Hort 301 TAMU exam 3

Advantages of growing plants from seeds:

-less expensive than transplants

-wider variety of selections to choose from

-avoids transplant shock

-"Heirloom" varieties are available for some veggies

Advantages of growing plants from transplants:

-give a head start to your garden

-seeds germinate better under controlled environments

-seedlings with established root system will tolerate less than optimal growing conditions

Disadvantages of growing plants from seeds:

-cold, wet soils slow germination

-lack of available soil moisture to get good germination

-old seeds may germinate poorly

-improperly saved seeds may have viruses

-time from germination to maturity may be too long for growing period

-seedbed preparation's critical to getting good stand

Disadvantages of growing plants from transplants:

-transplant shock

Cool season crops:

-leafy greens (lettuce, turnips, kale)

-Brassacia's (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage)

-peas, onions, radish, carrot, potato

Warm season crops:

-tomatoes, peppers, eggplant

-cucurbits (melons, squash, cucumbers)

-beans

Which vegetable is closely related to the wildflower known as Queen Anne's Lace?

carrots

What is the minimum amount of time spent in sunlight needed to qualify as "full sun"?

8 hours

What sort of return on investment do gardeners who grow their own food receive nationally?

10%

What is chill hour?

any amount of time that the temperature drops below 45*F

Elements of planning your garden:

-plant in quantities specified for your needs

-plant realistic quantities consistent with your ability to grow

-select the "ideal" garden site

-start small, allow for expansion

-don't try to grow everything

-optimize garden for seasonal growth cycle

What are the climatic/geographic factors that affect when you plant your garden (especially in Texas)?

-temperature

-soil type

Tomato variety that flowers and fruits at one time; fruits ripen at one time for once-over harvest; good for mechanical harvest-

determinate

What is the difference between hybrid and open-pollinated tomato seed?

hybrid--result of two highly inbred lines being crossed and producing F1 hybrids; seeds were saved from controlled crosses; seeds will not come true-to-type

open-pollinated--plants will be exactly like the mother plant

What is the most commonly grown crop in a US garden?

tomato

What is bolting?

rapid elongation of the flower stalk of cool season plants, that overwinter as rosettes

Which crop does bolting affect?

cool season pants

Of the vegetable we discussed, which are "heavy feeders"?

-onions

-potatoes

-melons

Which vegetables are considered "easiest to grow" in our area?

...

What are the "game-changers" that we discussed in relation to lengthening the growing season for our warm or cool season crops?

-row covers

-high tunnels

-covering tomato cages

-plastic mulch

Which crops are most effectively seeded by the broadcast method?

lettice

Which crops are best grown by the "hill-planting method"?

vegetables that have vigorous or viney-type growth methods

(melons, squash, gourds, pumpkins...)

Why do gardeners grow their own food crops?

sense of accomplishment in growing own food, potential cost savings in food purchases, control of chemicals applied to food, ability to harvest at optimal degree of ripeness, fresh from the garden to the table, grow the varieties/types you want to eat, exercise

For what qualities are modern vegetables and fruit selected? (hint: generally not flavor)

-pest tolerance

-freedom from physical defects

-suitability for harvest

-post harvest storage

How do strawberry plants spread?

tissue culture

What is the difference between the matte and the hill method of growing strawberries?

matte--farther distance between plants; allow runners to spread wherever

hill--smaller distance between plants; runners are removed so plants stay only where planted

What are the goals of the matte and the hill method of growing strawberries?

matte--produced larger number of fruit

hill--produces larger fruit in general, but smaller amount

Are open-eye or closed-eye figs best in Texas?

closed

Where are figs typically grown in landscape? Can they get big?

wherever there's enough space (require large amount of space) and full-sun

Method of pruning grapes where vines are cut back in the second year of growth to allow only two buds to grow in the spring; buds are left on short shoots called spurs-

Cordon-spur

Method of pruning grapes that leaves two buds on canes-

Cane method

Which disease of grape was/is particularly injurious to the grape/wine industry in the Southern US?

Pierce's Disease

What are some limitations in growing citrus in Texas?

Temperature--even in Texas, winter freeze can damage citrus

Which citrus has the best chance of fruiting reliability in Texas?

-Satsuma

-Kumquat

-possibly Calamondin

protogynous

Pecans that have female flowers first and male flowers second-

protandrous

Pecans that have male flower first and female flowers second-

How do protogynous and protandrous pecans work together?

You have to have one of each type planted to ensure pollination

indeterminate

Tomato variety that flowers and fruits continuously over a long season to space out harvest-

VFTN

Acronym for a variety of tomato that has genetic resistance for Verticillium and Fusarium stem blights, tobacco mosaic virus, and nematodes-

grafting

Advanced technique of growing a proven selected variety on a rootstock with known disease, pest, or stress tolerance-

stone fruit

A simple fruit produced from a single carpel, usually one-seeded, with an outer fleshy layer of tissue called the pericarp and an inner, heavy stony layer called the endocarp.

pome fruit

Fruit with a compartmented core that contains seeds. apples

pruning process for pome fruit

pruning renews spurs. Modified Central Leader pruning method

pruning process for stone fruit

...

Fruit thinning

Control plant size, renew fruiting wood, direct new shoot growth, improve light distribution in canopy, improve spray penetration, remove unproductive/damaged wood, prevent crowding between plants, thinning.

espalier

is the practice of controlling woody plant growth by pruning and tying branches so that they grow into a flat plane

Why would you water fruit trees before a freeze?

Water acts as an insulator. Plant cells that are plump with water will be stronger against cold damage. Likewise, moist soil will tend to stay warmer than dry soil, so a regular watering schedule in dry, cold weather can help protect plants from freezing temperatures.

Do all types of fruit need multiple varieties to ensure pollination?

not all some are self compatible (peaches, sour cherries, nectarines, apricots)

What is plant propagation?

the purposeful act of reproducing plants

What is the types of sexual plant propagation that we discussed?

seeds or transplants

What are the types of asexual plant propagation that we discussed?

slips, tubers, and bulbs

What environmental factors are important for seed germination?

water

temperature

oxygen

light

seed (disease free)

salts below toxic levels

plant cuttings

parts of a plant such as a leaf, stem, or root that can grow to make another plant

Why would you take a cutting instead of using seed?

You will have an exact copy of the plant you already have

Plant Grafting

taking cuttings and do an organ transplant. Grafting= put it with living tissue then they fuse and grow branches

Why do we graft? What are the 2 necessary parts of a graft?

to produce a plant variety identical to the original source. rootstock and scion

tissue culture propagation

a method of growing many identical offspring by obtaining individual plant cells from one parent plant, growing these cells into calluses, and then into whole plants

How does tissue culture differ from cutting propagation?

tissue culture does not produce a clone of the plant