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WorksheetsPlant Cuttings
Total questions: 22
Worksheet time: 14mins
What is the preferred method of sterilising your secateurs. Select one (1) answer from the list below.
With a clean cloth, wipe any residue of the blades of your secateurs.
Wash in warm water.
Soak secateurs in methlyated spirits for two minutes.
All of the above.
When transporting cutting material, what are three (3) things you should do to prolong the viability (freshness) of the plant material?
Place in a plastic bag and gently seal up.
Wrap the cutting material gently in damp newspaper.
Place in a chilled esky (with an ice block) or fridge.
Wrap your cutting material up in wet newspaper.
What stage of growth should semi-hardwood cuttings be on collection? Select one (1) answer.
On flowering.
The stem is starting to thicken as the stem starts to mature. Stem may start to change colour. Generally 6+ weeks old.
New flush of growth (approx. 6 weeks old).
Summarise the importance on having sharp & clean secateurs for collecting plant material. Select two (2) answers from the list below.
Minimises damage to the plant stock and cutting material.
Minimises the spread of pest & diseases.
Helps maintain the longevity of your secateurs.
Because your told to.
When collecting plant material for the purpose of making cuttings, what three (3) characteristics of the stock plant (plant taking cutting material from) should we be looking for?
Plants are true to type.
Have recently been pruned.
Correct growth stage (material) for the type of cutting you are wanting to produce.
Pest & disease free.
What physical characteristics should you look for in a softwood cutting? Select one (1) answer.
When you flex the stem it will snap.
The stem should be green.
When you flex the stem it will bend (without snapping).
What state should you ensure your secateurs are in prior to collecting any plant material for cuttings? Select two (2) answers from the list below.
Latest trending colours.
Clean.
Squeeky free.
Sharp.
Choose the correct description below to describe how to make a wound cut on a semi-hardwood cutting.
At the base of the cutting, scrape one side of the stem (approx. 1cm in length) to expose the cambium, encouraging root strike.
Remove the lower leaves at the base of the stem cutting to avoid rotting.
Scrape the stem to expose the cambium.
Large trees and shrubs are better propagated via seed rather that cuttings, why?Select the two (2) main reasons for this.
Plants grown from seed will have a stronger root system.
Genetic diversity.
Because they will not be clones.
Because large trees and shrubs produce a lot of seed so it is readily available.
What stage of growth should softwood cuttings be on collection? Select one (1) answer.
When the plant is dormant.
New flush of growth (approx. 6 weeks old).
On flowering.
All of the above.
What is the technical term for the thickening at the base of a cutting? Select one (1) answer:
Callus.
Bulb.
Cork.
When you are collecting cutting material from bushland on crown land (Government land), what are two (2) things you must do prior to taking any plant material?
Ensure you can correctly identify your plant.
Tread carefully not to damage any vegetation.
Seek permission from the land manager.
Obtain a licence for collection
When you processed your semi-hardwood cuttings, what two (2) pre-treatments did we carry out?
Quat down the benches.
Rinsed the cuttings in a bleach solution to eliminate/reduce any pest & diseases.
Use a hormone treatment such as Clonex gel.
Place the cuttings in a humid environment.
When working with soft wood cuttings, it is important to work quickly with them as they are prone to wilting and drying out and may not recover.
True
False
From the examples listed, select problems that can occur while performing propagation activities such as cuttings?
Incorrect techniques such as stripping off lower leaves that may result in open wounds to the stem.
Getting polarity wrong ie placing your cuttings in the media the wrong way up.
Blunt tools.
Misters in cutting room not working leading to cuttings drying out.
What physical characteristics should you look for in a semi-hardwood cutting? Select one (1) answer.
The stem should be thick woody tissue.
When you flex the stem it will bend (without snapping).
When you flex the stem it will snap. Possible change of colour along the stem.
From the list of plants below, select six (6) species which are part of the Proteaceae family therefore sensitive to Phosphorous.
Conostephium
Grass trees/Balga (Xanthorrhoea)
Adenanthos (Woolly Bush)
Hakea
Banksia
Petrophile
Grevilleas
Synapheas
Select three (3) hazards that you could be exposed to when mixing propagation media in a wheel barrow (besides manual handling hazards)
Exposure to dust which may contain Legionella (bacteria)
Back injury
Pneumoconiosis
Tetanus
Select two (2) type of wounds given to a semi-hardwood cutting:
Heal cut.
Wedge cut.
Wound cut.
Leaf bud
Nutrients can be placed into three categories: macronutrients, secondary macronutrients, micronutrients. Name the three (3) macronutrients from the following list:
Calcium
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorous (P)
Potassium (K)
What are three (3) WHS precautions you can implement to avoid the hazards identified in the previous question, when mixing media in a wheelbarrow.
Wear a mask.
Keep the media damp to reduce dust.
Work in outdoors.
Wash hands well after working with media.
How is unused propagation material (greenwaste) disposed of in our TAFE nursery? Select one (1) answer:
Landfill.
Compost.
