Landscape Design Landscape Maintenance 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended maximum amount of grass to remove in a single mowing (the 'one-third rule')?
- One-half of the blade
- One-third of the total grass blade height (Correct answer)
- Two-thirds of the blade
- The entire visible blade
Correct answer: One-third of the total grass blade height
Removing more than one-third of the blade in one mowing stresses the plant and reduces photosynthetic capacity.
Question 2: What is 'thatch' in lawn maintenance?
- Dead leaves on the surface
- A layer of accumulated dead and living organic matter between the soil and green grass blades (Correct answer)
- A fungal disease on turf
- Compacted soil beneath the root zone
Correct answer: A layer of accumulated dead and living organic matter between the soil and green grass blades
Thatch forms when organic debris accumulates faster than it decomposes, creating a barrier that restricts water and air movement into the soil.
Question 3: What is the purpose of 'core aeration' on a compacted turf lawn?
- To apply fertilizer evenly
- To remove plugs of soil to reduce compaction and improve air, water, and nutrient penetration (Correct answer)
- To overseed bare patches
- To control thatch-eating insects
Correct answer: To remove plugs of soil to reduce compaction and improve air, water, and nutrient penetration
Core aeration extracts small plugs of soil, creating channels that allow air, water, and roots to penetrate compacted ground.
Question 4: Which pruning cut removes a branch back to its point of origin at the trunk or main stem?
- Heading cut
- Thinning cut (removal cut) (Correct answer)
- Stub cut
- Pinching
Correct answer: Thinning cut (removal cut)
A thinning or removal cut eliminates an entire branch at its origin, preserving the plant's natural form without stimulating excessive regrowth.
Question 5: When is the best time to prune spring-blooming shrubs such as forsythia or lilac?
- Late winter before new growth
- Immediately after they finish blooming in spring (Correct answer)
- Midsummer
- Late fall after leaf drop
Correct answer: Immediately after they finish blooming in spring
Spring bloomers set flower buds on the previous year's growth, so pruning after bloom preserves next year's flowers.
Question 6: What is 'mulching' in landscape maintenance and what depth is typically recommended?
- Applying herbicide; 1 inch
- Applying organic material around plants; 2–4 inches deep (Correct answer)
- Tilling the soil; 6 inches
- Applying fertilizer pellets; 1/2 inch
Correct answer: Applying organic material around plants; 2–4 inches deep
Mulch applied 2–4 inches deep conserves moisture, moderates soil temperature, suppresses weeds, and adds organic matter as it decomposes.
Landscape Design Landscape Maintenance 1
What is the recommended maximum amount of grass to remove in a single mowing (the 'one-third rule')?