SETTING OF LANDSCAPE PLANTS
(SLP) EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GUARANTEE PASS
What did Dr. Ed Gilman propose? - Answer-that it is better to anchor the root ball
without attaching guy wires to the trunk.
What does root ball staking allow the tree to do? - Answer-it allows the tree to flex
and develop taper naturally.
Describe the staking of container trees - Answer-it involves driving untreated wooden
1 x 2's through the roots into the subsoil. The 2 to 4 stakes are never removed as
they decay over time.
Describe staking with balled and burlapped plants - Answer-the stakes may need to
be 2 x 4's driven next to the ball and flush. Large trees may need to connecting 2 x
4's for stability.
Should a plant/tree be staked? - Answer-No, research proves it is better not to stake
the plant at all if it can support itself.
Are wires, rubbers hoses, and straps good for trees? - Answer-No, any material
pulled tight on the trunk will cause girdling and cambium death over time.
Describe bare root planting - Answer-a plant production method where the plant is
shipped without any soil and planted during the dormant season.
Are bare root trees sold small or large? - Answer-Small
Do bare root trees have a narrow or large planting window? - Answer-Narrow
What is recommended before planting bare root plants? - Answer-it is better to soak
the bare root plants in water for 4 hours before planting to encourage some water
uptake.
True or False: bare root plants are usually cheaper and often produce better -
adaptable plants. - Answer-True
What soils do container plants grow in? - Answer-most container plants are grown in
sawdust or pine bark soil mixtures for many months.
True or False: Container plant roots tend to form to the shape of the pot after many
months. - Answer-True
How do you amend roots that have formed to the shape of the container? - Answer-
slice or score the roots to allow the plant to re-grow a proper root system in the
planting bed.
,Should you water container plants several hours before installing them in the
landscape? - Answer-Yes
How should you install container plants in the landscape? - Answer-Install the plants
with the top of the root system slightly above grade, perhaps 1-2", to allow for better
drainage.
What should container plant roots be covered with? - Answer-Never cover the roots
with anything other than light mulch.
What does piling heavy clay on top of roots lead too? - Answer-can lead to low
oxygen levels in the roots and little infiltration of water.
True or False: Newly installed container plants often dry quickly. - Answer-True
True or False: Balled and Burlapped plants lose up to 90% of their root system in the
harvesting process and are subject to lots of initial transplant shock. - Answer-True
How should balled and burlapped plants be planted? - Answer-set the plant on a
pedestal of firmed soil that keeps the ball from settling and allows the top of the ball
to stay above grade.
Is there a need to remove healthy branches from balled and burlapped plants to
compensate for root loss? - Answer-No
What is critical when dealing with balled and burlapped plants? - Answer-It is most
critical to cit the tie string that holds the burlap around the top of the ball as this will
girdle the stem if left in place.
How do you test if burlap is real or not? - Answer-light it with a match, real burlap will
turn to ash, while synthetic burlap will turn to plastic "goo".
True or False: All synthetic burlap must be removed or pushed down from the root
ball. - Answer-True
True or False: Wire basket trees above 3" caliper may lose 90% of their existing
roots in the harvesting process. - Answer-True
In wire basket trees what has research proven about the tree roots? - Answer-roots
grow over the wire, instead of pushing it out of the way
True or False: As wire basket trees increase in caliper, the wire will girdle the trunk. -
Answer-True
What should you do before digging? - Answer-Call the Alabama Line Locator at 811
What size and depth should the hole be for a plant/tree? - Answer-it needs to be 2-3
times the root ball diameter and more shallow than the ball to discourage settling.
, If the site is tilled, is there a need to dig a hole larger than the root ball? - Answer-No
What are the advantages of proper tilling? - Answer-it can save labor dollars, energy,
and improve results.
What soil should you backfill with? - Answer-backfill with native, pulverized soil
Does adding organic matter to a planting hole help improve the plant? - Answer-
Research from UGA shows no real improvement by adding organic matter to a
planting hole.
Is adding several inches of organic matter to a bed planting helpful? - Answer-Yes
Should the soil be tilled before installing any plants? - Answer-Yes, till the soil
thoroughly before installing any plants whenever possible.
How high should the root ball be in poorly drained clay soils? - Answer-above the
grade, try and find the "topmost" root and set it at or above the grade.
How high should the root ball be in sandy soils? - Answer-at the grade but no deeper
What happens to plants that settle below grade? - Answer-Plants that settle below
grade often are stunned and slowly die never time.
How do you provide for optimal drainage and oxygen content? - Answer-provide for
proper drainage and oxygen content by routing downspouts out of the bed, allowing
for proper slopes away from the foundation, properly designing irrigation and
amending with composted pine bark fines.
True or False: Low oxygen soils have an odor like "sewer gas" and often have root
standing in water. - Answer-True
What is overseeding? - Answer-refers to the use of ryegrass planted in an existing
warm season grass like bermuda or zoysia during the dormant season.
Do overseeded lawns suffer from added competition the ryegrass? - Answer-Yes
When would overseeding be useful? - Answer-for preventing wear on an athletic turf
What happens if rye doesn't die out because of a cool spring? - Answer-it can cause
the warm season turf to weaken or fail.
True or False: Ryegrass is a "very wet" turf, which leads to mowing problems and
certain diseases. - Answer-True
What is best for turf during fertilization? - Answer-it is best to keep the turf "a little on
the hungry side" and not push lawns to be too green from excess Nitrogen.
What does over fertilization lead too? - Answer-it leads to pollution, wasted
maintenance dollars, insect and disease problems.
(SLP) EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GUARANTEE PASS
What did Dr. Ed Gilman propose? - Answer-that it is better to anchor the root ball
without attaching guy wires to the trunk.
What does root ball staking allow the tree to do? - Answer-it allows the tree to flex
and develop taper naturally.
Describe the staking of container trees - Answer-it involves driving untreated wooden
1 x 2's through the roots into the subsoil. The 2 to 4 stakes are never removed as
they decay over time.
Describe staking with balled and burlapped plants - Answer-the stakes may need to
be 2 x 4's driven next to the ball and flush. Large trees may need to connecting 2 x
4's for stability.
Should a plant/tree be staked? - Answer-No, research proves it is better not to stake
the plant at all if it can support itself.
Are wires, rubbers hoses, and straps good for trees? - Answer-No, any material
pulled tight on the trunk will cause girdling and cambium death over time.
Describe bare root planting - Answer-a plant production method where the plant is
shipped without any soil and planted during the dormant season.
Are bare root trees sold small or large? - Answer-Small
Do bare root trees have a narrow or large planting window? - Answer-Narrow
What is recommended before planting bare root plants? - Answer-it is better to soak
the bare root plants in water for 4 hours before planting to encourage some water
uptake.
True or False: bare root plants are usually cheaper and often produce better -
adaptable plants. - Answer-True
What soils do container plants grow in? - Answer-most container plants are grown in
sawdust or pine bark soil mixtures for many months.
True or False: Container plant roots tend to form to the shape of the pot after many
months. - Answer-True
How do you amend roots that have formed to the shape of the container? - Answer-
slice or score the roots to allow the plant to re-grow a proper root system in the
planting bed.
,Should you water container plants several hours before installing them in the
landscape? - Answer-Yes
How should you install container plants in the landscape? - Answer-Install the plants
with the top of the root system slightly above grade, perhaps 1-2", to allow for better
drainage.
What should container plant roots be covered with? - Answer-Never cover the roots
with anything other than light mulch.
What does piling heavy clay on top of roots lead too? - Answer-can lead to low
oxygen levels in the roots and little infiltration of water.
True or False: Newly installed container plants often dry quickly. - Answer-True
True or False: Balled and Burlapped plants lose up to 90% of their root system in the
harvesting process and are subject to lots of initial transplant shock. - Answer-True
How should balled and burlapped plants be planted? - Answer-set the plant on a
pedestal of firmed soil that keeps the ball from settling and allows the top of the ball
to stay above grade.
Is there a need to remove healthy branches from balled and burlapped plants to
compensate for root loss? - Answer-No
What is critical when dealing with balled and burlapped plants? - Answer-It is most
critical to cit the tie string that holds the burlap around the top of the ball as this will
girdle the stem if left in place.
How do you test if burlap is real or not? - Answer-light it with a match, real burlap will
turn to ash, while synthetic burlap will turn to plastic "goo".
True or False: All synthetic burlap must be removed or pushed down from the root
ball. - Answer-True
True or False: Wire basket trees above 3" caliper may lose 90% of their existing
roots in the harvesting process. - Answer-True
In wire basket trees what has research proven about the tree roots? - Answer-roots
grow over the wire, instead of pushing it out of the way
True or False: As wire basket trees increase in caliper, the wire will girdle the trunk. -
Answer-True
What should you do before digging? - Answer-Call the Alabama Line Locator at 811
What size and depth should the hole be for a plant/tree? - Answer-it needs to be 2-3
times the root ball diameter and more shallow than the ball to discourage settling.
, If the site is tilled, is there a need to dig a hole larger than the root ball? - Answer-No
What are the advantages of proper tilling? - Answer-it can save labor dollars, energy,
and improve results.
What soil should you backfill with? - Answer-backfill with native, pulverized soil
Does adding organic matter to a planting hole help improve the plant? - Answer-
Research from UGA shows no real improvement by adding organic matter to a
planting hole.
Is adding several inches of organic matter to a bed planting helpful? - Answer-Yes
Should the soil be tilled before installing any plants? - Answer-Yes, till the soil
thoroughly before installing any plants whenever possible.
How high should the root ball be in poorly drained clay soils? - Answer-above the
grade, try and find the "topmost" root and set it at or above the grade.
How high should the root ball be in sandy soils? - Answer-at the grade but no deeper
What happens to plants that settle below grade? - Answer-Plants that settle below
grade often are stunned and slowly die never time.
How do you provide for optimal drainage and oxygen content? - Answer-provide for
proper drainage and oxygen content by routing downspouts out of the bed, allowing
for proper slopes away from the foundation, properly designing irrigation and
amending with composted pine bark fines.
True or False: Low oxygen soils have an odor like "sewer gas" and often have root
standing in water. - Answer-True
What is overseeding? - Answer-refers to the use of ryegrass planted in an existing
warm season grass like bermuda or zoysia during the dormant season.
Do overseeded lawns suffer from added competition the ryegrass? - Answer-Yes
When would overseeding be useful? - Answer-for preventing wear on an athletic turf
What happens if rye doesn't die out because of a cool spring? - Answer-it can cause
the warm season turf to weaken or fail.
True or False: Ryegrass is a "very wet" turf, which leads to mowing problems and
certain diseases. - Answer-True
What is best for turf during fertilization? - Answer-it is best to keep the turf "a little on
the hungry side" and not push lawns to be too green from excess Nitrogen.
What does over fertilization lead too? - Answer-it leads to pollution, wasted
maintenance dollars, insect and disease problems.
