| Glossary of Terms |
| ACID SOIL | A soil lacking in lime and below the PH level of 6.5. Such soils can be adjusted with dressings of lime - If required. |
| ACRE | A measure of land totaling 43,560 square feet. |
| ALKALINE SOIL | Soil having a pH above 7.0, usually found where limestone is present and/or rainfall is sparse. |
| ANNUAL | A plant that grows from seed, matures, and produces seed all in one year or season. An annual is a plant that is grown for a single season. The term includes plants that complete their life cycle, flower, and produce seeds within a year. It also includes tender perennials, plants that live for years in climates where there is no frost, but die wherever freezing occurs, an example is the geranium. These plants can sometimes be brought indoors through the winter and replanted outdoors the next summer. Some plants are said to be half hardy, that is they will survive very light freezing. Annuals are often reproduced by planting their seeds. They are also available as small plants ready for transplanting in the springtime.They can be purchased at garden centers as individual plants or very inexpensively in six packs. Many varieties and colors are available then.
A plant that lives for one year. An annual, is sown ,grown, and flowers all in the same year. Then dies after flowering. Marigolds for instance, are sown as seed in March/April, grow into little plants and May/June, flower from June-September, then dies! |
| AQUATIC | Growing in or living in or upon the water. |
| BARE ROOT | Refers to deciduous shrubs and trees, and some other perennials, with all the soil removed from their roots |
| BIENNIAL | A plant that usually only lives two years, usually producing flowers and seed the second year. Biennials take two years to complete their life cycles. Typically, they do not flower and produce seeds until the second year. They are not as common in the garden as annuals or perennials. For instance, Foxgloves, forget-me-nots, etc., usually seed themselves in the soil right after flowering then grow as small plants until the autumn, over-winter, and flower in the next year. Once a Biennial flowers and seeds itself, the plant dies and leaves the new seedlings to grow. |
| BLANCHING | A process of excluding light from a plant to keep it from turning green. Usually used on veggies like endive,asparagus,cauliflower,& leeks. |
| BLOOM | The state or time of flowering; a flower or blossom. |
| BLUFF | A high steep bank or cliff. |
| BOG | Wet,spongy ground; small marsh or swamp. |
| BONE MEAL | A great fertilizer used for its high phosphorus content,usually upwards of 30 percent. Most will also contain 1 to 2 percent Nitrogen. |
| BOTANICAL NAME | The latin or "scientific" name of a plant,usually composed of two words,the genus and the species. |
| BOTANY | The science that deals with plants, their structure, growth, and classifications. |
| BOTTOM HEAT | Is the undersurface heat provided in the soil by electric cables or hot water pipes. |
| BRAMBLE | Any prickly shrub of the rose family, such as Blackberry, raspberry, etc.. |
| BULB | A term commonly used for a whole category of spring-or-summer-blooming perennial plants. |
| CALLA | A plant of the arum family, with a large white leaf surrounding a yellow flower spike. |
| CAROTENE | The yellow pigment found in many fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, corn, bananas,etc..Also the yellow found in flowers such as Buttercups and Daffodils. It changes into Vitamin A once inside the body. |
| CATNIP | A plant of the mint family with bluish flowers, most cats LOVE its scent. |
| CHARD | A kind of beet whose large leaves and thick stalks are very tasty. |
| CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS | Chemical fertilizers are manufactured chemicals designed to give a boost to plant growth and supply nutrients that are lacking. Usually the most important of these are nitrogen. Nitrogen (N) is important for leaf growth. Phosphorous (P) is needed for root health. Potash (K) is used in flower development. These are the primary chemicals in "complete" fertilizers. Often, small amounts of other chemicals such as sulfur, iron, magnesium, also are included. |
| CHICORY | A plant with blue flowers whose leaves are used in salads. |
| CHIVE | An herb in the onion family, with small, hollow leaves used to flavor soups, stews, salads,etc.. |
| CHLOROPHYLL | The green pigment in leaves. When present and healthy usually dominates all other pigments. |
| CLAY SOILS | Soils made mostly of clay are called heavysoils and are much harder to dig. The clay particles clump together, andclay becomes hard when dried out. Clay has more nutrients than sand, and clay soils are usuallymore fertile. Clay holds moisture rather than letting it drain away assand will do, about four time as much. However, roots have a harder timegrowing through clay, and clay has less air space. In spring, clay soils warm slowly since they are denser and usually contain more moisture. |
| CLIMATE | Climate is the usual seasonal range of temperatures, types and amount of precipitation, wind, cloud cover, etc. Climate is weather over a long period of time, years or decades. Climate changes are relatively slow. For gardeners, climate controls what type of plants can be grown. The length of the growing season is one important factor. |
| COMPOSIT | A large group of plants having flower heads consisting of clusters of small flowers. |
| COMPOST | A mixture of decomposing elements used for fertilizing soil. The original compost, was the stuff that was stuck in a corner of the garden to rot down! We now like to call that the compost heap. Household and other organic waste is placed layer on layer - sometimes with an chemical accelerator (!) to give a lovely rich 'compost' suitable for either digging into the garden, or spreading round shrubs etc as a mulch. |
| CONIFER | A large group of cone-bearing trees and shrubs,(mostly evergreens). |
| COREOPSIS | Any of a group of plants of the composite family, with daisy-like flowers. |
| CORIANDER | A European plant,(Herb) of the carrot family. |
| CUTTING | A piece of a plant (leaf, stem or root) which can be used to produce a new plant. |
| CUTTING BACK | Similar to pruning! But normally done to gain space. Pruning is better!! |
| DAFFODIL | A spring flowering bulb in the narcissus family with long, narrow leaves and usually yellow or white flowers. |
| DAMPING DOWN | On hot days in greenhouse, Spray benches and floor with water. Increases humidity and lowers the temperature. |
| DAMPING OFF | Decay of young seedlings at ground level following fungal attack. Often the result of soil borne diseases and over watering. |
| DANDELION | A common wild growing weed with yellow flowers, and jagged, edible leaves. |
| DEAD-HEAD | The process of pinching off used or spent blooms in order for the plant to continue to bloom continuously. Dead-Heading - Removing the old and faded flowers often promotes a longer flowering season/new flowers etc. |
| DECIDUOUS | Something that will shed its leaves annually in the fall and/or winter. |
| DEEP SHADE | A plant needing deep shade would suffer from any significant amount of direct sun. Often these are planted on the north side of structures or close under trees or shrubs with very dense foliage. |
| DEHISCE | To burst open; as a seed pod to discharge its contents. |
| DIBBLE | A pointed tool used to make holes in the soil for seeds, bulbs, or young plants. |
| DIOECIOUS | Plants that have flowers of only one sex per plant. |
| DISBUDDING | Removing side buds normally on Chrysanthemums and Dahlias etc to ensure the all growth resources go into making a large main flower. |
| DISEASE | Fungus or Virus infection. Does not include pests. |
| DIVIDE | The process of splitting up plants, roots and all that have began to get bound together. This will make several plants from one plant and needs to be done to mature perennials every 3 to 4 years. |
| DIVISION | A method of propagating plants by separating each one into two or more sections and then replanting. |
| DROUGHT | Prolonged dry weather. |
| ENDOPHYTE | A plant that lives inside the tissues of another plant. |
| EPIPHYTE | A plant that grows on another plant but gets its nourishment from the air; an air plant. |
| EVERGREEN | Having green leaves throughout the entire year. A plant that keeps its leaves through the winter. The leaves are usually leathery, glossy to varying degrees. Most houseplants are also evergreens! Some perennials are also evergreen but not the herbaceous ones. |
| F1 HYBRID | A first-generation hybrid produced by cross-pollinating two compatible parent plants. |
| FALLOW | Land plowed but not seeded for one or more seasons, (to enrich soil and kill weeds). |
| FERTILIZE | To make fertile, fruitful, and productive; to amend the soil in order to improve the quality or quantity of plant growth. |
| FLAT | A shallow box or tray used to start cuttings or seedlings. |
| FORCE | Induce a plant to grow,bloom, or set fruit out of its natural season. |
| FRIABLE | Term describing soil that crumbles readily and is easy to work. |
| FROND | The leaf-like, spore-bearing organ of a fern; a particular type of leaf, especially of the palm family. |
| FULL SUN | A plant that is described as needing full sun needs more than six hours of unobstructed sunlight each day. These plants often do best on the south or west side of a house. |
| FUNGICIDE | Kills diseases - not pests (Or viruses) Usually applied as a spray, though sometimes a dust. |
| GENUS | Group of related plant species that share many common characteristics and are believed to have evolved from the same ancestor. |
| GERMINATION | The first stage in the development of a plant from seed; to start developing or growing; sprout or cause to sprout from seed. |
| GINSENG | An herb with a thick, forked, aromatic root that is used medicinally. |
| GRAFTING | The process of joining a stem or bud of one plant on to the stem of another. |
| GRUB | To clear ground of roots by digging them up; uproot. |
| HABITAT | A native environment; where something is ordinarily found. |
| HACKBERRY | An american tree of the Elm family, with small cherry like fruit. |
| HALF SHADE | Plants that do best in half shade benefit from some shade for half the day, typically they do best if the receive unobstructed sun in the mornings, but have shade during the hotter afternoons. Often these plants would do best if planted on the east side of a house. Another term often used is partial shade. |
| HARDENING OFF | Gradual acclimatization to colder conditions. Usually used when talking about transplanting of greenhouse plants or seedlings. Can be as simple as moving outside into a protected area for a short time, to more involved methods. The process of gradually acclimating greenhouse or indoor grown plants to outdoor growing conditions. |
| HARDINESS | The ability of a plant to withstand low temperatures without artificial protection. |
| HARROW | A heavy frame with spikes, used for leveling and breaking up plowed ground and covering seeds |
| HARVEST | The gathering of a crop; the time of year when the crops are reaped and gathered. |
| HEALING-IN | Temporarily planting a bare root tree or shrub to keep the roots from drying out until it can be planted in its permanent location. |
| HEIRLOOM | Heirloom are open-pollinated plants that must have a history of their own and have been grown for at least 50 years. For many reasons, including flavor, vigor and local hardiness, these have become favorites. |
| HEMLOCK | A poisonous weed of the carrot family, with small, white flowers and finely divided leaves. |
| HERBACEOUS | Nothing to do with herbs! Simply plants that die down in winter, to sprout forth the following spring. |
| HERBS | One of a range of plants associated with cooking, medicinal healing - or sometimes illegal killing! (Agatha Christie fans will be aware!) NOT ALL herbs are for the POT!!! I once found a foxglove (Digitalis herb) being sold in the culinary herb section of a well known garden centre. Digitalin - from a foxglove - can be lethal. The garden centre assistant, thought he would add a bit of interest to the herb section, by topping it up from the perennials! Any seed plant whose stem withers away annually: any such plant used as medicine, seasoning, etc.. |
| HUMUS | The brown or black organic part of the soil, resulting from the partial decay of leaves and other matter. |
| HYBRID | The offspring of two plants of different species; anything of mixed origin. Hybrids are engineered by humans to exhibit special qualities. Hybrid seed will not be true therefore it isn't suitable for seed saving. |
| HYDROPONICS | The science of growing in miniral solutions instead of in soil. |
| INDEHISCENT | Not opening at maturity to discharge its seeds. |
| INDIGO | A plant of the pea family that yields a blue dye. |
| INORGANIC | Something man-made! Most sprays on the garden centre shelf are man-made sprays - after years of research. |
| INSECTICIDE | Kills Pests - Not diseases. Usually applied as a spray or sometimes as a dust. |
| INTERNODE | That portion of the stem between the places where two successive leaves are attached. |
| LAUREL | An evergreen tree or shrub with large, glossy, aromatic leaves, (also called the Bay Tree). |
| LEEK | A vegetable related to the onion but of milder flavor, with long, broad, succulent leaves. |
| LEGGY | Abnormally tall and spindly growth. |
| LICHEN | A group of mosslike plants, such as Algae and Fungi, that grows in patches on rocks and tree trunks. |
| LIGHT SHADE | Plants growing best in light shade prefer less than three hours a day of direct sun, typically they would prefer direct sun only during the cooler parts of the day. During the rest of the day, they would benefit from dappled shade or the kind of open shade that one has under a large tree that has no limbs close to the ground. Of course, different trees have varying densities of shade. When a plant description says, "does well in shade "it usually refers to light shade. Gardeners should be aware that shade varies from month to month as the angle of the sun changes. Also trees that lose their leaves may have little shade beneath them in the spring but dense shade in July. |
| LIMY SOIL | A soil with traces of calcium/lime. Difficult to adjust in the long term. Grow plants that do not need acid condition. |
| LOAM | A rich soil composed of clay, sand, and organic matter; any rich,dark soil. Loam is the term for a soil that has a favorable mix of sand and clay. It falls in between in most soil characteristics. It cultivates moderately well and is moderately fertile, depending on the amount of organic material. Loam also holds moisture well. All in all, most gardeners prefer to garden in loam or sandy loam, it avoids the problems the other types of soil pose. However all soils can be improved. |
| LOBLOLLY | A thick-barked Pine tree native to the southern U.S. that is often found in or around swamps. |
| LOCO-WEED | Certain plants of the pea family which causes Loco-Disease in cattle that eat it. (Found in western U.S.) |
| LOVE APPLE | What some people call the tomato. |
| MICROCLIMATE | Most yards provide a variety of environments for growing plants. A southern exposure has sun all day. A northern exposure may get no direct sun at all. Eastern exposures tend to provide shelter from the hottest rays of the sun. Trees, fences, houses, and other structures provide localized shade. These shady areas change in shape as the sun migrates through the day and through the seasons. Structures, trees, and shrubs also change the wind flow. They will block wind from some areas and funnel it into others. Houses and fences will block rainfall in some spots but concentrate precipitation in others. Down spouts from gutters will flood a spot during a rain. A sloping landscape also affects plants. Soil on a slope drainsmore quickly, but moisture accumulates at the base. A south facing slopeis warmer than a flat landscape. A north facing slope gets less sun and warms more slowly in the spring. Trees and shrubs will compete strongly for nutrients in thesoil as well as moisture. Their thick roots can out compete many garden plants. |
| MULCH | Organic or inorganic covering laid over garden soil to discourage weeds and slow evaporation of moisture from the soil. |
| NATIVE PLANT | A plant that occurs naturally in a specific region or locality. |
| NEUTRAL | Soil with a pH of 7.0, that is neither acid nor alkaline. |
| NODE | That part of a stem from which a leaf starts to grow. |
| NPK | N= Nitrogen P=Phosphorous and K=Potash The three main food elements necessary for plant life. Basically, Nitrogen is required for foliage and growth, whilst Phosphorous and Potash are required for Flowers and Roots. |
| NUTRIENT | Any substance which a plant can use as food. |
| OPEN POLLINATION | Refers to seeds produced from plants which are allowed to pollinate primarily through insects, wind and water. Open-pollinated varieties of the same species often need to be isolated from each other to prevent cross-pollination if seeds are to be saved. Open-pollinated plants, managed carefully, will produce offspring with reliable characteristics, allowing seeds to be saved and grown out year after year, generation after generation. |
| ORGANIC FERTILIZER | Varied explanations for this. An organic fertiliser is basically made from something that was alive and is now - to all intents and purposes - Dead! For instance, Bonemeal, Dried Blood, Fish-Blood & Bone. Manure (Was once a live plant - or even animal!!) Organic Bug Killers and Pest controls are based upon 'natural' derivatives. Pyrethrum - an insecticide - started life as one of the chrysanthemum family. Organic gardening, is a form of gardening that uses all of the above and more, but does NOT use any synthetic materials - in theory! Therefore if you do NOTHING to your garden, you can claim to be an Organic Gardener. (Takes tongue out of cheek now.)
Improve the soil's growing capacity by the addition of natural materials such as manure or compost. Organic fertilizers include the same minerals as chemical fertilizers but in smaller quantites that are released to the soil more slowly. Organic fertilizers have additional benefits such as improving the soil's texture and water holding capacity as well as nuturing micro-organisms important for a soil's overall capacity for growing plants. |
| OVULE | The part of the plant which develops into a seed. |
| PERENNIAL | A plant that dies down to the ground during winter and survives to grow again each spring; a plant with a life cycle more than Two years. Perennials A perennial is a plant that survives more than two seasons. It is generally grown as a nearly permanent fixture in a garden and typically grows as a clump that expands outward through time. Perennials often die back to the roots in winter. Whether a plant is a perennial in a particular area depends on the local climate. The length and severity of the winter is the prime factor, particularly how deep the ground freezes. New perennials are typically made by dividing the clumps though some grow easily from seeds. Dividing clumps creates new plants and helps keep the old clump growing and flowering vigorously. Perennials can be obtained from garden centers and by mail order. Chose the species, variety and color carefully since they are more expensive than annuals and are replaced less often.
Most perennials have fairly short bloom seasons, typically two to four weeks. It is common practice to grow annuals and perennials together to provide color throughout the growing season. Growing a variety of perennials with different blooming seasons is another strategy. Perennial - A plant that lives for many years. tender perennials need protection in winter; Hardy perennials can stay outside all year round. Most Hardy Perennials die down to ground level in winter, and sprout forth in the spring. |
| PEST | An insect such as an aphid (Greenfly. Blackfly) Red Spider, Caterpillars, Slugs etc. that can be killed with an insecticide. |
| PH | A measurment of soil's acidity or alkalinity.- 7.0 is neutral, readings above 7.0 are alkaine, and below 7.0 are acid. PH - Is a scale used to denote the acidity or alkalinity (lime content) of a garden soil or growing compost. 6.5ph is considered to be 'neutral' and supports most plant life. A ph level of 6 is on the acid side and will be a good home to members of the Rhododendron family (Heathers, Camellias, Pieris, Kalmia etc etc etc) As the ph level gets higher, then the range of plants which can be grown reduces quite dramatically. Members of the cabbage (Brassica) family are quite happy at the higher levels (Wallflowers, cabbage, sprouts, etc etc). |
| PHOTOSYNTHESIS | The formation of carbohydrates in plants from water and carbon dioxide, by the action of sunlight on the Chlorophyll. |
| PISTIL | The seed-bearing organ of a flower, consisting of the ovary, stigma, and style. |
| PITH | The soft, spongy tissue in the center of certain plant stems. |
| PLUG | A small but well-rooted seedling raised in a cellular tray. |
| PRICKING OUT | Transplanting small seedlings into larger trays or containers. |
| PROPOGATION | Method of increasing the number of plants by dividing roots, layering or start from cuttings. |
| PRUNING | Reducing the growth on a shrub/tree to promote new flowers, stems or foliage. Also for cosmetic reasons. |
| RECEPTACLE | That part of the stalk from which the flower grows. |
| RELATIVE HUMIDITY | A measurement of the amount of moisture in the atmosphere. |
| RHIZOME | An underground stem, capable of storing food, and from which roots and stems of new plants can emerge. A horizontal, rootlike stem under or along the ground, which usually sends leafy shoots from its upper surface. |
| SANDY SOIL | Are lighter and are easier to dig. The grains make the clumps looser and they fall apart more easily. Sandy soils have fewer nutrients for plants to use and fertilizers wash through the soil more easily. It has more air spaces due to the granular nature of the soil so that plant roots can penetrate more easily. In the spring, sandy soils warm more quickly; however, water drains quickly as well. Since it holds water poorly, gardens in sand need more frequent watering. |
| SCION | A shoot or bud of a plant, used for grafting. |
| SEED PODS | The hardened protective shell that contains the maturing seeds of a plant. |
| SEEDLING | A young plant grown from seed; also a "start." |
| SELF-POLLINATION | The process by which a flower is fertilized by its own pollen. |
| SEPAL | Any of the leaf divisions of a plant. |
| SOIL | Soil is the naturally occurring element in which garden plants are rooted. It is made up of several elements, including rock that has been broken up or weathered to a point of becoming grains of sand or even smaller. Many soils get their character from the parent rock that was their main source. The weathering of rock involves not just breaking down the bedrock into smaller and smaller fragments, but also of chemical changes that occur in some of the minerals of the rock. Generally, some rocks break down to produce sandy soils while other types of rock produce clay soils. This process can take centuries. Living organisms can also greatly modify and improve soil. Good garden soils are a complex community of micro-organisms and includes larger creatures such as earthworms and insects. The living part of the soil does such things as take fallen tree leaves and break them down so their nutrients can be recycled and reused by plants. A rich soil is crawling with biological activity. |
| SPERMATOPHYTE | Any seed-bearing plant. |
| STAMEN | A pollen-bearing organ in a flower. |
| STIGMA | The upper tip of the pistil of a flower, receiving the pollen. |
| SUCKER | A shoot which arises from an underground shoot or root of a plant. |
| TANNIN | The brown pigment found in leaves and stems,usually the weakest of all pigments and only visible in fall and winter as other pigments have left. |
| TEMPERATURES | Plants have a limit as to how cold a temperature they can survive. Most annuals die if exposed to freezing weather. Perennials usually die back to the roots during winter, but perennial roots will die if the freeze exceeds a limit specific to the type of plan. |
| TENDRIL | A threadlike part of a climbing plant, serving to support it by clinging to an object. |
| THATCH | Layer of dead stems and leaves that can build up at the base of the turf in a lawn faster than the material can decay- it hinders the passage of water and fertilizers to the soil beneath. |
| THINNING | Removal of seedlings to encourage better size and quality in the remainder. |
| TRANSPLANT | A seedling that grows its first "true leaves," which resemble the adult plant leaves rather than the "seed leaves" that first appear. |
| TRUE LEAF | The first hardy leaves, usually the second pair, on a new plant. |
| TUBER | Are short, underground stem tissue with growing points, buds or "eyes" as in a potato. Tubers can be flat, rounded or irregular in shape. |
| UMBEL | A cluster of flowers with stalks of nearly equal length which spring from about the same point. |
| VARIEGATED | Plant whose leaves are irregularly marked with a second color, most often yellow,ivory,or white. |
| VARIETY | One of possibly many closely-related plant species. The variety name is usually in Latin. |
| VERMICULITE | Lightweight,water-absorbent material used in potting mixtures and manufactored from heat-expanded mica. |
| WEATHER | Weather is the day-to-day or even minute-by-minute atmospheric conditions of temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind, cloud cover, pollution, etc.. |
| WEED | Any undesired, uncultivated plant that grows where it is not wanted,as to crowd out a desired crop. |
| WHIP | A young, unbranched tree. |
| ZONE | Regions that share similar climatic and rainfall conditions producing similar growing seasons. |
