CH Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CH facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of a soil influences its ability to: → Retain and supply positively charged nutrients
2. What is 'deadheading' in ornamental horticulture? → Removing spent flowers to promote reblooming
3. Which irrigation system delivers water directly to the root zone with the greatest water-use efficiency? → Drip/micro-irrigation
4. Magnesium is considered a secondary macronutrient and is an essential component of which plant molecule? → Chlorophyll
5. When is the BEST time to apply granular fertilizer to established deciduous trees in the US? → Late fall after leaf drop or early spring before bud break
6. When staking newly planted trees, current best practice recommends: → Staking only when necessary and removing stakes within 1 year
7. Air layering is a propagation method best suited for: → Rooting a stem while still attached to the parent plant
8. What does ADA compliance mean for commercial landscape installations in the US? → Ensuring paths and facilities are accessible to people with disabilities
9. What is the primary purpose of core aeration in turfgrass management? → To relieve soil compaction and improve air, water, and nutrient movement
10. Zoysiagrass is best characterized as: → A warm-season grass known for dense, slow-growing, wear-tolerant turf
11. Which of the following is a fast-growing tree with compound leaves and invasive potential in many regions? → Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
12. The purpose of a grading plan in landscape installation is to: → Define finished elevations and direct surface water drainage
13. Which ANSI standard provides guidelines for tree pruning practices used by professional arborists and horticulturists in the US? → ANSI A300
14. When installing balled-and-burlapped (B&B) trees, the top of the root ball should be placed: → At or slightly above the surrounding grade
15. What type of pest is controlled using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)? → Caterpillars and larvae
16. Iron deficiency interveinal chlorosis on young leaves is most commonly caused by which soil condition? → High soil pH
17. A hardiness zone map (such as the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map) is based primarily on: → Average annual minimum winter temperatures
18. Phosphorus in fertilizers is expressed as which chemical compound equivalent on the label? → P2O5
19. Tensiometers measure soil moisture by indicating: → Tension (suction force) with which the soil holds water
20. The 'one-third rule' in turfgrass mowing states that you should never remove more than one-third of the: → Leaf blade height in a single mowing
21. A landscape design element that provides a transition between tall trees and low ground covers is called a: → Understory layer or shrub layer
22. Which fertilizer application method places nutrients directly in the root zone with minimal surface waste? → Deep root injection
23. Backflow prevention devices on irrigation systems are required in the US primarily to: → Prevent contaminated irrigation water from entering the potable water supply
24. The primary advantage of vegetative (clonal) propagation over seed propagation for cultivars is: → Offspring are genetically identical to the parent, preserving cultivar traits
25. Coppicing is a historic pruning practice that involves: → Cutting stems to near ground level on a regular cycle to produce multiple young shoots
26. Lion-tailing, an improper pruning practice, refers to: → Over-thinning interior branches so foliage only remains at branch tips
27. Which type of cutting is taken from the actively growing, soft tip of a stem and roots most quickly but wilts most easily? → Softwood cutting
28. In planting design, 'accent plants' are used to: → Create focal points or draw attention to key areas
29. What is the purpose of a buffer zone in environmental stewardship? → To separate agricultural fields from natural water bodies
30. Which of the following is classified as a cool-season turfgrass? → Kentucky bluegrass