Kitchen and Backyard Gardening
23 Grade 8 Agriculture questions on Kitchen and Backyard Gardening, with worked marking schemes. 23 questions are available on this topic in full.
Question 1
3 marksA learner establishes a sack (multi-storey) garden for growing kales. (a) Describe two steps followed when filling the sack for planting. (2 marks) (b) State one management practice needed after planting to keep the crop healthy. (1 mark)
(3 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) Any two steps (1 mark each): place a central column of stones/gravel in the middle to allow water to spread; fill around the stones with a mixture of topsoil and manure in layers; make planting holes on the sides of the sack. (b) Any one (1 mark): regular watering; weeding; top-dressing/adding manure; controlling pests and diseases; removing diseased leaves.
Question 2
1 markA Grade 8 learner with limited space at home wants to grow vegetables such as spinach and kales near the kitchen for daily use. The learner has several old sacks and some soil. Which kitchen gardening method would make the BEST use of the small space available?
A. Establishing a large open field plot
B. Setting up a sack (vertical) garden
C. Planting the vegetables in the maize field far away
D. Leaving the seeds to grow on the bare ground
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 3
3 marksWater is often scarce in many Kenyan homes. Describe three ways a learner can conserve water when managing a kitchen garden. (3 marks)
(3 marks)
Marking scheme
Any three (1 mark each): mulching the soil to reduce evaporation; watering early morning or late evening to reduce loss by evaporation; using recycled grey water from the kitchen; drip/bottle irrigation or using perforated containers; adding organic matter/manure to improve water retention; shading young seedlings; watering at the base of the plant rather than overhead.
Question 4
4 marksA Grade 8 learner has a small backyard measuring about 3 m by 2 m near the kitchen and wants to grow vegetables for family use. (a) State two suitable vegetable crops the learner could grow in this space. (2 marks) (b) Explain two reasons why a kitchen garden is important to a family. (2 marks)
(4 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) Any two suitable vegetables (1 mark each, max 2): kales/sukuma wiki, spinach, onions, tomatoes, managu (African nightshade), terere (amaranth), coriander/dhania, capsicum. (b) Any two reasons (1 mark each, max 2): supplies fresh nutritious vegetables for the family; saves money spent on buying vegetables; makes good use of small/idle space near the house; provides food security; uses recycled kitchen waste water/compost.
Question 5
1 markWhy should crop rotation be practised even in a small kitchen garden?
A. To make weeds grow faster
B. To increase soil erosion in the plot
C. To ensure only one type of vegetable is ever grown
D. To reduce the build-up of pests and diseases and maintain soil fertility
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 6
1 markA multi-storey (sack) garden is recommended for households with very little land MAINLY because it:
A. Grows only fruit trees
B. Requires no watering at any time
C. Allows many plants to grow in a small vertical space
D. Does not need any soil
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 7
1 markA learner in a region with limited space uses old tins, sacks and basins to grow vegetables. This type of gardening is BEST described as:
A. Container gardening
B. Zero grazing
C. Terrace farming
D. Rotational grazing
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 8
1 markMama Wanjiku wants to start a kitchen garden next to her house so she can pick fresh vegetables while cooking. Which is the MAIN advantage of a kitchen garden located near the house?
A. It replaces the need for a main farm on the homestead
B. It is used for large-scale commercial vegetable production
C. It removes the need to cook vegetables before eating
D. It provides a ready supply of fresh vegetables for household use
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 9
1 markBefore planting vegetables in a kitchen garden, mixing well-decomposed manure into the soil is important because it:
A. Makes the soil too acidic for all crops
B. Improves soil fertility and structure
C. Prevents seeds from germinating
D. Increases pests in the soil
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 10
1 markA family prepares a kitchen garden near the house and wants to use household waste to enrich the soil. Which material would be MOST suitable to add as organic manure?
A. Plastic wrappers
B. Broken glass
C. Decomposed vegetable peelings and compost
D. Used batteries
(1 mark)
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1 markNjeri notices her kitchen garden kales have holes in the leaves and small green insects underneath. The MOST appropriate first control that is safe for a home garden is:
A. Uprooting all healthy plants
B. Spraying with a home-made plant extract such as pepper or ash solution
C. Applying a large dose of chemical fertilizer
D. Adding more water to drown the pests
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 12
1 markA family establishes a backyard garden close to the kitchen door so that vegetables are within easy reach. To keep the soil fertile without buying expensive fertilizers, the agriculture teacher recommends they use kitchen waste. How should they BEST use this kitchen waste in the garden?
A. Spread plastic wrappers over the soil
B. Compost vegetable peelings and apply the compost
C. Pour soapy dishwater directly onto seedlings
D. Burn all the waste on the garden beds
(1 mark)
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3 marksExplain three activities a learner should carry out to prepare the soil before planting vegetables in a kitchen garden. (3 marks)
(3 marks)
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1 markMulching a kitchen garden with dry grass helps the vegetables MAINLY by:
A. Conserving soil moisture and suppressing weeds
B. Making the soil hotter during the day
C. Attracting more insects to the crops
D. Increasing evaporation of water
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 15
6 marksA Grade 8 learner wants to establish a kitchen garden at home using a multi-storey (sack) garden to grow vegetables such as kale (sukuma wiki) in a small space.
(a) State TWO advantages of growing vegetables in a multi-storey (sack) garden compared with an ordinary open garden. (2 marks)
(b) Describe the steps the learner would follow to fill and plant a sack garden. (4 marks)
(6 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) Any TWO advantages (1 mark each): - It uses very little space, so it suits small/urban compounds. - It allows many plants to be grown on one sack, increasing yield per area. - It is easy to water from the top and the water reaches all levels through the central stone/gravel column. - It can be moved or placed where there is enough sunlight; reduces weeding and soil erosion. (b) Steps (award up to 4 marks): 1. Fill the lower part of a sack with a mixture of fertile topsoil mixed with well-decomposed manure/compost. 2. As the soil is added, place a central column of small stones/gravel down the middle to help water drain and spread to all levels; continue adding soil and building up the gravel column to the top. 3. Make small holes/slits around the sides of the sack at intervals. 4. Plant healthy vegetable seedlings (e.g. kale) into the side holes and on the top, then water from the top through the gravel column and place the sack where it gets adequate sunlight.
Question 16
6 marksA Grade 8 learner wants to grow vegetables such as spinach and kale in a small backyard space at home where there is little flat ground but several old containers and sacks are available.
(a) Name TWO types of small-space gardening methods suitable for the learner's situation. (2 marks)
(b) Describe how the learner would prepare and use a multi-storey (sack) garden to grow the vegetables. (4 marks)
(6 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) Any TWO suitable small-space methods (1 mark each): - Multi-storey/sack garden (vertical gardening). - Container/pot gardening. - Raised-bed gardening. - Wick/bottle gardening or hanging gardens. (b) Preparing and using a multi-storey (sack) garden (4 marks): - Fill a strong sack with a mixture of fertile topsoil mixed with well-rotted manure/compost, building a central column of small stones/gravel as you fill so that water can drain and spread down the sack. - Firm the soil gently and water it. - Make holes/slits around the sides of the sack at intervals and plant vegetable seedlings (e.g. kale, spinach) into the side holes and on the top. - Water regularly through the top so the water moves down the gravel column to all plants, weed, and harvest the vegetables as they mature. (Award marks for filling with soil+manure, drainage column, making holes and planting, and watering/maintenance.)
Question 17
1 markRecycling household waste water (grey water) from washing vegetables to irrigate a kitchen garden demonstrates:
A. Pollution of the vegetables
B. Waste of clean drinking water
C. Over-fertilisation of crops
D. Wise use and conservation of water
(1 mark)
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1 markWhich practice would help a learner keep a continuous supply of vegetables from a kitchen garden throughout the season?
A. Leaving the whole garden fallow permanently
B. Planting all seeds on the same day only
C. Harvesting the entire crop before it matures
D. Staggered (successional) planting at intervals
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 19
1 markA Grade 8 learner with a small backyard space wants to grow vegetables but has very little ground area. Which gardening technique would allow her to grow many plants in a limited space?
A. Mono-cropping a large field
B. A multi-storey (sack) garden
C. Shifting cultivation
D. Leaving the land fallow
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 20
1 markWhich of these is a correct reason for thinning vegetable seedlings that have germinated too closely together?
A. To increase the number of weak plants
B. To spread diseases faster among plants
C. To reduce competition for nutrients, water and light
D. To remove all the healthy seedlings
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 21
1 markA cone garden made from soil and stones arranged in a raised mound is used to grow herbs and vegetables. Its MAIN benefit is that it:
A. Requires a tractor to construct
B. Needs no manure or soil
C. Uses vertical space and drains well for small crops
D. Can only grow cereals
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 22
1 markWhich of the following vegetables is MOST suitable for a small kitchen garden because it is fast-maturing and used frequently in the kitchen?
A. Spinach
B. Pyrethrum
C. Maize
D. Sugarcane
(1 mark)
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Create a free account to see itQuestion 23
4 marksA family living in a town has very limited land but wants to grow their own vegetables. (a) Name two space-saving gardening structures they could use. (2 marks) (b) Give two locally available materials they could use to make such a structure. (2 marks)
(4 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) Any two (1 mark each): sack/multi-storey garden; container garden; cone garden; vertical/hanging garden; tyre garden; raised bed. (b) Any two locally available materials (1 mark each): old sacks/gunny bags, used tins/basins/buckets, old tyres, plastic bottles, stones, soil, timber offcuts, wooden crates.
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