| acid soil |
A soil with a pH
lower than 7.0 is an acid soil. (a soil pH higher than 7.0 is alkaline)
Basically, pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in
your soil. |
| acre |
A measure of land
totaling 43,560 square feet. A square acre is 208.75 feet on each side. |
| aerate |
Loosening or
puncturing the soil to increase water penetration. |
| air layering |
A specialized
method of plant propagation accomplished by cutting into the bark of the
plant to induce new roots to form. |
| alkaline soil |
A soil with a pH
higher than 7.0 is an alkaline soil. (a soil pH lower than 7.0 is
acidic) Basically, pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium)
contained in your soil. |
| annuals |
Plants whose life
cycle lasts only one year, from seed to blooms to seed. |
| arboretum |
A garden with a
large collection of trees and shrubs cultivated for scientific or
educational purposes. |
| Aquatic plants |
Plants which grow
in, live in, or live on the water. |
| bare root |
Plants offered for
sale which have had all of the soil removed from their roots. |
| bedding plant |
Plants (mainly
annuals), nursery grown and suitable for growing in beds. Quick,
colorful flowers. |
| biennial |
A plant that
usually only lives two years, normally producing flowers and seed the
second year. |
| bolting |
Vegetables which
quickly go to flower rather than producing the food crop. Usually caused
by late planting and too warm temperatures. |
| bonsai |
The art of growing
carefully trained, dwarf plants in containers. |
| botanical name |
The Latin or
"scientific" name of a plant, usually composed of two words, the genus
and the species. |
| bract |
Modified leaves
growing just below a flower. Often confused with the flower itself. |
| bud |
Early stages of
development of a flower or plant growth. |
| bulb |
The thickened
underground storage organ of the group of perennials which includes
daffodils and tulips. |
| cambium |
The thin membrane
located just beneath the bark of a plant. |
| catkin |
A slender, spike
like, drooping flower cluster. |
| chlorophyll |
The green pigment
in leaves. When present and healthy usually dominates all other
pigments. |
| complete fertilizer |
A plant food which
contains all three of the primary elements... nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium. |
| compost |
An organic soil
amendment resulting from the decomposition of organic matter. |
| conifer |
A cone bearing
tree with tiny needlelike leaves. |
| corm |
A thickened
underground stem which produces roots, leaves and flowers during the
growing season. |
| cover crop |
A crop which is
planted in the absence of the normal crop to control weeds and add humus
to the soil when it is plowed in prior to regular planting. |
| crown |
The point at which
a plants roots and top join. (usually at soil level) |
| cultivate |
Process of
breaking up the soil surface, removing weeds, and preparing for
planting. |
| cuttings |
A method of
propagation using sections of stems, roots or leaves. |
| damping off |
A fungus, usually
affecting seedlings and causes the stem to rot off at soil level.
Sterilized potting soil and careful sanitation practices usually prevent
this. |
| dead head |
The process of
pinching off used or spent blooms to keep the plants well groomed and to
prevent them from setting seed. This will promote continued bloom. |
| dibble stick |
A pointed tool
used to make holes in the soil for seeds, bulbs, or young plants. |
| dethatch |
Process of
removing dead stems that build up beneath lawn grasses. |
| dividing |
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 usually
should be done to mature perennials every 3 to 4 years. |
| dormancy |
The yearly cycle
in a plants life when growth slows and the plant rests. Fertilizing
should be withheld when a plant is in dormancy. |
| double digging |
Preparing the soil
by systematically digging an area to the depth of two shovels. |
| double flower |
A flower with many
overlapping petals which gives it a very full appearance. |
| drip line |
The circle which
would exist if you drew a line below the tips of the outer most branches
of a tree or plant. |
| epiphyte |
A plant which
grows on another plant but gets its nourishment from the air and
rainfall. They do no damage to the host plant. |
| erosion |
The wearing away,
washing away, or removal of soil by wind, water or man. |
| espalier |
Process of
training a tree or shrub so its branches grow in a flat pattern. |
| evergreen |
A plant which
never loses all of it's leaves at one time. |
| eye |
An undeveloped bud
growth which will ultimately produce new growth. |
| evaporation |
Process by which
water returns to the air. Higher temperatures speed the process of
evaporation. |
| fertilizer |
Organic or
inorganic plant foods which may be either liquid or granular used 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. |
| foliar feeding |
Fertilizer applied
in liquid form to the plants foliage in a fine spray. |
| forcing |
The process of
hastening a plants growth to maturity or bloom. |
| frond |
The term used to
describe the branch and leaf structure of a fern or members of the palm
family. |
| frost |
The condensation
and freezing of moisture in the air. Tender plants will suffer extensive
damage or die when exposed to frost. |
| germinate |
The process of the
sprouting of a seed. |
| girdling |
The choking of a
branch by a wire or other material, most often in the stems of woody
plants that have been tied to tightly to a stake or support. |
| grafting |
The uniting of a
short length of stem of one plant onto the root stock of a different
plant. This is often done to produce a hardier or more disease resistant
plant. |
| ground cover |
A group of plants
usually used to cover bare earth and create a uniform appearance. |
| growing season |
The number of days
between the average date of the last killing frost in spring and the
first killing frost in fall. Vegetables and certain plants require a
minimum number of days to reach maturity, so be sure your growing season
is long enough. |
| hardening off |
The process of
gradually acclimatizing greenhouse or indoor grown plants to outdoor
growing conditions. |
| hardpan |
The impervious
layer of soil or clay lying beneath the topsoil. |
| hardiness |
The ability of a
plant to withstand low temperatures or frost, without artificial
protection. |
| heading back |
Cutting an older
branch or stem back to a stub or twig. |
| heeling in |
Temporarily
setting a plant into a shallow trench and covering the roots with soil
to provide protection until it is ready to be permanently planted. |
| herbaceous |
Describes a plant
with soft rather than woody tissues. |
| honeydew |
The sticky
secretion produced by sucking insects such as aphids. |
| 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 or varieties of plants. Hybrids are
created when the pollen from one kind of plant is used to pollinate and
entirely different variety, resulting in a new plant altogether. |
| hydroponics |
The science of
growing plants in mineral solutions or liquid, instead of in soil. |
| I |
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| J |
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| K |
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| lath |
In gardening, an
overhead structure of evenly spaced slats of wood or other materials
used to create shade. |
| layering |
A method of
propagation, by which a branch of a plant is rooted while still attached
to the plant by securing it to the soil with a piece of wire or other
means.. |
| leaching |
The removal or
loss of excess salts or nutrients from soil. The soil around over
fertilized plants can be leached clean by large quantities of fresh
water used to 'wash' the soil. Areas of extremely high rainfall
sometimes lose the nutrients from the soil by natural leaching. |
| leaf mold |
Partially
decomposed leaf matter, used as a soil amendment. |
| loam |
A rich soil
composed of clay, sand, and organic matter. |
| manure |
Organic matter,
excreted by animals, which is used as a soil amendment and fertilizer.
Green manures are plant cover crops which are tilled into the soil. |
| microclimate |
Variations of the
climate within a given area, usually influenced by hills, hollows,
structures or proximity to bodies of water. (i.e. when it's raining at
your house, and the sun is shining on the other side of the street) |
| micro nutrients |
Mineral elements
which are needed by some plants in very small quantities. If the plants
you are growing require specific 'trace elements' and they are not
available in the soil, they must be added. |
| mulch |
Any loose material
placed over the soil to control weeds and conserve soil moisture.
Usually this is a coarse organic matter, such as leaves, clippings or
bark, but plastic sheeting and other commercial products can also be
used. |
| native plant |
Any plant that
occurs and grows naturally in a specific region or locality. |
| naturalize |
To plant randomly,
without a pattern. The idea is to create the effect that the plants grew
in that space without man's help, such as you would find wild flowers
growing. |
| node |
The part of a stem
from which a leaf or new branch starts to grow. |
| organic gardening |
The method of
gardening utilizing only materials derived from living things. (i.e.
composts and manures) |
| organic material |
Any material which
originated as a living organism. (i.e. peat moss, compost, manure) |
| parasitic plant |
A plant which
lives on, and acquires it's nutrients from another plant. This often
results in declined vigor or death of the host plant. |
| peat moss |
The partially
decomposed remains of various mosses. This is a good, water retentive
addition to the soil, but tends to add the acidity of the soil pH. |
| perennial |
A non woody plant
which grows and lives for more than two years. Perennials usually
produce one flower crop each year, lasting anywhere from a week to a
month or longer. |
| perlite |
A mineral, which
when expanded by a heating process forms light granules. Perlite is a
good addition to container potting mixes, to promote moisture retention
while allowing good drainage. |
| pest |
Any insect or
animal which is detrimental to the health and well being of plants or
other animals. |
| photosynthesis |
The internal
process by which a plant turns sunlight into growing energy. The
formation of carbohydrates in plants from water and carbon dioxide, by
the action of sunlight on the Chlorophyll within the leaves. |
| pinching back |
Utilizing the
thumb and forefinger to nip back the very tip of a branch or stem.
Pinching promotes branching, and a bushier, fuller plant |
| pistil |
The seed-bearing
organ of a flower, consisting of the ovary, stigma, and style. |
| pollination |
The transfer of
pollen from the stamen (male part of the flower) to the pistil (female
part of the flower), which results in the formation of a seed. Hybrids
are created when the pollen from one kind of plant is used to pollinate
and entirely different variety, resulting in a new plant altogether. |
| potting soil |
A soil mixture
designed for use in container gardens and potted plants. Potting mixes
should be loose, light, and sterile. |
| propagation |
Various methods of
starting new plants ranging from starting seeds to identical clones
created by cuttings or layering. |
| pruning |
The cutting and
trimming of plants to remove dead or injured wood, or to control and
direct the new growth of a plant. |
| pH |
Basically, pH is a
measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil. A soil
with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acid soil, a soil pH higher than 7.0 is
alkaline soil. Soil pH can be tested with an inexpensive test kit. |
| Q |
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| rhizome |
A modified plant
stem which grows horizontally, under the surface of the soil. New growth
then emerges from different points of the rhizome. Irises and some lawn
grasses are rhizome plants. |
| root ball |
The network of
roots along with the attached soil, of any given plant. |
| root bound |
A condition which
exists when a potted plant has outgrown its container. The roots become
entangled and matted together, and the growth of the plant becomes
stunted. When repotting, loosen the roots on the outer edges of the root
ball, to induce them to once again grow outward. |
| rooting hormone |
A powder of liquid
growth hormone, used to promote the development of roots on a cutting. |
| runner |
A slender stem
growing out from the base of some plants, which terminates with a new
offset plant. The new plant may be severed from the parent after it has
developed sufficient roots. |
| relative humidity |
The measurement of
the amount of moisture in the atmosphere. |
| scion |
A short length of
stem, taken from one plant which is then grafted onto the rootstock of
another plant. |
| single flower |
A flower having
only a minimum number of petals for that variety of plant. |
| soil pH |
Basically, pH is a
measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil. A soil
with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acid soil, a soil pH higher than 7.0 is
alkaline soil. Soil pH can be tested with an inexpensive test kit. |
| sphagnum |
A bog moss which
is collected and composted. Most peat moss is composed primarily of
sphagnum moss. This moss is also packaged and sold in a fresh state, and
used for lining hanging baskets and air layering. |
| spore |
The reproductive
cell of ferns, fungi and mosses. (these plants do not produce seeds) |
| staking |
The practice of
driving a stake into the ground next to, and as a support for a plant.
When attaching the plant to the stake, be sure that it is tied loosely
so it doesn't strangle the stem. When staking a potted plant, the stake
should be set into the planter before the plant is added. |
| sucker |
A growth
originating from the rootstock of a grafted plant, rather than the
desired part of the plant. Sucker growth should be removed, so it
doesn't draw energy from the plant. |
| systemic |
A chemical which
is absorbed directly into a plants system to either kill feeding insects
on the plant, or to kill the plant itself. |
| tap root |
The main, thick
root growing straight down from a plant. (not all plants have tap roots) |
| tender plants |
Plants which are
unable to endure frost or freezing temperatures. |
| tendril |
The twisting,
clinging, slender growth on many vines, which allows the plant to attach
themselves to a support or trellis. |
| thatch |
The layer of dead
stems that builds up under many lawn grasses. Thatch should be removed
periodically to promote better water and nutrient penetration into the
soil. |
| thinning |
Removing excess
seedlings, to allow sufficient room for the remaining plants to grow.
Thinning also refers to removing entire branches from a tree or shrub,
to give the plant a more open structure. |
| topiary |
A method of
pruning and training certain plants into formal shapes such as animals. |
| topsoil |
The top layer of
native soil. This term may also apply to good quality soil sold at
nurseries and garden centers. |
| transpiration |
The release of
moisture through the leaves of a plant. |
| transplanting |
The process of
digging up a plant and moving it to another location. |
| tuber |
A flat underground
stem which stores food and plant energy and from which a plant grows.
(e.g. Dahlias) |
| U |
|
| variegated |
Leaves which are
marked with multiple colors. |
| vermiculite |
The mineral 'mica'
which has been heated to the point of expansion. A good addition to
container potting mixes, vermiculite retains moisture and air within the
soil. |
| W |
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| Y |
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| X |
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| Z |
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