ZIMSEC O Level · Agriculture · Form 1, Form 2, Form 3
Horticulture is growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, usually intensively on small areas.
Nursery practice
Many vegetables (tomatoes, cabbages, onions) are raised in a seedbed or seedling trays, then transplanted.
- Prepare a fine seedbed with compost; sow in rows; cover with mulch; water lightly and regularly.
- Harden off seedlings by reducing water a few days before transplanting.
- Transplant in the cool of the evening, with a ball of soil around the roots.
Common vegetables
- Leafy: rape (covo), cabbage, lettuce – need nitrogen.
- Fruit vegetables: tomatoes (need staking), peppers.
- Root and bulb: onions, carrots, potatoes.
Irrigation methods
Watering cans, furrow irrigation, sprinklers and drip irrigation (most water-efficient).
Pest control
Aphids, red spider mites, bollworms and cutworms. Use crop rotation, resistant varieties, hand-picking, organic sprays and, carefully, approved chemicals (follow label instructions and wear protective clothing).
Fruit trees
Mangoes, citrus, bananas, avocados: propagated by seed, grafting or budding; need pruning and mulching.
Exam tip: Hardening off is a common exam term – it means preparing seedlings for harsher field conditions.
Check yourself
- Why are seedlings hardened off before transplanting?
- Which irrigation method uses water most efficiently?
- Give two safety precautions when spraying pesticides.
Show answers
- To toughen them so they survive transplant shock and field conditions.
- Drip irrigation.
- Any two: wear protective clothing/mask, spray with the wind behind you, follow label instructions, wash after use, keep children away.
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