soft fruit
Optimum spacing may have to be reduced resulting in smaller vegetables/yield
Not possible to use machinery eg; rotary cultivator

Question 6

State what is meant by the term ‘cultivation window’

Answer 6

it is the optimum time to cultivate any soil type, including a heavy clay or loam soil without damaging the structure.

Carry out cultivation when the soil isn’t too wet/dry.

The window can be very narrow and optimised before any inclement weather incl. winter frosts

Question 7

Describe each of the following secondary cultivation techniques used to create a seed bed; Consolidation

Answer 7

This is the process where the soil surface is lightly trod using the heels of your boots, or tamped down with the back of a garden rake head - to remove large air pockets in the soil.

Question 8

Describe each of the following secondary cultivation techniques used to create a seed bed; TILTH PRODUCTION

Answer 8

Use a garden rake on the consolidated, levelled soil.
Rake in all directions to break up any clods and remove large stones.
Aim is to create a friable soil surface with a fine crumb structure.

Question 9

Describe the production of Brussels sprouts under the following headings; ONE NAMED CULTIVAR

Answer 9

Maximus

Revenge

Question 10

Describe the production of Brussels sprouts under the following headings; SOWING (EXCLUDING SEED BED PREP.)

Answer 10

sow seeds undercover in late winter/early spring in modules.
Sow at depth of 1 - 1.5cm to encourage good tap roots

Can also sow outdoors in early spring in a prepared seed bed - sown thinly in drills 1cm deep and 15-30cm apart.

Question 11

Describe the production of Brussels sprouts under the following headings; TRANSPLANTING OR PLANTING OUT

Answer 11

Indoor module plants are transplanted mid/late spring

Outdoor grown plants are transplanted from mid spring-early summer.

Should be 10-15cm tall with 5-7 leaves.

Plant deeply to 1st pair of true leaves- firm well/water in.

Plant at spacing of 60-75cm between plants and rows

Can place a collar around the neck to prevent cabbage root fly damage.

Question 12

Describe the production of a crop of radish under the following headings; ONE NAMED RADISH CULTIVAR

Answer 12

French Breakfast

Rudi

Question 13

Describe the production of a crop of radish under the following headings; sowing (except soil prep).

Answer 13

sow march - Sep
cover early and late sowings with a cloche or fleece.
Seed is sown thinly in drills 0.5 - 1.5cm deep - must water before sowing
Rows are spaced 10-15cm apart
Can sow successionally in short rows as they grow fast

Question 14

Describe the production of a crop of radish under the following headings; THINNING

Answer 14

Thin to 3cm apart to prevent spindly growth.
Thinning allows the remaining roots to develop fully.

Unwanted radish are pulled up by the foliage to avoid disturbance to the remainder of the crop.

The remaining crop should be firmed and watered after thinning.

Question 15

Name one pest of a radish and one control method.

Answer 15

Flea beetle - grow radish under horticultural fleece or ultrafine enviromesh

Slugs - beer trap, sawdust, eggshells, hand pick, pellets of ferric phosphate

Cabbage root fly - cover with hort. fleece

Pigeons - grow under netting

Question 16

Name 2 apple cultivars.

Answer 16

Bramley’s Seedling

Cox’s Orange Pippin.

Question 17

Describe the formative pruning of an open-centred bush apple tree

Answer 17

Aim - to produce a goblet shaped tree on top of a clear trunk with a balanced branch system.

Prune in dormant season Nov- March

For a feathered maiden tree, cut central stem back just above a strong shoot 60-80cm above ground in 1st year.
(This is to make sure there are 3 - 4 evenly spaced shoots below).
Shorten the branches by half to two thirds, cutting to an outward facing bud.
Remove any remaining lower branches.

In the 2nd year, the previous years’ growth on the main stems/branches are shortened by a third, leaving 8 - 10 branches to form a permanent framework.

Do not prune side branches arising from the main stem.

Remove any strong upright shoots that develop at the top of the tree.

Pruning in the third year is the same as the second year.

Question 18

state two benefits of training apple trees as espaliers

Answer 18

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

Question 19

name one distinct pest (excluding birds) and one control measure for each of the following fruits; STRAWBERRIES

Answer 19

Two-spotted red spider mite - spray with fatty acids and maintain humidity

Question 20

name one distinct pest (excluding birds) and one control measure for each of the following fruits; RASPBERRIES

Answer 20

Raspberry Beetle.

Use a pheromone trap, or spray with natural pyrethrum.

Question 21

name one distinct pest (excluding birds) and one control measure for each of the following fruits; BLACKCURRANTS

Answer 21

Blackcurrant Gall Midge;

Hoe under the bushes in dry weather to destroy the pupae
Plant resistant cultivars eg; Blackcurrant ‘Ben Hope’
Spray with Deltamethrin

Question 22

name one distinct pest (excluding birds) and one control measure for each of the following fruits; APPLES

Answer 22

Codling Moth

use a pheromone trap
spray with natural pyrethrin

Question 23

name one distinct pest (excluding birds) and one control measure for each of the following fruits; PLUMS

Answer 23

Mealy Plum Aphid

Squash them between fingers and thumb.
Encourage natural predators eg; Ladybirds/hoverflies
Spray with deltamethrin