Q 01/05

Which naturalist's last scientific book, published months before his death, was a study of earthworms?

A) Gregor Mendel

B) Charles Darwin

C) Carl Linnaeus

D) Alfred Russel Wallace

Answer · why

B) Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin called it a small book of little moment, yet it sold thousands of copies within weeks of going on sale in October 1881.

Q 02/05

A no-dig garden bed built by stacking wet paper, compost and other layers is nicknamed after which Italian dish?

A) Lasagna

B) Risotto

C) Tiramisu

D) Minestrone

Answer · why

A) Lasagna

Lasagna gardening needs no spade: the bottom layer kills the plants already growing there and suppresses weeds while everything above rots into soil.

Q 03/05

Which kitchen leftover does the EPA say to keep out of backyard compost because it can attract animals?

A) Coffee grounds

B) Eggshells

C) Fruit peels

D) Meat and bones

Answer · why

D) Meat and bones

Meat and bones sit on the avoid list with fish and dairy, partly because a backyard pile rarely gets hot enough to break them down fully.

Q 04/05

Which worms, native to Europe and found on every continent except Antarctica, are the usual choice for home worm bins?

A) Marine ragworms

B) Mealworms

C) Red wigglers

D) Flatworms

Answer · why

C) Red wigglers

Red wigglers thrive in rotting vegetation instead of deep soil, and their species name fetida, meaning foul-smelling, comes from the pungent liquid th...

Q 05/05

According to the EPA's rule of thumb, a healthy compost pile should feel about as damp as which of these?

A) A dripping wet towel

B) A wrung-out sponge

C) Dry beach sand

D) Thick, sticky mud

Answer · why

B) A wrung-out sponge

A wrung-out sponge is the target because microbes need water to stay active, while a soggy pile loses its air pockets and starts to smell.