Category Archives

Welcome to Gardening Jeopardy, where your green thumb knowledge can earn you big points! Dive into various categories all about gardening, from common plants to garden pests and famous gardens around the world. Each category is divided into five levels based on difficulty, with point values increasing from $200 to $1000. Test your skills or challenge others to see who is the ultimate gardening guru! If you’re looking to engage your students in a fun and interactive way to review class content, consider using a Jeopardy review game template to create a customized game tailored to your curriculum.

Category 1: Common Plants

$200 Question

It is a common name for plants in the genus Narcissus, and it is known for its early spring bloom.

Answer: What are daffodils?

$400 Question

This low-maintenance plant, known for surviving in minimal soil and needing occasional soaking, might droop when thirsty.

Answer: What is an air plant?

$600 Question

This plant, also known as Lavandula, is famous for its calming scent and purple flowers.

Answer: What is lavender?

$800 Question

This common houseplant is known as Ficus elastica and is celebrated for its large, glossy leaves.

Answer: What is the rubber plant?

$1000 Question

Identify this perennial herb, Artemisia dracunculus, known for its use in French cuisine.

Answer: What is tarragon?

Category 2: Garden Pests

$200 Question

This slimy creature is known for eating leaves and leaving a silvery trail behind.

Answer: What is a slug?

$400 Question

This insect in larval stage is known for voraciously consuming plant leaves, especially in vegetable gardens.

Answer: What is a caterpillar?

$600 Question

Identify the small, sap-sucking insect that often forms large colonies on the undersides of leaves.

Answer: What are aphids?

$800 Question

This pest, often found in damp areas, can roll into a ball when disturbed.

Answer: What is a pill bug?

$1000 Question

Name the burrowing rodent that can cause damage to gardens by creating extensive underground tunnels.

Answer: What is a mole?

Category 3: Famous Gardens

$200 Question

This iconic garden, located in France, is known for its geometric hedge mazes and fountains.

Answer: What are the Gardens of Versailles?

$400 Question

A garden in England famous for its rock garden and large collection of water lilies.

Answer: What is the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew?

$600 Question

Identify the historic garden in Italy, known for its Renaissance design and panoramic views of Florence.

Answer: What are the Boboli Gardens?

$800 Question

This garden in Japan is celebrated for its traditional design and stunning cherry blossoms in spring.

Answer: What is Kenroku-en?

$1000 Question

Name the garden in Canada that transforms into a winter wonderland of lights during the holiday season.

Answer: What are the Butchart Gardens?

Category 4: Gardening Techniques

$200 Question

The term for the method of growing plants in a water-based solution without soil.

Answer: What is hydroponics?

$400 Question

This technique involves cutting away parts of a plant to improve its shape or productivity.

Answer: What is pruning?

$600 Question

The term for the practice of growing plants in vertical layers to save space.

Answer: What is vertical gardening?

$800 Question

This ancient Japanese technique involves sculpting trees into artistic shapes.

Answer: What is bonsai?

$1000 Question

Identify the method of propagating new plants from a ‘mother’ plant’s leaf, stem, or root cuttings.

Answer:  What is cloning?

Category 5: Soil & Compost

$200 Question

This type of soil is ideal for gardening due to its balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay.

Answer: What is loam?

$400 Question

The term for the decomposition process of organic matter to create a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Answer: What is composting?

$600 Question

Identify the measure used to describe how acidic or alkaline soil is.

Answer: What is pH?

$800 Question

This organic material, derived from sphagnum moss, is used to improve soil moisture retention.

Answer: What is peat moss?

$1000 Question

Name the process of turning over the upper layer of soil to mix in organic matter and nutrients.

Answer: What is tilling?

Category 6: Historical Gardens

$200 Question

This ancient garden, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was said to be located in the city-state of Babylon.

Answer: What are the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

$400 Question

A medieval garden, often enclosed by walls, was dedicated to growing medicinal herbs and plants.

Answer: What is a physic garden?

$600 Question

Identify the famous garden designed by André Le Nôtre, featuring an iconic symmetrical layout, located in France.

Answer: What are the Gardens of Versailles?

$800 Question

This garden, associated with an iconic English playwright, is located in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Answer: What is Shakespeare’s Garden?

$1000 Question

Name the Mughal garden in India, known for its Persian-inspired design and location near the Taj Mahal.

Answer: What is the Mehtab Bagh?

Gardening is a fun and rewarding activity that anyone can enjoy. In a survey done in 2018, it was reported that 11% of Americans aged 18 to 29 years old did gardening. 29% are 50 to 64 years old, and 39% are over 65 years old or younger than 18. Therefore, you do not need to feel intimidated if you have not tried gardening before. In this article, we will explore some top gardening tips for beginners.

8 Top Gardening Tips for Beginners

1. Choose the Right Location

Location is very important when you begin gardening. You should put your garden in an area where you can regularly see it. That is because you are likely to work more on it when you see it regularly.

When scouting for a location, you also want to ensure that the gardening spot is near a water source. This will make it easier for you to water your plants. Similarly, you need to consider the sun when finding a spot for your garden.

A common beginner gardener’s mistake is miscalculating the sunlight. Many fruits, vegetables, and herbs must be exposed to the sun for at least 6 hours to grow. Hence, before picking a garden arena, make sure that you consider the sun.

2. Invest in the Right Tools

You cannot practice gardening successfully without the appropriate tools at hand. These include a garden fork, pruners, a hose, a spade, a rake, water-resistant gloves, a wheelbarrow, and a hose or watering can.

3. Test the Soil

When just starting gardening, you need to invest in great soil that drains well and is rich in nutrients. It is recommended to test the soil to ensure that it is healthy enough for your plants. If you want to plant in the ground or raised bed, you can mix all-purpose garden soil with the existing soil.

4. Provide Nutrients to Your Plants Regularly

Besides using the right type of soil, you must also ensure that your plants get the right nutrients. You will more likely succeed in gardening using quality soil and plant food.

5. Use Raised Beds

Anyone new to gardening should consider getting a raised bed. Although this can be expensive initially, it will give you more control over the soil and pests. A raised bed also allows you to grow different plants based on their needs.

6. Pick the Right Plants

Remember that you cannot just plant any plant that you want. You have to choose plants that suit your growing environment. Therefore, place plants that need more sun in a sunny area and pick plants that can tolerate hot weather if you live in a tropical area. If you have adequate space, you can grow melons or pumpkins.

It is best to research well so you can grow your plants well at home. You can also start from young plants if you want to grow herbs and vegetables instead of seeds. Another tip is to never grow your vegetables in the same plot for two or more years. You need to rotate them for your soil to maintain the right nutrients.

7. Understanding the Frost Schedule

You will likely make a huge mistake if you plant too early or late in the season. Therefore, you must know the last average spring frost date in your location so as not to kill your plants. Knowing the first average fall frost date is also helpful in knowing when to move your plants inside your home or harvest them so that the cold weather will not kill them.

8. Add Mulch

Mulch may be worth considering depending on what you are growing. It helps to feed the soil with the right nutrients and protect against soil erosion.

Around every plant, make sure that you put mulch that is 2 to 3 inches deep. This can help to lessen the weeds that block sunlight and reduce moisture loss due to evaporation. As a result, you do not have to water too much. If you don’t have mulch, you can utilize shredded leaves, straws, pine straws, and other available materials in your area.

Whether you are an experienced or a novice gardener, these tips will help you get your garden up and going. You just need to research how to properly grow the plants you want and have some basic gardening tools on hand. Also, learn to be patient since growing plants takes time.