Underground Environment of Plants Exam
Multiple Choice- Pick the answer that best fits the question. 5 points each
Billy Bob learned about soil in Ms. Spillers class, he learned that there are three main types of soil; sand, silt and clay. When he was digging a spot to plant a hibiscus he realized that his soil is a mixture of all three. This type of soil is called….
a. Mixture
b. Loamy soil
c. An aggregate
d. None of these
After planting his hibiscus, Billy Bob notices that some of the leaves are turning light green and even yellow in some places. This can be solved by applying……
a. Phosphorus
b. Potassium
c. Nitrogen
d. A mixture of all three
Sandy Sue lives on the beach and wants to plant a flower garden in front of her house. However, when she called her local extension agent he said that she would need to plant all her plants in flower beds. Why is that?
e. Sand drains to much water and does not hold plant food well
f. The sand is always shifting
g. Sand holds water very well and will drown the plants
h. All the above
After talking to her extension agent and picking her flowers, Sandy Sue begins to set up her flower beds. She decides that she wants to make everything perfect and decides to make the ideal soil for her plants. How can she go about making the ideal soil?
i. Making sure to use a loamy soil
j. By having a soil that is 50% solid material, 25% water, and 25% oxygen
k. Mixing the soil so that half is solid material and half is pore space
l. By using mostly clay soil since there is so much sand around
John Jones lives in Lubbock, TX and is trying to decide what to use to plant his flowers in, inside their containers- a planting media or loamy soil. We know that because Lubbock is in the panhandle it experiences very windy days on a regular basis. In what way would the wind effect Johns’ decision?
m. He should use loamy soil because it has the most nutrients.
n. He should use potting media because it is more beneficial to the plants
o. John should mix the two together.
p. John should use loamy soil because a planting media would be to light and would cause the containers to blow over.
When picking a soil to use, or planting plants in the ground it is always important
to do a soil test to determine the pH of the soil and other things. It is important to
find the soil pH because plants prefer soils that range from 5.6 to 7.0. If the soil
reads below 7.0 this means that the soil is…
neutral
alkaline
acidic
basic
A local gardener calls you with a problem; since you have taken a horticulture class he feels that you can help him solve it. The soil in his back yard is too basic and he wants to add lime to the plants to bring it to the right pH level. You know that this is a bad idea because….
q. Lime takes away nutrients from other plants
r. Lime causes iron deficiency
s. Lime is known for killing all plants
t. Lime causes the acidic level to decrease, which makes the pH even more basic
Thomas is a new employee at Gabriels Greenhouse and is unaware of how to
properly store and apply fertilizers with out harming himself. What are some things that he should do when handling fertilizers?
u. Wear a mask and gloves when applying
v. Read the label and the safety warnings on the bottle/box
w. Store them in a cool dry place, preferably in a container
x. All of the above
The difference between a person who has plants in the ground outside to a person who owns plants in a greenhouse is significantly different. One of the major differences is in the soil. Why does soil play an important role in their differences?
y. In a greenhouse the contents of a container can be changed to increase moisture retention, fertility and drainage
z. A person outside has it easier because they can spend less time tending to the plants
aa. Soil outside is much simpler to grow plants in and you can always soil test before planting
bb. In a greenhouse the plants are affected by the indoor climate and need more attention paid to the soil that they are grown in
Thomas has just planted a new fruit orchard in his back yard and feels that he did everything perfect. Before planting he went online and chose the perfect trees for the climate, researched any possible diseases or pests, and looked up what fertilizers/ media to use. However, after a month he realizes that his trees are looking very unhealthy and he does not know what he did wrong. What should Thomas of done that he did not do?
cc. Put out mulch
dd. Tested the soil
ee. Applied lime
ff. Acclimated the trees
Fill in the Blank- Fill in the blank with the best answer possible, there can be multiple answers for each question. 5 points each
There are three layers of soils. They are ____________, ___________________, and __________________.
The moisture holding capacity of a soil can be increased by _____________ or ________________.
When the pH of a soil is to high you can lower it by using ____________, _____________________, and _________________________.
Plant food can be divided into two groups- __________________ and ____________________.
Clay soil has relatively poor __________ and _____________ capabilities.
Short Answer- Write the best possible answer(s). 5 points each
List the particles of soil in order from smallest to largest.
If a container has the numbers 10-5-5, what percentage of the mix is elemental nitrogen, what percentage is available phosphoric acid and what percentage is water soluble potash?
What is one thing that phosphorus and potassium fertilizers have in common in regards to helping plants?
List some differences between sandy soils and clay soils.
List at least four different materials that can be used in soilless mixes (planting media).