The ultimate gardening quiz for the green-thumbed!

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
The ultimate gardening quiz for the green-thumbed!
Image: shutterstock

About This Quiz

Are you obsessed with your garden? Do you plant your own vegetables and herbs to enjoy at your family's dinner table? There is so much to learn when it comes to gardening, and this quiz will separate​ the green-thumbed from the black-thumbed.
Which of these is NOT a winter crop?
Cabbage
Leek
Parsnip
Tomato
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tomato is definitely not going to spring up in your garden during the winter. But you can harvest some kale!

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What triggers spring?
The vernal equinox
The winter solstice
Labor Day
The cooling of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The vernal equinox. or spring solstice, is what springs spring. It is prompted by the warming of the earth.

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For how long can seeds remain dormant?
Months
A few days
One season
Years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Seeds can remain dormant in the earth for years. That's why it makes sense when a seed plant pops out of nowhere.

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When should you plant daffodil bulbs?
March
Under a new moon
In the fall
Whenever you feel like it
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Daffodils are planted as dormant bulbs in the early fall. When you follow this schedule you should have beautiful flowers by spring.

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Which of these colors is NOT a shade of the camellia flower?
Pink
Blue
White
Red
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Camellias are not blue. But it would be pretty cool if they were.

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Which of these does NOT make a delicious microgreen?
Rosemary
Amaranth
Basil
Beet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are many plants that can be turned into microgreens, but rosemary is not one of them.

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Which of these is true about spinach?
It is a shrub
It is an annual
It's impossible to put it in a smoothie
It is a perennial
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spinach is an annual, and that means it completes its life cycle within one year. Don't worry, you can still find it in your supermarket year-round.

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When a magnolia tree is in full bloom, you know what?
It's winter
you're in a cool climate
It's spring
The ground is fertile
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The blooming magnolia tree is a harbinger of spring. Its blossoms are a hallmark of the season.

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How long does it take beets to reach full size?
one week
90 days
one year
one month
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It takes beets about 90 days to reach their full size. Some things are worth the wait.

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What disease will kill your tulips?
Tulip cancer
Tulip blight
Tulip plague
Tulip fire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tulip fire is the disease that will kill your tulips. Thank goodness there is no such thing as tulip cancer.

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Which of these is NOT a kind of tulip?
Blue Parrot
Flying Dutchman
Red Herring
West Point
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tulips have some of the best names and there are countless types, but Red Herring is not one of them.

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How long does it take for new asparagus plants to produce their first crop?
90 days
One year
One month
Three years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It usually takes asparagus a whole three years to produce its first crop. After that, it doesn't require as much patience.

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What kind of plant is the flowering cherry tree?
Perennial
Deciduous
Shrub
Herb Tree
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The flowering cherry is a deciduous tree, meaning that it sheds its leaves once a year.

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What is the natural inclination of the pea plant?
To bloom year round
To sink into the ground
To climb
To spontaneously become hybrid
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The pea plant is a climber. That's why when you plant it, it's smart to give it something to climb on, such as a trellis.

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How many types of rhododendrons are there?
Thousands
Millions
Hundreds
Only five
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are literally thousands of types of rhododendrons. They come in many shades, including pink, white, and purple.

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What is the botanical name for lilacs?
Mustafa
Lilacus Maximus
Violetta
Syringa
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Syringa is the botanical name, but lilac sounds prettier.

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What is the worst predator of the carrot?
The bunny
Carrot fly
Carrot mosquito
Bumblebee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The carrot fly wants to eat your carrots. Even dangerous rabbits will not do as much damage to your crop.

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In early spring, how do you protect your seedlings from frost?
Spray them with frost repellent
Put a space heater next to them at night
Cover with a frost blanket at night and remove during the day
Talk pretty to them
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The early part of spring is a vulnerable time. It's best to cover seedlings with a frost blanket at night, but be sure to remove it during the day.

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What's the best way to control snails?
Step on them
Plant basil
Spray them with vinegar
Use snail pellets
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Snail pellets will help to keep the snails at bay. These can be bought at your local gardening store.

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Which of these is NOT a member of the Brassica family?
Squash
Cabbage
Broccoli
Kale
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Squash is a member of the cucurbit or squash family, silly.

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What is sod?
Astroturf
Instant lawn
Fertilizer
Woodchips
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sod is an instant roll-out lawn. There is a great debate about the use of sod vs. seed.

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What gardening technique gave strawberries their name?
Mulching
Fertilizing
Grafting
Pruning
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The berries grow best when straw is used as a mulch around them. Hence, they're called strawberries.

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What is a cloche?
Similar to a cloister
A gardening glove
A seeding tool
A small translucent cover
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A cloche is a small translucent cover for protecting or forcing outdoor plants. These days you'll find decorative cloches for interior design.

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When is the most colorful time in your garden?
When you've been drinking
Summer
Spring
Late fall
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Summer is when the most flowers and plants are in bloom, and thus, it is the most colorful time. It looks pretty great when you've been drinking, too.

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What are the lollipop-like blooms in your garden?
Alliums
Willy Wonka flowers
Weeds
Actual lollipops
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Alliums are those ethereal lollipop-shaped blooms that you find your garden. And yes, they are the flowers of onions.

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What is another name for geraniums?
Bluebirds
Cranesbills
Cuttlefish
Redbeaks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Geraniums are otherwise known as cranesbills. There are approximately 422 species of the flower.

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What of these is NOT good for climbing plants?
Fence
Trellis
Pergola
Concrete wall
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

They could probably manage it, but it's best to give your climbing plants something to hold onto.

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Most kitchen herbs are of what origin?
North American
European
Mediterranean
African
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Most culinary herbs that we use today come from the Mediterranean. This is thanks to the ideal temperature and habitat.

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How soon are turnips harvested after planting?
One to two weeks
One to two months
One year
Almost immediately
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Turnips can be harvested 30 to 60 days after planting. It's easy to be patient, because who craves a turnip?

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What is the term for removing dead flower heads?
Deadheading
Beheading
Guillotining
Plucking
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deadheading encourages the flower to bloom again. It pains you to have to do it, but it benefits you in the end.

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Which of these statements is true about roses?
They vary in which conditions they favor
They all favor similar conditions
They can be grown in any climate
They are the easiest flower to grow
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Roses all enjoy the same conditions. They are a perennial flowering plant with over a hundred species, and most species are native to Asia.

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Which is true about zucchini flowers?
They're edible and taste delicious
They are poisonous and taste awful
They come in many colors
They are a myth and don't truly exist
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Zucchini flowers are not only edible, but they're delectable when baked or fried. But then again, what isn't?

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What is the fruiting pattern of raspberries?
They fruit in the winter
They fruit once every other year
There are both summer and fall-fruiting raspberries
They are available all year long
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are raspberries that fruit in the summer, and those that fruit in the fall. If you're a raspberry-lover, spring and winter are tough times.

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Which of these is NOT a type of lily?
Asiatic
Turk's cap
Oriental
Bell-tower
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are so many different kinds of lilies, in a variety of colors. Unfortunately, there are no bell-tower lilies.

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What is the name for the flowering portions of the cauliflower?
Curds
Whey
Clouds
Swells
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The edible bits of the cauliflower are called curds. Cauliflower is a great vegetable to harvest in the winter.

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