Landscape Maintenance/Ornamental and
Turf
Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) - ✔✔ correct answer The primary agency regulating
pesticides in Texas.
The Texas Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS) - ✔✔ correct answer Also licenses people to
apply pesticides to lawns, ornamental plants, and weeds to control landscape pests.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - ✔✔ correct answer You need to take a comprehensive
approach that uses biological, cultural, physical, and chemical controls in a careful,
environmentally sound manner. The terms for this approach is .....
Natural Factors - ✔✔ correct answer ....influence pests include climate, natural barriers and
enemies, population developmnt and dynamics, and the availability of shelter, food, and water.
These XXXXX factors may cause pest populations to increase or decrease without influence from
humans.
Biological Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....involves manipulating the natural enemies of pests-
those that kill and eat pests (predators), those that feed on but do not necessarily kill pests
(parasites), or those that cause diseases in pests (pathogens). You can encourage and maintain
high population levels of these natural enemies by using pesticides carefully or by releasing a
pest's enemies into the target area.
Cultural Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....methods are the activities involved in taking care of the
plants, such as site selection and watering practices. These techniques can alter the
environment around the plants to affect the pests that could be attacking them.
Mechanical Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....involves the use of equipment or manual operations
to keep out or disrupt the life cycle of pests. Barriers that exclude pests include fencing, plastic
mulches, and row covers.
,Landscape Maintenance/Ornamental and
Turf
Host Plant Resistance - ✔✔ correct answer ....Some plants can tolerate damage from certain
pests or are unsuitable for pest development; this trait is known as xxxxxxxx. For example, the
St. Augustine grass variety 'Floratam' is resistant to chinch bugs.
Chemical Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....involves the use of pesticides to destroy pests, control
their activity, or prevent them from causing damage. Chemical pesticides are often the quickest
way to control pests and, in some cases, the only alternative.
Plant Selection - ✔✔ correct answer A critical step in pest control is to choose the proper plant
or variety for the landscape. Choose all landscape plants according to their water requirements,
shade tolerance, and susceptibility to pests.
Water - ✔✔ correct answer Too much or too little xxxxx can damage or kill plants. Lack of water
causes leaves to wilt, droop and drop. Excess water in the soil forces out the oxygen that plant
roots need to survive.
Fertilization - ✔✔ correct answer Plants need 16 elements, which in horticulture are called
plant nutrients. The soil usually contains enough of these nutrients for normal plant growth.
Nitrogen is normally the most limiting plant nutrient. It constitutes the foundation of most
common fertilizers. The elements needed in tiny amounts are called micronutrients. The best
way to determine how much and what kind of fertilizer that a landscape needs is to take a soil
sample.
Mowing - ✔✔ correct answer The primary cultural practice in turf management is xxxxx. Good
xxxxxxx practices enhance turf and can significantly help you manage pests. It can improve turf
color, density, root development, texture, and wear tolerance.
Thatch - ✔✔ correct answer Thatch is the layer of undecayed grass between the soil and green
leaves of a turf plant. As old turf plants age and die, they decompose into finely textured humus
that becomes a part of the soil surface.
, Landscape Maintenance/Ornamental and
Turf
Pruning - ✔✔ correct answer A primary technique for producing a specimen plant is xxxxxx.
xxxxxx prevents and treats some diseases and helps keep some ornamental plants attractive.
You must prune properly to prevent or minimize insect and disease invasion. Do not make the
cuts flush with a trunk or main branch. Instead, prune the limb outside the collar, which is the
section of the branch where it joins to the trunk or main stem.
Preventive Applications - ✔✔ correct answer Involve applying a pesticide before the problem
appears.
Reactive, or Curative Treatments - ✔✔ correct answer Occur after you notice the pest or its
damage. Then you can apply a pesticide that targets that specific problem.
Protecting Water Resources - ✔✔ correct answer Do not use more pesticide than the label
directs.
When possible, mix and load pesticides at least 100 feet from surface water or a direct link
(such as a well) to groundwater.
Prevent pesticides from back-siphoning into your water source.
Delay application if heavy rain is imminent.
Consider leaving untreated buffer strips around water sources and hard surfaces to reduce
pesticide movement.
Drift - ✔✔ correct answer Drift is the unintended movement of pesticides through the air
during or after application to an area other than intended target.
Particle drift is the movement of droplets through the air during or soon after applications.
Vapor drift occurs when pesticides land on the target site but then turn into vapor (volatilize)
and move off-target.
Turf
Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) - ✔✔ correct answer The primary agency regulating
pesticides in Texas.
The Texas Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS) - ✔✔ correct answer Also licenses people to
apply pesticides to lawns, ornamental plants, and weeds to control landscape pests.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - ✔✔ correct answer You need to take a comprehensive
approach that uses biological, cultural, physical, and chemical controls in a careful,
environmentally sound manner. The terms for this approach is .....
Natural Factors - ✔✔ correct answer ....influence pests include climate, natural barriers and
enemies, population developmnt and dynamics, and the availability of shelter, food, and water.
These XXXXX factors may cause pest populations to increase or decrease without influence from
humans.
Biological Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....involves manipulating the natural enemies of pests-
those that kill and eat pests (predators), those that feed on but do not necessarily kill pests
(parasites), or those that cause diseases in pests (pathogens). You can encourage and maintain
high population levels of these natural enemies by using pesticides carefully or by releasing a
pest's enemies into the target area.
Cultural Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....methods are the activities involved in taking care of the
plants, such as site selection and watering practices. These techniques can alter the
environment around the plants to affect the pests that could be attacking them.
Mechanical Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....involves the use of equipment or manual operations
to keep out or disrupt the life cycle of pests. Barriers that exclude pests include fencing, plastic
mulches, and row covers.
,Landscape Maintenance/Ornamental and
Turf
Host Plant Resistance - ✔✔ correct answer ....Some plants can tolerate damage from certain
pests or are unsuitable for pest development; this trait is known as xxxxxxxx. For example, the
St. Augustine grass variety 'Floratam' is resistant to chinch bugs.
Chemical Control - ✔✔ correct answer ....involves the use of pesticides to destroy pests, control
their activity, or prevent them from causing damage. Chemical pesticides are often the quickest
way to control pests and, in some cases, the only alternative.
Plant Selection - ✔✔ correct answer A critical step in pest control is to choose the proper plant
or variety for the landscape. Choose all landscape plants according to their water requirements,
shade tolerance, and susceptibility to pests.
Water - ✔✔ correct answer Too much or too little xxxxx can damage or kill plants. Lack of water
causes leaves to wilt, droop and drop. Excess water in the soil forces out the oxygen that plant
roots need to survive.
Fertilization - ✔✔ correct answer Plants need 16 elements, which in horticulture are called
plant nutrients. The soil usually contains enough of these nutrients for normal plant growth.
Nitrogen is normally the most limiting plant nutrient. It constitutes the foundation of most
common fertilizers. The elements needed in tiny amounts are called micronutrients. The best
way to determine how much and what kind of fertilizer that a landscape needs is to take a soil
sample.
Mowing - ✔✔ correct answer The primary cultural practice in turf management is xxxxx. Good
xxxxxxx practices enhance turf and can significantly help you manage pests. It can improve turf
color, density, root development, texture, and wear tolerance.
Thatch - ✔✔ correct answer Thatch is the layer of undecayed grass between the soil and green
leaves of a turf plant. As old turf plants age and die, they decompose into finely textured humus
that becomes a part of the soil surface.
, Landscape Maintenance/Ornamental and
Turf
Pruning - ✔✔ correct answer A primary technique for producing a specimen plant is xxxxxx.
xxxxxx prevents and treats some diseases and helps keep some ornamental plants attractive.
You must prune properly to prevent or minimize insect and disease invasion. Do not make the
cuts flush with a trunk or main branch. Instead, prune the limb outside the collar, which is the
section of the branch where it joins to the trunk or main stem.
Preventive Applications - ✔✔ correct answer Involve applying a pesticide before the problem
appears.
Reactive, or Curative Treatments - ✔✔ correct answer Occur after you notice the pest or its
damage. Then you can apply a pesticide that targets that specific problem.
Protecting Water Resources - ✔✔ correct answer Do not use more pesticide than the label
directs.
When possible, mix and load pesticides at least 100 feet from surface water or a direct link
(such as a well) to groundwater.
Prevent pesticides from back-siphoning into your water source.
Delay application if heavy rain is imminent.
Consider leaving untreated buffer strips around water sources and hard surfaces to reduce
pesticide movement.
Drift - ✔✔ correct answer Drift is the unintended movement of pesticides through the air
during or after application to an area other than intended target.
Particle drift is the movement of droplets through the air during or soon after applications.
Vapor drift occurs when pesticides land on the target site but then turn into vapor (volatilize)
and move off-target.
