Explore essential knowledge about broccoli nursery sowing practices in horticulture. This quiz covers timing, seed rates, bed preparation, and key care techniques for successful broccoli seedlings.
What is the most suitable season for sowing broccoli seeds in a nursery in regions with a temperate climate?
Explanation: Late summer is ideal for sowing broccoli in temperate regions because it allows seedlings to establish before cool growing temperatures. Peak winter is too cold for seedling development. Early spring may expose seedlings to late frosts, while mid autumn does not provide enough time for growth before winter sets in.
Approximately how much broccoli seed is recommended per square meter of nursery bed?
Explanation: 1–1.5 grams per square meter is the typical recommended seed rate for even seedling stands. 5–7 grams and 15–20 grams are excessive, leading to overcrowding. 0.2–0.3 grams is too low for sufficient plant density.
Which is the most important feature of a good nursery bed for broccoli seeds?
Explanation: Well-drained soil prevents waterlogging and seedling diseases in broccoli nurseries. Clay-heavy and poorly leveled beds retain excess water and inhibit growth. Sandy, excessively dry soils don't retain enough moisture for seedling establishment.
What is a recommended practice to avoid 'damping-off' disease in broccoli nurseries?
Explanation: Sterilized soil minimizes soil-borne pathogens causing damping-off. Overwatering increases disease risk. Constant shade is unnecessary for broccoli, which needs light. Daily fertilizer application for seedlings is excessive and can harm young plants.
When are broccoli seedlings typically ready for transplanting from the nursery to the main field?
Explanation: Broccoli seedlings are usually ready at 4–6 weeks when they have sufficient leaf growth. 1–2 weeks is too early for hardy seedlings. 10–12 weeks and 8–10 months are unnecessarily late, risking overgrown or weakened plants.