2024 NATIONAL FFA NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE 

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Why is the proper spacing of plants in a nursery important?
A. To reduce soil erosion and conserve fertilizer
B. To improve air circulation and encourage desirable growth
C. To reduce the temperature of the growing area and to provide shade
D. To limit plant growth and reduce soil erosion
ANS: B

2. What does the presence of mushrooms growing on the base of a tree typically indicate?
A. The tree is healthy and thriving
B. The tree is producing new roots
C. The tree is in poor health 
D. The tree is entering the propagation phase
ANS: C

3. Which of the following plant tissues is responsible for the transport of water and minerals from the roots to other parts of the plant?
A. Phloem
B. Nodes
C. Epidermis
D. Xylem 
ANS: D

4. Which of the following best describes the function of a spark plug in a small gasoline engine?
A.  To vent the combustion chamber before ignition
B.  To regulate the air-fuel mixture ratio in the combustion chamber
C.  To filter out impurities in the air before it enters the combustion chamber
D.  To ignite the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber
ANS: D
 
5. What does the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map help horticulturists determine?
A. The best time to prune plants
B. The drought tolerance of each region
C. The coldest temperatures a plant can tolerate in a specific area
D. The amount of sunlight a plant needs
ANS: C

6. What is the primary purpose of hardening off seedlings before moving them from a greenhouse or cold frame and transplanting them outdoors?
A. To reduce their susceptibility to pests
B. To increase root growth
C. To acclimate them to outdoor conditions
D. To prevent flowering
ANS: C

7. Which of the following statements about postemergence herbicides is most accurate?
A. Postemergence herbicides prevent weed seeds from germinating
B. Postemergence herbicides are applied after weeds emerge
C. Postemergence herbicides only work on weeds in the germination stage
D. Postemergence herbicides are applied to weeds in the late winter before new plant growth
ANS: B

8. A customer at the nursery was assisted by a salesperson in selecting pruning shears. The customer was initially drawn to an inexpensive pruner designed for small limbs. After learning more about the scope of the job, the salesperson suggested a larger, higher-quality pruner to better suit the customer’s needs. This is best described as:
A. Bundling
B. Upselling
C. Price promotion
D. Price inversion 
ANS: B

9. Which of the following plant propagation techniques allows a nurseryman to produce new plants that are genetically the same as the parent plant? 
A.  Hybridization
B.  Rooting cuttings
C.  Sexual propagation
D.  Pollination
ANS: B

10. Which of the following techniques is most likely to improve communication skills in a team meeting?
A. Multitasking and dividing attention 
B. Avoiding too much eye contact to maintain focus on written content
C. Demonstrating active listening, taking notes, and summarizing key points
D. Using the highest-level vocabulary during discussions
ANS: C

11. The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires pesticide manufacturers, distributors, and importers to provide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each hazardous chemical solWhat is the primary purpose of the Safety Data Sheets?
A. To instruct retailers on the safe display of hazardous materials in the store 
B. To help downstream users understand the hazards associated with the chemical
C. To provide information on chemical pricing and availability 
D. To assure compliance with distribution and wholesale policies
ANS: B

12. Which of the following would be most likely to increase a nursery grower’s chances of making a profit?
A. Increasing fixed costs
B. Decreasing the selling price of plants produced
C. Increasing taxes
D. Decreasing variable costs 
ANS: D

13. Which of the following is a key benefit of using a cold frame or greenhouse in the production of nursery plants?
A. Decreases insect infestations
B. Decreases plant susceptibility to disease
C. Provides a controlled growing environment
D. Reduces water use 
ANS: C

14. Peat moss is commonly used in growing media for potted crops and as a soil amendment in the landscape. What is the primary purposes of peat moss?
A. Provide essential nutrients and reduce erosion
B. To retain moisture and improve aeration
C. Provide micro nutrients and reduce pH
D. To increase pH of the soil and prevent disease
ANS: B

15. What are the primary purposes of pruning young plants in nursery production?
A. To maximize the number of plants that can be grown in a given space
B. To reduce water and fertilizer use by the plants
C. To discourage flowering and increase vegetative growth
D. To shape the plant and promote proper growth
ANS: D

16. Which of the following plant nutrients is primarily responsible for promoting vegetative growth?
A. Nitrogen
B. Potassium
C. Phosphorus
D. Calcium
ANS: A

17. Which of the following is a gardening practice that promotes the continued blooming of plants in the landscape?
A. Dead heading
B. Air layering
C. Node removal
D. Root pruning 
ANS: A

18. Which of the following are benefits of using mulch around plants in the landscape?
A. It conserves soil moisture, moderates temperatures, decreases weed growth
B. It eliminates weeds, reduces loss of air from the soil, increases temperature
C. It lowers soil temperature, reduces insect problems, eliminates weeds
D. It decreases pests, maintains a constant soil temperature, increases beneficial insects
ANS: A
 
19. Which of the following is the best definition of spring and summer flowering perennials?
A. They live many year, the tops die back to the ground each fall and growth arises from the crown or roots in the spring
B. They bloom during the spring and summer, the tops and roots die after flowering, they grow again in the spring from the seeds produced the previous season
C. The leaves and tops persist throughout winter, they bloom during the summer and fall, they are hardy in all USDA hardiness zones
D. The parent plant lives for two years, they show little growth during the winter, they have a two-year life cycle
ANS: A

20. Some nursery growers use a science-based process that combines several tools and strategies to identify and manage pests. They use a combination of biological, mechanical, cultural, and chemical practices to control pests. Which of these best describes this pest management control system? 
A. Organic Nursery Production (ONP)
B. Pseudo-Pest Management (PPM)
C. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
D. Scientific Organic Pest Control (SOPC)
ANS: C

21. Which of the following is a warm season turfgrass, commonly used in residential lawns and commercial applications, but has little shade tolerance?
A. Bermudagrass
B. Annual bluegrass
C. Miscanthus grass
D. Kentucky bluegrass
ANS: A

22. What of these best defines hardscapes items as used in landscape design?
A. Non-living elements such as pathways, patios, or retaining walls
B. Structures that add outdoor living space
C. Natural elements such as trees, shrubs, and flowers that enhance the beauty of the landscape
D. Artistic and decorative elements, such as topiaries that add flair to the landscape
ANS: A
 
23. A well-designed public area in a home landscape should do which of the following?
A. Emphasize the length of the home with low growing plants at each corner of the landscape
B. Draw the viewer’s eye to the as the front entry area of the home
C. Create a commons area with no emphasis on any particular area of the landscape
D. Provide the observer a full view of home’s features from side to side
ANS: B

24. Which pesticide signal word indicates that the material is moderately toxic?
A. Warning
B. Caution
C. Danger
D. Poison
ANS: A

25. Which of these is not a defined method of pesticide exposure? 
A. Inhalation
B. Dermal
C. Oral
D. Congestion
ANS: D

26. Which of the following best describes depreciation of nursery and landscape equipment?
A. Depreciation is a method of calculating the future value of equipment
B. Depreciation is the decrease in the value of a piece of equipment over a period of time
C. Depreciation is a method calculating the amount of money that will be received in the future
D. Depreciation is a method calculating the change in variable cost over a period of time
ANS: B

27. When is the best time to prune summer-flowering shrubs?
A. early summer
B. late winter
C. mid-summer
D. they may be pruned anytime because these shrubs bloom on old and new growth
ANS: B

28. Which of these practices is often used to help speed up the rooting of cuttings?
A. Maintaining the soil temperature between 65 and 70 degrees
B. Providing air movement with circulation fans
C. Applying extra fertilizer in liquid form
D. Providing bottom heat
ANS: D

29. Which of these is a soil type that contains a combination of sand, silt, and clay particles in relatively equal amounts? 
A. sandy soil 
B. silty soil
C. clay soil
D. loamy soil
ANS: D

30. Some plants are difficult to root and require extra processes to increase the percent of rooting. Which of the following is a common practice to increase the rooting success rate?
A. Spraying the wound at the base of the cutting with wound spray
B. Removing the growth buds from the cutting
C. Wounding the cutting at the base to increase surface area
D. Treating the wound at the base of the cutting with pesticide
ANS: C