Texas FFA Nursery Landscape Practice Exam

Which gardening practice is primarily aimed at sustaining soil fertility?

1. Weeding

2. Crop rotation

3. Pruning

4. Pest control

The correct answer is: Crop rotation

Crop rotation is a gardening practice that involves alternating the types of crops grown in a particular area over time. This method is primarily aimed at sustaining soil fertility by preventing nutrient depletion, breaking disease cycles, and disrupting pest life cycles. Different crops require varying nutrients from the soil, and rotating them ensures that the same nutrients are not continually extracted by the same type of plant, which can lead to imbalances and depletion of specific soil nutrients. In addition to maintaining soil fertility, crop rotation facilitates the improvement of soil structure and health, fostering a more diverse ecosystem in the garden. This practice can enhance soil organic matter levels and improves overall soil biodiversity, making the soil more resilient and productive in the long term. The other options, while important components of overall garden maintenance and management, do not primarily focus on sustaining soil fertility. Weeding helps reduce competition for nutrients but does not directly contribute to soil health. Pruning is aimed more at promoting plant growth and shape rather than soil health, and pest control focuses on managing animal and insect populations to protect plants rather than directly influencing soil nutrients.