1996 State Nursery Landscape Exam

Name:

Multiple Choice

Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Rhizomes are horizontal stems growing below the soil surface and stolons are:

a.	horizontal stems growing above the soil surface	c.	vertical stems growing below the soil surface
b.	vertical stems growing above the soil surface	d.	horizontal roots growing above the soil surface

Plants resistant to cold injury are said to be:

a.	subsistant	c.	hardy
b.	procumbent	d.	tender

Which soil absorbs water slowest?

a.	clay	c.	sand
b.	loam	d.	sandy loam

A commercial fertilizer with a 3:1:2 ratio is:

a.	4-12-8	c.	12-4-8
b.	8-4-12	d.	14-4-8

To make the soil more alkaline, what product would you apply?

a.	iron	c.	phosphorus
b.	lime	d.	sulphur

An example of a cultivar is:

a.	Ilex cornuta	c.	Ilex opaca
b.	Ilex crenata 'Helleri'	d.	Ilex Holly

Most woody landscape shrubs are asexually propagated by:

a.	cuttings	c.	layering
b.	division	d.	seeds

The of hydrangeas can be changed by changing the pH of the soil.

a.	flower color	c.	plant shape
b.	flower size	d.	leaf texture

The key to developing an effective integrated pest management program (IPM) is:

a.	the systematic use of pesticides	c.	the systematic monitoring of pest populations
b.	the regular use of slow-release pesticides	d.	weekly pesticide applications

10.

A planting hole for trees and shrubs should be in width.

a.	the same size as the root ball	c.	three times the size of the root ball
b.	two times the size of the root ball	d.	two feet

11.

Which of the following is NOT a recommended procedure for planting B&B plants?

a.	pull the burlap back from the trunk to about 1/3 the width of the ball	c.	remove all cord or wire from the trunk
b.	remove all burlap from the ball	d.	do not break the ball

12.

A major benefit of mulching is that it:

a.	insulates roots from heat and cold.	c.	allows for deep root growth.
b.	provides a rich source of nutrients.	d.	prevents trunk rot when the trunk is well covered

13.

Some common plant diseases caused by fungus are:

a.	bacterial leaf spots and mosaics	c.	damping off and scale
b.	pythium root rot and powdery mildew	d.	mycelial fragments

14.

Which of the following is important in controlling diseases in plants?

a.	crop rotation	c.	mulching
b.	pruning	d.	all of these

15.

A pre-emergence herbicide:

a.	works by killing the weed=s root system	c.	translocates through the roots to the foliage
b.	kills weed seed as they germinate	d.	is sprayed onto the foliage

16.

Stem gall, leaf spot, fireblight and vascular wilt are all examples of plant diseases caused by:

a.	bacteria	c.	nematodes
b.	fungi	d.	viruses

17.

Which of the following do not injure live plants in the landscape?

a.	millipedes	c.	rabbits
b.	mites	d.	slugs

18.

Ground covers are often used to:

a.	cover banks to control erosion	c.	substitute for lawns
b.	reduce maintenance costs	d.	all of these

19.

The ideal planting time for evergreen ground covers in Georgia is:

a.	late spring	c.	early fall
b.	mid summer	d.	early summer

20.

Which of the following is NOT a cool season grass?

a.	Zoysia grass	c.	perennial rye grass
b.	Kentucky blue grass	d.	tall fescue

21.

"Centipede decline" is caused by:

a.	chinch bugs	c.	over fertilization
b.	fungus infestation	d.	nematodes

22.

When seeding a new lawn, apply the seed:

a.	across the slopes	c.	on the contour
b.	in two directions	d.	while going down the slope

23.

Savannah is in USDA plant hardiness zone:

a.	1	c.	21
b.	15	d.	8

24.

All of the following are principles of design used in landscaping EXCEPT:

a.	balance	c.	rhythm
b.	proportion	d.	cycle

25.

Root systems in plants are classified as either tap or .

a.	crown	c.	fibrous
b.	vertical	d.	lateral

26.

The number 8 in a 12-4-8 fertilizer represents:

a.	calcium	c.	phosphorus
b.	nitrogen	d.	potassium

27.

The range of the pH scale is:

a.	1 to 7	c.	7 to 14
b.	1 to 14	d.	not limited

28.

The main function of plant leaves is:

a.	carbohydrate production	c.	evaporation
b.	regeneration	d.	oxidation

29.

The main disadvantage of producing plants from seeds is that:

a.	cross-pollination often produces seedling variation	c.	pretreatment takes to long
b.	many homeowners can do it	d.	storage is difficult

30.

Seedlings are hardened off by:

a.	moving them to a warmer house	c.	reducing water and using cooler temperatures
b.	increasing fertilization and watering	d.	placing them in heavy shade

31.

The end of the water hose should be kept off the ground or floor to prevent:

a.	hose rot	c.	spread of disease
b.	backflow	d.	wet bed areas

32.

What is the main advantage of raised beds?

a.	Irrigation requirements are reduced	c.	The beds have better drainage
b.	Fertilization needs are reduced	d.	The beds have better sun exposure

33.

General purpose fertilizers must be applied:

a.	less often than slow release fertilizer	c.	at the same rate and frequency as slow release fertilizer
b.	more frequently than slow release fertilizers	d.	earlier in the Spring and later in the fall than slow release fertilizers

34.

In one stage of complete metamorphosis the insect does not feed and is primarily inactive.

This stage is the stage:

a.	maggot	c.	nymph
b.	larva	d.	pupa

35.

A molluscide is a pesticide used for the control of:

a.	bacteria	c.	slugs
b.	nematodes	d.	weeds

36.

One reason pests develop resistance to pesticides is that:

a.	many pests that are not treated survive and multiply	c.	pesticides selectively kill the most sensitive pests
b.	pesticides kill all pests with each application	d.	repeated pesticide applications become more effective

37.

Which signal word on a pesticide label indicates the most hazardous material?

a.	Caution	c.	VERY Hazardous
b.	Danger	d.	Warning

38.

Which of the following is true in terms of customer service?

a.	Customers should always be greeted right away	c.	When making change for a sale, put the customer=s bill in the register first
b.	If a salesperson is good, appearance does not matter	d.	All of the above

39.

Which of the following improves soil drainage and aeration?

a.	sand	c.	vermiculite
b.	perlite	d.	all the above

40.

A 50 pound bag of 5-10-15 contains ____ pounds of nitrogen.

a.	2.5	c.	10
b.	5	d.	30

41.

Which of the following solutions is best to disinfect used pots?

a.	1 part bleach to 1 part water	c.	1 part bleach to 10 parts water
b.	1 part bleach to 3 parts water	d.	2 parts bleach to 1 part water

42.

Soil left from dead and diseased plants should be:

a.	adjusted for pH	c.	allowed to dry out
b.	discarded	d.	remixed

43.

Which of the following methods is considered sexual propagation?

a.	Air layering	c.	Cleft grafting
b.	T-budding	d.	Seed planting

44.

Which type of cutting is wounded to improve rooting?

a.	leaf tip	c.	woody
b.	herbaceous	d.	leaf petiole

45.

Which is NOT a common soil mix ingredient?

a.	ground pine bark	c.	perlite
b.	ground pine straw	d.	vermiculite

46.

Which is a worm-like pest that attacks plant roots?

a.	Mealybugs	c.	Nematodes
b.	Mites	d.	Aphids

47.

When is the best time to prune a crepe myrtle?

a.	after new foliage appears	c.	during the summer
b.	before the first frost	d.	during late winter

48.

How many cubic feet are there in a cubic yard of soil?

a.	3	c.	9
b.	6	d.	27

49.

Which of the following is NOT required on a job application?

a.	religion	c.	employment history
b.	educational background	d.	references

50.

A pollen grain moves first from the anther to the _________ to begin its journey to the ovary for fertilization.

a.	stigma	c.	sepal
b.	cambium	d.	serge