Grounds Maintenance & Landscape Management Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of topdressing a turfgrass area with sand?

Answer: To improve surface smoothness and thatch decomposition

Topdressing with sand improves surface smoothness, dilutes thatch, and enhances drainage in turfgrass areas.

Which mowing practice best reduces scalping on undulating terrain?

Answer: Raising the cutting height

Raising the cutting height prevents the mower deck from dipping into low spots and cutting too close to the soil on undulations.

A grounds manager notices broadleaf weeds appearing in a cool-season lawn. Which herbicide classification is most appropriate for selective control?

Answer: Post-emergent broadleaf herbicide

Post-emergent broadleaf herbicides selectively control dicot weeds without harming established cool-season turfgrass.

What does the term 'evapotranspiration (ET) rate' represent in irrigation scheduling?

Answer: The combined water loss from soil evaporation and plant transpiration

ET rate measures total water lost to the atmosphere from both soil evaporation and plant transpiration, guiding irrigation replacement needs.

Which type of pruning cut removes a branch back to its point of origin or a lateral branch?

Answer: Thinning cut

A thinning cut removes a branch entirely at its origin or back to a lateral, maintaining natural form and improving light penetration.

In a sports field renovation plan, what is the main agronomic benefit of core aeration followed by overseeding?

Answer: It reduces thatch while improving seed-to-soil contact and germination

Core aeration removes plugs to reduce compaction and thatch, and the resulting holes improve seed-to-soil contact for successful overseeding.

Which environmental condition most commonly causes powdery mildew in landscape plants?

Answer: Low humidity with shaded, poorly ventilated conditions

Powdery mildew thrives in shaded areas with poor air circulation and low humidity, unlike most other fungal diseases.