Plant criteria
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In what two circumstances might uniformity be your criterion for plant selection?
Veg growing and bedding displays
How would you achieve PLANT uniformity?
Choose F1 hybrids
Describe what is mean by provenance and how it is currently used in plant selection
Provenance relates to the geographical origin of specific plants (within their overall range, e.g. birch trees can grow anywhere from Northern Scandinavia down to southern Europe). Seed collected from plants which are adapted to local conditions will ensure that new plantings are also suited to the local growing conditions (e.g. not wildflower seed bought in from Eastern Europe because it’s cheaper).
describe how provenance may in future be used for ‘climate proof plantings’
Choosing seed from plants which have adapted to the climatic conditions predicted for an area, rather than those from the specific site at the present.
What are two criteria for the award of an AGM?
Excellence in ordinary use/p & d resistance/ stable form and colour/ widely available…
a) How would knowing the average winter temperature of a site affect your selection of suitable plants?
Estimate ‘zone’ in global terms; consult hardiness ratings, then plant appropriately to avoid losses
where would you find information about plant hardiness?
RHS hardiness ratings from website, catalogues or plant sales websites
How is plant hardiness rated?
According to the RHS 9 bands (7 with subcategories) by plant, e.g. Half hardy (H3) is defined as withstanding -5 to 1⁰C, or overwintering in an unheated glasshouse to provide some frost protection. Hardy (H4) is defined as withstanding -10 to -5⁰C, surviving outdoors in an average winter. According to the rest of the world, by geographical zone in which a plant could survive. The British Isles are in zones H4 (hardy in mild areas, withstands -5 to -10⁰C minimum) and H5 (hardy in favourable areas, withstands 0 to -5⁰C). You don’t need this detail!
Suggest three ways to improve the chances of borderline-hardy plants surviving on a cold site
choose a favourable microclimate e.g. south facing sheltered spot/ take them under cover in winter/ use fleece and mulch
Name one site-specific pathogen (other than onion white rot) and one site-specific pest.
Honey fungus, muntjac/badgers/rabbits
State four tasks which should be completed as part of a site assessment
sketch site and note details e.g. where indicator plants show damp area soil texture analysis photos for reference/plant identification check aspect with compass/phone
State four characteristics of alpine plants which allow them to survive in their natural environment
low-growing to reduce exposure grey/silver leaves to reflect UV small leaves to reduce water loss low water requirement
which of the following is NOT a nursery stock size
Exceptionally large
bulbs corms and tubers are sold according to grade, based on
Circumference
The advantages of container-grown plants include
Ability to plant year-round and convenience
What are advantages of specifying bare root plants?
greater biosecurity, reduced use of plastics, cheaper
A plant which has been grown in the open ground, which is then lifted and its roots and soil wrapped for sale is called
Root-balled
What is a standard tree in nursery terms?
tree, clear stem of 1.8m, branching above
What does undercut mean?
roots pruned in situ to sever tap root and to encourage good root development
lifted while dormant without any soil on roots means
bare root
What does 1+0 mean?
one year seedling, lifted for sale
What does 1u2 mean?
grown from seed (year 1) then undercut and grown on for two years before sale
What does 2+2 mean?
grown from seed and left in situ for another year, then undercut and grown on for two years
What does LD mean?
low density planting (bushy)