BGCSE Horticulture 1257 study plan

Label a blank diagram of a flowering plant with roots, stem, leaf, flower and fruit, and state one function of each in a written sentence.

Explain photosynthesis and transpiration in your own words, listing the inputs, outputs and the plant parts involved for each process.

Compare sexual and asexual propagation by writing five differences and giving two named crop examples of each.

Describe how to take a softwood stem cutting and a leaf cutting, listing the tools, the steps and the aftercare in order.

Define pollination, fertilisation and seed germination, and list the four conditions a seed needs to germinate.

Describe the formation and composition of the three soil particle types (sand, silt, clay) and explain how each affects drainage, aeration and water holding.

Carry out a simple jar sedimentation test or ribbon test on a local soil sample and record the result as a texture class.

Explain how soil pH affects nutrient availability, and state the pH range preferred by three named horticultural crops.

Distinguish between macronutrients and micronutrients, naming the three primary macronutrients and one deficiency symptom for each.

Describe how to improve a clay soil and a sandy soil using organic matter, and explain what compost does to soil structure.

Propagate at least two plant types from cuttings or seed and keep a dated record of watering, light and rooting progress.

Match five named crops to their preferred soil type and pH, and justify each match in one sentence.

Explain how to calculate a simple fertiliser application rate from an N-P-K label for a stated bed area.

Describe two signs of nutrient deficiency and two signs of nutrient excess, and explain how to tell them apart.

Explain how rooting media differ from garden soil and why a sterile, free-draining mix is used for cuttings.

Classify five named horticultural pests by mouthpart type (chewing, piercing-sucking) and describe the damage each causes.

Distinguish between a fungal, a bacterial and a viral plant disease by listing two diagnostic signs of each.

Compare cultural, biological, mechanical and chemical control methods, giving one advantage and one limitation of each.

Identify five common weeds from descriptions and state the correct removal method and timing for each.

Explain the principles of integrated pest management and list the steps in the order they should be applied.

Produce a scaled planting plan for a 5 m by 4 m bed that shows spacing, mature height and a colour sequence across three seasons.

Explain the design principles of balance, proportion, focal point and repetition, and apply each to your own plan.

Name ten horticultural tools and state the correct use and the safety precaution for each.

Describe the daily and seasonal maintenance of three powered items (for example a mower, a strimmer and a sprayer), listing the checks to perform before use.

Explain how to site and orient a shade house or greenhouse and what structure suits a named crop.

Write a crop calendar for three vegetables naming sowing date, spacing, water needs, expected days to harvest and main pests for each.

Describe the steps in raising vegetable transplants in a nursery, from seedbed preparation to hardening off before field planting.

Explain the difference between open-field and protected production, and list two crops that benefit from each.

Describe how to manage temperature, humidity, ventilation and shading inside a protected structure, and explain why each matters.

Explain the pruning or training requirement for one named fruit crop and the reason for that practice.

Describe the correct harvest maturity index and post-harvest handling chain for two named crops, from field to sale.

Explain five causes of post-harvest loss and one prevention measure for each.

Calculate the cost of production, a selling price and the gross margin for a single crop over a stated area.

Explain how to grade, pack and label produce to meet a buyer's requirement, and describe one simple market-research method.

List five safety practices for handling pesticides and five practices that reduce a horticultural enterprise's environmental impact.

Design and describe a simple horticultural investigation with a clear aim, a controlled variable, a measured variable and a recording table.

Interpret given experimental data by calculating a mean, identifying the trend and stating one limitation of the method.

Complete a timed set of mixed practice questions drawn from all ten domains and mark them against the answer key.

Review every wrong answer from the practice set and write the correct fact and the reason for the error beside each one.

State five personal safety rules for practical horticultural work and explain the reason for each.