Texas FFA Nursery Landscape Practice Exam

What issue does manual watering of container plants effectively help to reduce?

1. Soluble salts

2. Pesticides

3. Pathogens

4. Herbicide

The correct answer is: Soluble salts

Manual watering of container plants is particularly effective in reducing soluble salts concentration in the growing media. When plants are watered manually, it allows for better control over the quantity and quality of water applied. Over time, water can evaporate from container soils, causing mineral salts that were dissolved in the water to become concentrated as the water leaves the space. This can potentially lead to detrimental salt buildup, which can harm plant roots and affect overall plant health. By manually watering, growers can facilitate leaching, which is the process of rinsing excess salts away from the root zone and thus maintaining optimal salinity levels in the container media. This is especially important in container gardening where salts can accumulate quickly if proper watering techniques are not employed. In contrast, while pesticides, pathogens, and herbicides are relevant issues in horticulture, manual watering does not directly address their presence or effects as effectively as it does with soluble salts. Pesticides involve chemical applications for pest management, pathogens are typically managed through sanitation and disease control practices, and herbicides are used to control unwanted plants but are unrelated to the watering process.