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Test Your Knowledge About Gardening!
1. Which of these gases do all green plants need to survive?
a) Oxygen
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Methane
d) All of the above
2. Pollinators are animals or insects that help plants reproduce by carrying pollen from one flower to another. What is the most common pollinator in the world?
a) Bees
b) Flies
c) Hummingbirds
d) All of the above
3. Which of the following insects help to turn food waste and yard scraps into compost (plant fertilizer)?
a) Earthworm
b) Snail
c) Pillbug (also known as sowbug or roly-poly)
d) All of the above
4. Which of the following fruits or vegetables has the most Vitamin C?
a) Spinach
b) Strawberry
c) Broccoli
d) Orange
5. At which air temperature do tomato plants stop producing tomatoes?
a) 92 degrees
b) 100 degrees
c) 75 degrees
d) None of the above
Make a Plant Parts Salad!
While some gardens are nice to look at, vegetable gardens are nice to eat. We eat many different parts of plants, but all parts serve an important role for the plant as a whole.
Roots (such as carrots and potatoes) soak up water and nutrients from the soil and hold the plant in place.
Stems (such as asparagus) transfer water and nutrients from the roots and food from the leaves to other plant parts.
Leaves (such as lettuce and celery) take in sunlight to make food for the plant.
Flowers (such as broccoli) are the reproductive parts of the plant, where pollination takes place and from which fruit grows.
Fruits (such as tomatoes, peppers, apples, cucumbers and strawberries) are produced after the flower is pollinated. They contain the seeds. (Vegetables are other plant parts that we eat, such as leaves and stems.)
Seeds (such as sunflower seeds or almonds) grow into new plants.
Whether you grow a garden of your own or not, making a plant parts salad is a fun way to play with your food … and eat it too!
What you need:
- Large bowl
- Lettuce, spinach or other greens
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Peppers or tomatoes
- Asparagus
- Celery
- Sunflower seeds
- Any other fruits, vegetables and nuts that you like to eat!
What to do:
- Rinse and dry all of your vegetables. Ask an adult to help you chop them.
- Choose some leaves to add as the base of your salad.
- Add at least one root, stem, flower and seed. To help you figure out which part of the plant to eat, you may want to play the plant parts game first. The more colorful your salad is, the more nutrients it has.
- Put your favorite salad dressing on your salad, and enjoy eating it. Bon appetite!
Activity based on Plant Parts Salad from the Minnesota Children’s Museum and Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Information based on Biology of Plants from the Missouri Botanical Garden. Image courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Native Plants
Native plants are plants that are adapted to the local weather, soil and other conditions, in a certain area. They are an important part of any ecosystem because they provide food, shelter and habitat for fish, birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Since they are originally from that area, they also require less water and maintenance.
If non-native plants are planted in an area they’re not used to, they may not survive. For example, a cactus may not survive in Maine. They can also harm the environment by using up sunlight, water, soil and space that native plants need to live.
No matter where you live, you can get to know native plants. Learn how to attract wildlife by growing native plants in your garden. To find plants that are native where you live, check out the recommended species list and the top 10 native plants in your region
Image of black-eyed susan and butterfly courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Learn fun facts about gardens!
- There are many different types of gardens: vegetable gardens for growing food; flower gardens; herb gardens; gardens that attract butterflies and pollinators; even gardens that detect air pollution and absorb rainwater!
- Soil is one of the most important resources in a garden, and on Earth! It contains decaying plant and animals, as well as living things like bacteria, earthworms and fungi. In one shovel-full of healthy soil there are more species of organisms than there are above the ground in the whole Amazon rain forest!
- In a rain garden, water-loving plants absorb extra stormwater — rain water that runs off rooftops and pavement into local waterways, carrying pollution with it. Planting a rain garden is a great way to keep your local rivers and beaches clean!
First image of First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama and children planting the White House vegetable garden, by Joyce N. Boghosian courtesy of Whitehouse.gov. Second image of soil courtesy of wakeforestnc.gov. Third image of rain garden courtesy of U.S. EPA.
Check out these cool tips and tools about gardening!
Tips for Learning More
- Become a junior master gardener
- Learn all about compost and the critters that create it
- Get involved with your local 4-H to learn about gardening and agriculture opportunities in your area
- Create a schoolyard or backyard habitat for wildlife
- Plant a container garden
- Learn how to plant a butterfly garden
- Find out about NASA’s ozone monitoring garden that detects air pollution and try planting your own
Image of radishes courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Cool Online Tools
- Search for school gardens in your community
- Watch the winner of the Plant Parts Garden Raps contest
- Ideas for theme gardens
- Read kids gardening books
- Ask Mr. Smarty Plants a question about native plants
- Take a wildflower quiz to test your knowledge about U.S. flowers!
Quiz Answers
1. Which of these gases do all green plants need to survive?
Answer: b. All green plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide in order to make their own food through photosynthesis. Plants also need water and nutrients such as nitrogen, which they get from the air and soil. A garden must have the right balance of all of these ingredients in order to grow healthy plants.
2. Pollinators are animals or insects that help plants reproduce by carrying pollen from one flower to another. What is the most common pollinator in the world?
Answer: a. Bees are the most common pollinators. Without them, we would not have many common fruits to eat, such as apples! Flies are the second most common pollinators. Many other insects and animals, including hummingbirds, butterflies and even lemurs, act as pollinators around the world. Most pollinators don’t pollinate flowers on purpose; they do it by accident while feeding on flower nectar. You can plant a garden to provide habitat – food, water and shelter – for pollinators.
3. Which of the following insects help to turn food waste and yard scraps into compost (plant fertilizer)?
Answer: d. Fallen leaves and branches, food scraps, and even dead insects can be turned into compost — soil that is full of nutrients that plants need to live. Many critters help this process, including snails, ants, pillbugs, and especially earthworms! These organisms are called decomposers, because they break down dead plant material by feeding on it and releasing the nutrients stored within. The soil that is produced is called compost, and it can be used as fertilizer in a garden.
4. Which of the following fruits or vegetables has the most Vitamin C?
Answer: c. Broccoli has more Vitamin C than strawberries, oranges and spinach! All fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins and minerals that we need to be healthy. The exact amount of nutrients a piece of fruit or vegetable contains depends on its growing conditions.
5. At which air temperature do tomato plants stop producing tomatoes?
Answer: a. Tomatoes are sensitive to heat. Scientists have determined that tomato flowers stop producing fruit once the temperature reaches 92 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the pollen no longer functions, so pollination and fruit production cannot occur. Once temperatures cool down, new pollen is produced again.
