Gardening Quiz

Take our 12-question gardening quiz to see how much you know about this favorite hobby.

1. Which is untrue of orchids?
   • a) Orchid plants never live more than 10 years.
   • b) Some orchids are parasitic.
   • c) Some orchid flowers mimic female insects to trick male insects into pollinating them.
   • d) Tropical orchids produce the smallest seeds of any plant.
2. Which two plants botanically are not vegetables?
   • a) Green beans and lettuce
   • b) Broccoli and cauliflower
   • c) Carrots and potatoes
   • d) Cucumbers and tomatoes
3. Which vegetables are grown in a Three Sisters Garden?
   • a) Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
   • b) Corn, beans, squash
   • c) Asparagus, cabbage, cucumber
   • d) None of the above
4. Which is not considered one of the major plant growth requirements?
   • a) Water
   • b) Light energy
   • c) Nutrients 
   • d) Soil
5. What is the main purpose of a cultivator tool?
   • a) Break up compacted soil
   • b) Spray fertilizer in the air
   • c) Cut through granite
   • d) None of the above
6. What are garden scissors called?
   • a) Pinking shears   
   • b) Hand pruners  
   • c) Vernier caliper
   • d) Sharp gauges
7. What do you call plants that germinate, flower and die in one year?
   • a) Perennials
   • b) Annuals
   • c) Biennials
   • d) Unlucky plants
8. What is the term for sowing seeds in proximity to encourage growth and discourage competition?
   • a) Crop rotation
   • b) Foliar fertilizing
   • c) Companion planting
   • d) Direct seeding
9. Which describes when a seed sprouts and starts to grow?
   • a) Bolting
   • b) Germinating
   • c) Hardening off
   • d) Transplanting
10. What do the letters N-P-K stand for in gardening?
    • a) Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium
    • b) Nature, patience, kindness
    • c) Nutrients, proteins, kerosene
    • d) Nitrogen, phosphorus, ketone
11.  Which best describes tilling?
    • a) Eliminating weeds by chemical use
    • b) Preparing and cultivating land for plantings
    • c) Filing down seeds to increase germination
    • d) Flooding the soil to encourage vegetation
12.  What is the fancy term for the process by which new plants grow from various sources?
    • a) Deadheading  
    • b) Transpiration
    • c) Stratification
    • d) Propagation  

Answer key with brief explanation:

1) A – Some orchid plants can live up to 100 years!

2) D – Cucumbers and tomatoes are botanically classified as fruits because they grow from the flowers of the plant and hold the seeds.

3) B – This traditional planting method was used by the Iroquois to grow corn, beans, and squash.

4) D – Though most plants grow in soil, the soil itself is not necessary to plant growth.

5) A – Cultivators are typically used to break up compacted soil or loosen the earth.

6) B – Garden scissors are called garden shears, secateurs or hand pruners.

7) B – Annuals are short-lived plants that complete life in one cycle.

8) C – Companion planting, or planting different crops in proximity, is a technique used to increase crop productivity.

9) B – Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed or spore.

10) A – The letters NPK stand for the three major nutrients that plants need to live and grow.

11) B -Tilling the soil is the process of breaking up and turning over soil to prepare for plantings.

12)  D – Plant propagation is the process by which plants grow from sources to include seeds, cuttings, and other plant parts.

How did you do?:

12 correct answers – Perfect score! You are extremely knowledgeable.

11 to 10 correct – Wow! You sure know a lot!

9 to 7 correct – Pretty darn good.  

6 to 5 correct – Okay but there’s more to learn.

4 to 2 correct – Meh. There’s way more to learn.

1 right – Shucks. There’s way, way, more to learn!

0 correct – Good grief!

Here’s more: New to gardening? Click here to read 12 essential garden tools for newbies!