Types of control There are different types of control you can use to manipulate the environment in which you grow your plants. In the exam, you can be asked about physical, cultural, chemical and biological controls. Physical controls = are just that - a physical barrier or some sort to stop something getting to your… Continue reading R2103 Maintaining plant health
Author: esthersym
Welcome to my blog! I decided to do what I interests me and that is plants, so I started home-studying the RHS level 2 theory exams but found very limited free resources online. This blog is going to record the things I have learnt to hopefully help other people trying to study on a budget. These are my notes. I am not a teacher, and there may be mistakes here for which I apologise, but - well, knowledge must be shared to be worth anything.
R2102 – containers
I don't know what this is, but I like it! There was only one of these at Standen Plants growing in containers have it a bit more difficult, since their roots are restricted, pots can dry out quickly and there can be limited nutrients. Compost is usually used in pots instead of soil. You could… Continue reading R2102 – containers
R2102 – nutrients
Nutrients are taken up by plants through the roots with water. You will need to know which ones are major nutrients and which ones are minor. The nutrients and what they are for and how deficiency shows: Major nutrients Nitrogen (N) = needed for growth of stems and leaves. It is used to make chlorophyll.… Continue reading R2102 – nutrients
R2102 compost
This is almost certain to come up - the RHS is clearly very keen for everyone to make compost. You will need to describe how you start to build compost heap by choosing a site where your heap can rest directly on the soil so that soil organisms can get in to the material. You… Continue reading R2102 compost
R2102 – organic matter added to soil
Organic matter is anything that was living, either a plant or an insect or animal. Dead organic matter is decomposing material which is a source of food for living organisms and which provides nutrients. Organic matter in the soil makes it a darker colour, improves water retention, soil structure and workability. [The term humus describes… Continue reading R2102 – organic matter added to soil
R2102 – soil cultivation/digging
This topic area is sure to come up - be prepared to describe digging in some detail. Single digging = mark out the area you want to dig and divide it up into trenches. Dig out the first trench to a depth of one spade or spit. Move the soil from the first trench to… Continue reading R2102 – soil cultivation/digging
R2102 – Plant Nutrition and root environment
Soil Definitions to learn: Soil horizon = a layer in the soil that can be seen if a pit is dug. Soil texture = the composition of the soil in terms of its particle size.Soil structure = the way that the individual components of the soil combine to form larger aggregates. Soil is generally composed… Continue reading R2102 – Plant Nutrition and root environment
R2101 – water movement in plants
Water moves in to a plant by osmosis (remember that from school?!!) Osmosis is defined as the movement of water from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration across a semi-permable membrane. Diffusion is defined as the movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of… Continue reading R2101 – water movement in plants
R2101 – Respiration
Respiration is the process in which the sugars the plant has got (through photosynthesis) are used to make energy to live. [We respire just as plants do - we breathe in oxygen to burn the food we have eaten to provide energy] Respiration continues day and night, in all of the living cells of the… Continue reading R2101 – Respiration
R2101 – Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the way in which plants turn light into food. It occurs in the choroplasts of the cells, which is why the typical leaf diagram shows lots of cells packed together in the palisade layer with lots of chloroplasts in them - it is to maximise photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is the actual pigment or chemical… Continue reading R2101 – Photosynthesis
Gardening studies 