Mary, Mary How Does Your Garden Grow? Quiz

Answer: Acid

Hydrangeas are most commonly white, but come in many other colors depending on what is in the soil, and what nutrients they take in. If the soil is neutral, you will have the white, pale or cream flowers. If the soil is alkaline, the plant will produce pink or purple flowers. If the soil is acidic, the flowers will be blue.

There are many things you can do to make the soil acidic enough to produce blue flowers. Personally, I put rusting screws in the dirt around the hydrangeas.

Answer: Fact

This is definitely a fact! Actually, because plants use carbon dioxide to grow, your breath is all that is needed. Since we breathe in oxygen and let out carbon dioxide, by talking, singing, whispering, or simply breathing on plants, we are supplying them with more carbon dioxide then they would otherwise receive. This can be good for healthy plant growth.

It's worth noting, however, that plants out in the open might not receive the CO2 if you breathe or talk to them. Since the CO2 will disperse into the air, the technique of talking to your plants really works better in a closed setting, such as a greenhouse or in your home, where the carbon dioxide can be trapped and reach the plants before dissipating into the air.

Answer: Baldwin

There are over 7,500 apple cultivars! The Baldwin apple is great for cooking and for eating. It originates from Massachusetts, around 1740. The Baldwin is bright red, very tasty, and does not bruise easily. It also makes a lot of juice.

Answer: Hopi Maize

Hopi maize is a type of corn that is dark blue to purple in color, which is how it gets its name of 'blue corn'. It grows in the Southern United States and Mexico. It was originally grown by Hopi Native Americans, which is how it gets its name of "Hopi maize".

Perhaps you've seen blue corn chips or blue cornmeal, and thought it was colored that way. Well, the truth is, it's natural; it's just blue corn! Some blue corn can even look almost black in color.

Answer: Spindle Tree

The burning bush begins with green leaves, but when the warmer seasons fade and the autumn air draws near, the leaves become a vibrant red color. While most trees are shedding their leaves during this season, the burning bush stays aglow with its vivid red leaves, lasting longer than most plants before it finally sheds its leaves come winter.

The burning bush is also called the winged Euonymus or the spindle tree.

Answer: Rosemary

Rosemary is a very aromatic herb that is commonly found in Mediterranean cuisine. Its leaves look like little needles, similar to those of a pine tree. Cilantro and parsley are related, and are often very difficult to tell apart. They have small, frilly leaves. Basil has big, shiny, smooth leaves.

Answer: Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass is one of the most common grass types in the United States. It can be grown from seeds or bought as sod, which is grown mostly in the northeastern part of the United States. Kentucky bluegrass is also called common meadow grass and smooth meadow-grass. It can grow very long, and must be cut often if you want to keep a "clean-shaven" lawn.

Answer: Monkey Orchid

The monkey orchid, or Orchis simia, is a very beautiful flower, but has a horrible stench. Some people say the monkey orchid smells like feces. The tiger orchid, ghost orchid, and pigeon orchid all smell like orchids; and certainly would not give off a horrible stench!

Answer: Orange Eye

The butterfly bush, or Buddleja davidii, can also be called an orange eye or a summer lilac. The butterfly bush is so named because its flowers attract butterflies of all sorts. The bush can grow quite massive, and attract dozens, even hundreds of butterflies and honeybees. All sorts of butterflies and moths, from the luna moth to the monarch butterfly, are attracted to the butterfly bush.

Answer: Zucchini

We know many fruits and vegetables to be purple, such as grapes, rhubarb, eggplant/aubergine, some lettuce, and even onions. But there are many fruits and vegetables out there that are purple that you might not have ever heard of, such as cauliflower, potatoes, and carrots. Zucchini/courgette is not a purple vegetable, however.