Quiz - 2005 Questions & Answers

Episode 2201

Identifying and Controlling Weeds in Your Lawn

What are the two classifications of perennial weeds?

1. Creeping and simple
2. Flowering and non-flowering
3. Rhizomes and dicots
4. Summer and winter

Answer: A. Perennial weeds are classified by their method of reproduction, or creeping and simple.

Growing Irish Potatoes

What problem do potato plants have if the soil pH is too high?

1. Verticilliumwilt
2. Soft rot
3. Scab
4. Rhizoctonia canker

Answer: C. Common scab results when the soil pH is too high. Verticilliumwilt and Rhizoctonia canker are caused by fungi, while soft rot is caused by bacteria.

Winner: Richard Gunther

Episode 2202

Selecting Colorful Plants for Your Butterfly Garden

What are the requirements for an effective butterfly garden?

1. Light, shelter, space and food
2. Color, shelter, water, food and place to raise young
3. Water, food, sweet aromas and different heights
4. Food, sunlight, open space and water

Answer: B. Butterflies need to be able to eat and drink as well as be protected and have a place to raise their larvae. Bright colors are important to attract them.

Selecting House Plants

If you do not have the time to care for a house plant, which would be a good plant for you?

1. Ficus
2. Peace lily
3. Dracaena
4. Pothos

Answer: D. Pothos. Linda Blue says that the pothos is a good indoor plant for someone who has a “brown thumb” or does not have the time to care for a house plant. However, the pothos leaves contain oxalate crystals, which are poisonous to pets, so beware if you have a cat or dog who likes to eat your plants.

Winner: Tanya Holt

Episode 2203

New Begonia Varieties

The tuberous begonia does best in what kind of light?

1. Full sun
2. Shade
3. Mostly sun
4. Partial shade

Answer: B. Shade. According to the Plant Fact Sheet for tuberous begonias, these flowers do best in shade.

Caring for House Plants

How much should you water a house plant?

1. Only when the soil is mostly dry
2. Every day
3. Once every 2 weeks
4. Every two days

Answer: A. House plants should be watered only when the soil is dry, and they should be in a container with drainage holes, set in a drip plate. Water enough so that the water appears in the drip plate and don’t water again until the soil is nearly dry.

Winner: Joy Widdman

Episode 2204

Selecting the Right Fertilizer for the Job

According to the Fact Sheet on fertilizing trees, what are the best methods for determining fertilizer application rates for deciduous trees?

1. Surface area and length of branches
2. Diameter of trunk and crown spread area
3. Crown spread area and branch length
4. Diameter of root spread and distance between longest branches

Answer: B. Application rates for fertilizer for deciduous trees are best determined by two methods: measuring the diameter of the trunk and the crown spread area. The fact sheet on fertilizing trees has the formulas for determining how to measure both.

Green Roof Garden

What kinds of plants are best to put on a green roof?

1. Annuals
2. Bulbs
3. Herbs
4. Succulents

Answer: D. Succulents are the best type of plant to tolerate the hot, dry conditions of a roof.

Winner: Matthew Johnson

Episode 2205

Growing Rosemary

What is the best method to start a new crop of rosemary?

1. Seed
2. Cuttings
3. Division
4. Layering

Answer: B. According to Emily Revels, horticultural agent for Cumberland County, the best way to propagate rosemary is to start with a 6-inch cutting and use a rooting hormone.

Shopping for Tomato Plants

If you buy an indeterminate type of tomato, what does Karen suggest to use to support its growth?

1. Trellis
2. Cage
3. Stake
4. Wire line on poles

Answer: C. A stake. You could probably also support the tomato plants using a trellis, depending on your space, but Karen doesn't mention that possibility in this episode. Indeterminate plants grow to be about 5-6 feet, so they would outgrow a cage or a wire line on poles (used to support bramble plants).

Winner: Sandra Biggerstaff

Episode 2206

Vermicomposting

Which substance is necessary for a worm composting bin, according to Linda Blue?

1. Limestone
2. Newspaper
3. Whole leaves
4. Grass clippings

Answer: B. While the others may be useful in a worm-composting bin, Linda recommends keeping newspaper on top because it holds the right amount of moisture needed for the worms to survive.

Landscaping Ideas to Increase the Value of Your Home

Besides adding curb appeal, landscaping is also good for:

1. Air quality
2. Wildlife
3. Water quality
4. All of the above

Winner: Kate Crumley

Episode 2207

Growing Crinum Lilies…an Old Southern Favorite

Although crinum lilies originated in several countries, where do the majority of them come from?

1. South America
2. England
3. South Africa
4. Japan

Answer: C. The majority of crinum lilies come from South Africa.

Training Young Apple Trees

What is the ideal angle for apple tree branches?

1. 45 degrees
2. 90 degrees
3. 30 degrees
4. 60 degrees

Answer: B. So that the roots can benefit from the maximum amount of light, always train apple tree branches to grow at 90 degree angles. You can use a spreader to do this.

Winner: Kent Holmes

Episode 2208

New Petunia Varieties at the Raulston Arboretum

What quality do the new petunia varieties at the Raulston Arboretum have that is different from most petunia varieties?

1. They don't need water
2. They don't need fertilizer
3. They don't need sun
4. They don't need deadheading

Answer: D. The new varieties keep replacing the old flowers with new buds, so you don't have to deadhead them, but you do need to give them water, full sun and fertilizer in moderate amounts!

Keeping Kids Safe from Poisonous Plants

Amanita virosa is a highly toxic:

1. Mushroom
2. Flower
3. Vine
4. Shrub

Answer: A. Amanita virosa is the scientific name for the Death Angel, a deadly mushroom found in North Carolina. For more information, see the page on poisonous mushrooms at the Consumer Horticulture Web site.

Winner: Kris Toliver

Episode 2209

Growing Lantana…Thrives in Hot Weather

Which is a common cultivar of lantana?

1. ‘Mother Lode'
2. ‘Miss Huff'
3. ‘Edward Goucher'
4. ‘Red Fountain'

Answer: B. ‘Miss Huff' is a cultivar of lantana that can survive the winters in the piedmont. ‘Mother Lode' is a cultivar of golden creeping juniper, ‘Edward Goucher' is a cultivar of abelia, and ‘Red Fountain' is a rose. ‘Miss Huff' was featured as a plant of the week on episode 10 of In the Garden with Bryce Lane in 2003.

Controlling Carpenter Bees

What is it important to do AFTER you have sprayed a carpenter bee tunnel?

1. Pull out the bee bodies
2. Remove the infected board and replace
3. Caulk the holes to seal them
4. Run like mad

Answer: C. While running might not be a bad idea after spraying a bee tunnel with insecticide, you definitely want to seal up the hole with caulk or a ball of aluminum foil. Do not use netting, as new bees will just chew through it. And don't simply trap the bees in the hole without spraying; they will dig a new tunnel.

Winner: James Lutz

Episode 2210

Growing Sweet Corn

According to the commercial hort leaflet for sweet corn in the Consumer Horticulture Web site, what was the first variety of sweet corn?

1. Silverado
2. Papoon
3. Alpine
4. Silverqueen

Answer: B. According to the hort leaflet, the first variety of sweet corn, Papoon, was acquired from the Iroquois Indians in 1779. However, today it is not listed with varieties currently available.

Controlling Canadian Geese in Your Landscape

According to Karen, what is the BEST way to control Canadian geese?

1. Getting a border collie
2. Growing shrubs
3. Poisoning them
4. Shooting them

Answer: A. Canadian geese are protected under the Migratory Bird Act, so it is against the law to kill them with poison or guns. Growing trees and shrubs can help alter the open habitat they love; however, Canadian geese can adapt to these as well, as they have been spotted in heavily wooded areas as long as there is a water source. The BEST way to keep geese away is to have a border collie who will scare them away and keep them from coming back.

Winner: Dale Payne

Episode 2211

Designer Mulch

Even though you can apply mulch at any time, when is the best time to apply mulch?

1. At the end of winter
2. Mid-spring
3. Summer
4. Fall

Answer: B. According to the Horticultural Leaflet on mulches (#608), the best time to apply mulch is in mid-spring, when the soil temperature has warmed up for sufficient root growth.

DOT Wildflowers (postponed from an earlier date)

During what year did the wildflower program begin?

1. 1975
2. 1980
3. 1985
4. 1990

Answer: C. The highway wildflower program began in 1985.

Winner: Kevin Pittman

Episode 2212

Selecting an Evergreen

If you want to plant a conifer in a wet area, which one would you choose?

1. Norfolk pine
2. Shore juniper
3. Bald cypress
4. White cedar

Answer: C. Linda Blue says that the bald cypress and Atlantic cedar (not the white cedar) do well in wet areas.

Plant a Row for the Hungry

How many plots does the community garden in Guilford County have for people who want to plant a row for the hungry?

1. 35
2. 50
3. 20
4. 75

Answer: A. The community garden contains 35 4 x 50 foot plots, and 10 percent of what is produced goes to the program.

Winner: Ethel Ahrendt

Episode 2213

Selecting Native Plants for Your Landscape

Which plant listed below is NOT considered an invasive exotic?

1. Mimosa
2. Hydrilla
3. Swamp mallow
4. Princess tree

Answer: C. The swamp mallow is a native marsh flower, even though it seems out of place. Read more about it at NC Natural.com.

Local Farmers Market Tour

Which farmers’ market would you visit if you were in Dallas, NC?

1. North End Green Market
2. Cornerstone Farm
3. Downtown Farmers Market
4. Gastonia Farmers Market

Winner: Elizabeth Smith

Episode 2214

Winter Hardy Palms

A Rhapidophyllum hystrix is which type of palm ?

1. Windmill palm
2. Needle palm
3. Birmingham palm
4. Sable palm

Answer: B. The needle palm ( Rhapidophyllum hystrix ) occurs in the piedmont, more specifically in the Raleigh area.

Bogue Sound Watermelons

What is unique about the Bogue Sound watermelons?

1. Pattern on shell
2. Aroma
3. Taste
4. Growing requirements

Answer: C. According to Chris Pearson, the Bogue Sound watermelons taste different from a common North Carolina watermelon.

Winner: Bet Andrews

Choosing the Right Mulch for Your Landscape

1. How much mulch should you have over your soil?

1. 1-2 inches
2. 3-4 inches
3. 5-6 inches
4. 7-8 inches

Answer: B. According to the Horticultural Leaflet on mulches, you should apply much about 3-4 inches over clean, weed-free soil.

Lichens…Harmful or Not?

Lichens are excellent indicators of…

1. Sunlight availability
2. Tides
3. Soil nutrients
4. Air quality

Winner: Scott Watson

Episode 2216

Controlling Mole Crickets in Your Lawn

During which life cycle stage are pesticides most effective on mole crickets?

1. Egg
2. Nymph
3. Adult
4. Nothing gets rid of mole crickets

Answer: B. Karen recommends waiting until July and August, when the crickets are in the nymph stage. Nymphs usually hatch in June and July, and since the male dies after mating and the female dies after laying eggs, the adults don't post much of a danger in the summer. Nymphs will be molting during July and August, though, and therefore will be more vulnerable.

Restoring a Stream

Under which state university is the NC Stream Restoration Institute housed?

1. NC State University
2. UNC-Chapel Hill
3. UNC-Asheville
4. East Carolina University

Answer: A. The Institute is part of NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

Winner: Phyllis Efoagui

Episode 2217

Renovating a Fescue Lawn

What herbicide does Sarah recommend to spread on your lawn to clear it?

1. Sevin
2. Triclopyr
3. Glyphosate
4. Imazaquin

Answer: C. Glyphosate is a common herbicide to use on broadleaf grasses. You can learn more about herbicide control by reading the North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual.

How to Take a Soil Test

According to the Soil Testing section of the Consumer Horticulture Web site, if you want to take samples from an established area, how far into the soil should you dig for your sample?

1. 2 inches
2. 4 inches
3. 6 inches
4. 8 inches

Answer: B. For established areas, where amendments will be incorporated into the surface, dig four inches down. When beds are being established and have not had any amendments, dig eight inches down.

Winner: Willis Briggs

Episode 2218

Seeding a Fescue Lawn

How long after seeding should you fertilize a fescue lawn?

1. Immediately
2. 1-2 weeks
3. 2-3 weeks
4. 4-5 weeks

Answer: C. According to Sarah Ivy, you should fertilize about 2-3 weeks after seeding your new lawn.

Fall Care of Azaleas

What is the last date that you can prune azaleas before the fall?

1. June 1
2. July 1
3. August 1
4. September 1

Answer: B. Emily Revels recommends not pruning azaleas after July 1.

Winner: JoAnn Uphold