Learn How 2 Garden

Glossary of Gardening Terms

When you are new to gardening (and also when you are not!) there are a lot of garden terms that sound complicated or confusing. Below is a list of common gardening terms and an explanation of what they mean.

A B C D E F G H I L M N O P R S T V W X Z

Acidic: This refers to a soil, compost, or liquid that is acidic. It is measured on what is called a pH scale. Acidic is between 0 and 7 (on a scale of 0 to14) where 0 is very acidic and 7 is neutral. Gardeners may also refer to acidic soil as “sour” soil. The opposite of acidic is alkaline which has a pH between 7 and 14 where 14 is most alkaline. Gardeners may also refer to alkaline soil as “sweet” soil. It is important to know this as some plants will only grow in acidic soil and others will only grow in alkaline soil.
Aeration: This is any method of loosening soil or compost to let air get in between the soil particles. This is important for drainage and healthy plant growth as the roots require both oxygen and water to thrive. Over-watering can drive the air out of the soil and kill the plant by effectively drowning it.
Aerobic: Aerobic relates to, involves, requires, oxygen or air. It also describes organisms that only live or occur when oxygen is present.
Alkaline: This refers to a soil, compost, or liquid that is alkaline. It is measured on what is called a pH scale. Alkaline is between 7 and 14 (on a scale of 0 to14) where 14 is very alkaline and 7 is neutral. Gardeners may also refer to alkaline soil as “sweet” soil. The opposite of alkaline is acidic which has a pH between 0 and 7 where 0 is most acidic. Gardeners may also refer to acidic soil as “sour” soil. It is important to know this as some plants will only grow in acidic soil and others will only grow in alkaline soil.
Amending: This is a term that means to improve your soil quality by adding in compost, manure or another natural fertilizer.
Anaerobic: Anaerobic relates to, involves, requires, the absence of oxygen or a It also describes organisms that can live or occur when oxygen is absent.
Annual: This describes a plant that grows from seed, flowers and dies in one year.These plants must be newly grown each year from seed and will die at the end of the season. The opposite of Annual Plants are Perennial plants which are planted once and continue growing for many years while still producing flowers or a harvest each year.

Bareroot: These are plants, Roses for example, that have been grown then dug up and supplied to you in a dormant state with the soil removed from their roots. When the roots are soaked in water, then replanted in the groung they will start to grow again.
Beneficial Insect: An insect that benefits your garden. It helps control other harmful insects by eating them or laying its eggs inside them, thereby controlling their numbers.
Biannual: A biannual plant is one that doesn’t produce seed until its second year of growing. Carrots and most root crops are examples. You can still harvest and eat the vegetable in the first year but if you want to save the seed then you must leave it to grow for a second year.
Biennial: This is a plant that grows from seed and produces leaves in its first year. It then flowers, produces seeds and dies in its second year.
Biodegradable: A substance (organic matter and some plastics) that can be decomposed or broken down by natural bacterial or fungal feeding on it.
Biological Pest Control: This is where living organisms such as beneficial insects or parasites, are user to get rid of garden pests.An example is where parasitic wasps are released to control aphids by laying eggs inside them.
Bolt: This means a plant has gone to seed (produced flowers) prematurely or 'bolted'. For example, a lettuce is normally a ball shaped plant with crisp tastely leaves however when it bolts it grows a tall central stem with flowers, the leaves are then tough, bitter and unappetizing.
Bone Meal: This is a fertilizer made from finely powdered white or light gray animal bones. It adds phosphorus to the soil.
Bud Union: This is where the bud of one plant is grafted on to the rootstock of another plant and is usually found at soil level..
Bulb: An underground onion-like storage organ that stores energy over winter and then pushes out fleshy leaves above the soil in spring before bursting into flower. Daffodils and Tulips are examples.

Calcitic Limestone: This is Limestone that has been crushed into a powder and had calcium carbonate added. It is used for “liming” soil to reduce the acidity if it has too high an acid level.
Cane: There are two uses of this term in gardening: 1) To refer to the stems of a raspberry or blackberry plants. 2) Bambbo canes are hard, slightly flexible wooden sticks upto 6 feet tall that are used to support plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers and many others.
Chelation: This is the formation of bonds between organic compounds and metals. Chelates in fertilizers help keep nutrient metals, such as iron, mobile in the soil and therefore available to plants.
Chitting: This is the process of placing seed potatoes in a tray in a bright, cool but frost-free place. This encourages the potatoes to sprout prior to planting. It is believed that this gives an earlier crop and better yields. They should be chitted with the rose end upwards.
Chlorosis: This is a yellowing of the leaves due to lack of chlorophyll in the leaves. There are many causes such as poor drainage, damaged roots, compacted roots, high alkalinity, and nutrient deficiencies.
Cloche: This is the French name for a bell. In gardening the is a bell shaped cover made of glass, plastic or horticultural fleece. It is placed over a plant for protection or for forcing early crops. Tunnel cloches are low continuous structures that can cover a whole row or line of plants.
Cold Frame: This is an unheated structure usually made of wood and covered with glass or plastic. It is used to protect plants from frost, for growing on and acclimatising plants outdoors. They are also used to extend the growing season.
Companion Planting: This is a method of planting different plants next to each other so that the plants help each other grow instead of competing against each other. Basil is often planted along side other plants such as peppers and tomatoes. Its strong scent disrupts the sense of smell of pests such as aphids and in effect repels them.
Compost: Compost is made from decomposed organic material and is added to soil to add nutrients or to improve the soil structure. It is made by gathering together wet organic material such as leaves, grass, and food scraps then waiting for a few months for it to be broken down by such things as fungii and worms.
Cordon: A plant carefully trained to grow as one main stem with fruit growing on horizontal side shoots.
Corm: A rounded underground storage organ similar to a bulb. It consists of the stem base often with a fibrous outer layer. The plant reproduces by growing smaller corms around the base.
Cover Crop: Vegetation grown to protect and build the soil rather than producing a harvest.
Crop Rotation: Planting different crops in differnent places from the previous year. If you planted the same crop in the same place each year then the soil woulld become defficient in some nutrients, pests and diseases would also build up. By changing to a crop with different nutrient requirements and that is not affected by the pests the crops are much more successful. Plants are divided into 3 groups and rotated over a 3 year cycle.
Crown: The growing center of a plant where new shoots emerge, at or just below the soil surface. Rhubarb is an example.
Cultivar: This is a plant that is bred or selected by growers for unique flowers, leaf colour, growing habit etc.
Cutting: This is where a piece of plant leaf, stem, root or bud is cut from a plant. It is then planted in soil or compost where it starts to grow roots to give a new plant.

Damping Off:: This is a soil borne fungal attack on young seedlings. They decay at ground level as a result of the fungus and over watering.
Deadheading: This is where decaying flowers and stalks are removed from a plant to encourage it to grow more flowers rather than putting its energy into producing seeds.
Deciduous: This a plant that sheds its leaves every year growing new ones at the start of the next growing season. Whereas an evergreen plant retains its leaves and remains green throughout the year
Deep Shade: A plant that needs less than 2 hours of dappled sun each day.
Desiccate: Cause to dry out.
Direct Sow or Seed: Means to sow seeds outdoors directly into your garden where you want them to flower or crop (instead of starting your seeds indoors).
Double Digging: This is a digging technique that loosens two layers of soil (giving a total of two spade depths). A trench is dug then soil from one row s put into the next row. It increases aeration and drainage.

Earth up: This is common with potato crops. Soil is drawn up around the plant in a pyramid fashion to exclude light, give frost protection or encourage roots to develop from the stem.
Ericaceous: Describes plants that prefer acidic soil and will not grow in alkaline soil (those containing lime or chalk). Blueberries. are a good example.
Everbearing: These are strawberry varieties give a small crop in early summer and second heavier crop in late summer and early autumn.
Evergreen: An evergreen plant retains its leaves and remains green throughout the year whereas a deciduous plant sheds its leaves every year.

Feathered Maiden: This is a one-year old tree that has several side branches (feathers).
Fertilizer: An organic or chemical material that is added to the soil to increase its fertility. It provides one or more nutrients that are essential for the plants growth.
First Early Potatoes: These are the first potatoes to crop in a season. They are harvested 10 weeks after planting producing new or baby potatoes.
Floricane: This refers to raspberry and blackberry stems (or canes) that grow for one year before flowering and bearing fruit in the next year. In the first year the canes are known as Primocane.
Foliar Fertilizing: This is a method of feeding plants by applying liquid fertilizer directly to plant leaves. The leaves absorb essential nutrients and feed the plant.
Frost Date: This is the average expected first and last frost date for your area. It is caculated from historical weather data for your region and is important to know if you are planning to plant out tender plants.
Fungicides: This is a chemical that kills fungi preventing it damaging your crops.
F1 Hybrid: This is a plant that a gardener has created by taking two different but pure bred parent plants and cross-polinated them. The seeds produced from a F1 Hybrid plant will not come true to either of their parent plants.

Germinate/ Germination: This when seeds first start to grow, sprouting leaves, stems or buds above the soil.
Grafting: When one plant is artificially joined to the rootstock of another. After a time they fuse together to form one plant. There are many reasons for doing this two of which are 1) The time for the cutting to flower and fruit is vastly reduced from that of a seedling 2) Flower color, fruit size and quality are much more uniform in grafted plants than those grown from seed.
Green Manure: This a crop that is grown and then dug into the soil. It increases soil fertility or organic matter content. Comfrey is an example. It contains high levels of all the essential nutrients for plant growth: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. It gets these from a deep root system that extends into the subsoil that most plants cannot access.

Half-hardy annual: An annual plant grows from seed, flowers and dies in one year. Half hardy means it can be grown outdoors but requires protection from frosts and sub zero temperatures. Usually they are sown indoors in winter or early spring, and planted outside after all danger of frost has passed.
Half hardy biennial: This is a plant that grows from seed and produces leaves in its first year. It then flowers, produces seeds and dies in its second year. Half hardy means it can be grown outdoors but requires protection from frosts and sub zero temperatures. Usually they are sown indoors in winter or early spring, and planted outside after all danger of frost has passed.
Half-hardy bulb/ corm/ rhizome/ tuber: This is a plant that grows from an underground storage organ. Half hardy means it can be grown outdoors but requires protection from frosts and sub zero temperatures.
Half-hardy perennial: A perenial plant is one that lives for more than two years. Half hardy means it can be grown outdoors but requires protection from frosts and sub zero temperatures.
Half-hardy tree/ shrub: This is a woody plant that usually has a permanent framework of branches. Half hardy means it can be grown outdoors but requires protection from frosts and sub zero temperatures.
Harden off: This is the process of taking young plants that have been started off indoors putting them outdoors to get them used to cooler conditions and air movement. This is done over a period of a week or two, leaving the plants outside during the day and bringing them inside or undercover at night.
Hardy annual: An annual plant grows from seed, flowers and dies in one year. Hardy means the plant can withstand temperatures down to -15C.
Hardy biennial: This is a plant that grows from seed and produces leaves in its first year. It then flowers, produces seeds and dies in its second year. Hardy means the plant can withstand temperatures down to -15C.
Hardy bulb/ corm/ rhizome/ tuber: This is a plant that grows from an underground storage organ. Hardy means the plant can withstand temperatures down to -15C.
Hardy perennial: A perenial plant is one that lives for more than two years. Hardy means the plant can withstand temperatures down to -15C.
Hardy tree/ shrub: This is a woody plant that usually has a permanent framework of branches. Hardy means the plant can withstand temperatures down to -15C.
Haulm: This is another name for the stalks or stems of peas, beans, or potatoes without the pods or tubers.
Heavy Soil: Refers to a soil that contains a high proportion of clay and is poorly drained.
Heirloom: A name given to a variety of seeds with characteristics that have been handed down from generation to generation.
Herbaceous plant: This is a perennial plant, that often dies back in the winter when rootstocks or woody base becomes dormant. It is growth is non-woody and starts again in the spring.
Humus: This is made from decomposed organic material that is broken down by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen. It helps to improve soil structure and moisture retention. It is similar to compost which is made in a similar process but in the presence of oxygen. Humus mostly consists of carbon with few other nutrients present whereas compost is a richer material that is full of available nutrients.

Insecticidal Soap: Kills insect pests by causing them to lose moisture (dehydrate).
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): This is a pest control program that uses many complementary methods such as using natural predators and parasites, pest-resistant plants and biological controls. Pesticides are only used as a last resort because the aim is to achieve an ecological way that significantly reduces or eliminates pesticides.

Lime: Limestone that has been crushed into a powder and had calcium carbonate added. It is added to the soil to lower its pH level (make it more alkaline).This is helpful in preventing club root disease when growing brassicas (cabbages, broccoli etc).
Long canes: Raspberry canes which are supplied with fruiting wood attached and will produce fruit in their first season. The canes are supplied longer than usual (1.25m).

Maiden tree: A single stemmed young tree, 1 to 2m tall. It is generally less than one year old and can be trained into any form required.
Maincrop potatoes: These potatos take the longest to mature and are harvested up to 20 weeks after planting normally at the end of summer. They are good for baking, roasting, mashing and are good for winter storage
Micro-Nutrients: These are mineral elements, manganese boron, zinc and iron for example, that are only needed by plants in very small quantities. If plants your require certain “trace elements” and they are not getting them through the soil, they must be added.
Mulch: This is layer of organic material, such as wood chips, grass clippings, compost, straw, or leaves that is placed on the soil and around plants. It is used to hold in moisture and help control weeds by blocking sunlight from them.

No Till Gardening: This is a method of gardening that requires no cultivation (or tilling) of the soil other than the initial tilling. Mulches are regularly added and plants are planted through the mulch. This method reduces weeds, which may germinate as a result of tilling.
N-P-K: Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are the three nutrients that absolutely necessary for plant growth. They are also known as “macronutrients,” and are shown on fertilizer labels as numbers for example 20 20 20 fertilizer contains 20% Nitrogen, 20% Phosphorous and 20% Potassium.

Organic: Something that is derived from living organisms.
Organic Gardening: A method of gardening that does not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. It creates a healthy, living soil by adding compost made from organic material and only adding nutrients from naturally occurring sources.
Organic matter: This is matter made from animals or plants, compost, leaf mould and manure are examples. It is used to improve soil structure and supplying nutrients to plants.
Ornamental: These are plant varieties grown for their looks and not their use.

Perennial: This is a plant that is planted once and grows and flower for many years. They can be evergreens or they may die back to the ground in winter but will begin to grow again the following season.
pH: This is a scale that measures the level of acidity or alkalinity of water or soil. The scale is 0 to 14 where 0 is very acidic, 7 is neutral (neither acidic or alkaline) and 14 is most alkaline. It is very important to know the pH level because it affects the availability of nutrients to plants and the activity of microorganisms in the soil. Some plants will only grow in acid soil whereas others will only grow in alkaline soil.
Pinching Out: This is wher the growing tips of plants are removed (pinched out with your fingers). It encourages side-shoots to grow giving a bushy plant and more flower stems.
Pollination: Pollination is how plants reproduce. Pollen from the male anthers of a flower are captured by the female ovary of the plant and fertilize it. The pollen can be carried out by the wind, insects, animals or by hand. After fertilization, the flower will begin to produce seeds. The seeds then develop inside a fruit or a pod which grows from the flower.
Pot on: This simply means to remove a plant from a small container and re-plant it into a new larger container to enable further growth.
Pot up: This is to place seedlings and cuttings into containers to grow on.
Prick out: To remove and transfer seedlings into pots or trays to give them more space to grow.
Primocane Variety: This refers to the first-year stems of raspberries and blackberries. Autumn-fruiting raspberries produce flowers and then fruit on primocanes in their first year of growth. The opposite is a Floricane that grows for one year before flowering and bearing fruit in the next year.
Propagate: This means to grow plants from seeds, cuttings or grafting.
Pruning: To cut back parts of a plant to encourage more productive growth.

Rhizome: A horizontal fleshy stem or runner which grows at or below ground level, producing both roots and shoots. An example is creeping grasses that spread by rhizomes.
Rootstock: The underground part of a plant containing the roots.
Rose End: The end of a seed potato with the most eyes. The opposite end will be a single scarr where the potato was joined onto lasr years seed potato. When chitting a potato it should be placed with the rose end facing upwards.
Runner: This is a trailing stem growing above ground. Roots grow at the nodes, where small new plantlets are formed. Strawberries are one example of overground runners but some plants produce underground runners.

Scion: A scion is a plant bud or shoot that is joined to a desirable rootstock by grafting. It is often done to encourage a dwarf growth.
Season Extender: Something that extends the growing season at beginning of spring and the end of fall. Cloches, greenhouses, hotbeds and cold frames are examples.
Second Cropping Potatoes: These are seed potatos that are cold stored to prevent them growing and are then planted in late Summer/early Autumn and harvested about 14 weeks after planting, to give an Autumn/Winter crop.
Second Early Potatoes: These are the second potatoes to crop in a season. They are harvested 14 weeks after planting producing new or baby potatoes. They are slightly later than First Early Potatos that are harvested after 10 weeks. They make excellent salad potatoes and many varieties are also good for chips, roasting and mashing.
Seed Potatoes:: This is a potato tuber grown for starting new plants and producing potatoes and not for eating.
Self-Fertile: A plant that pollinates and fertilizes itself. It does not need pollen from a second plant to fertilise it and set fruit.
Semi-Evergreen: A plant that keeps most or some of its leaves through winter.
Slips: Sweet Potato plants may be grown from slips. These are green vines that grow out of the plant when it sprouts. They are taken off and planted to give a new Sweet Potato plant.
Soil Amendment: Anything added to soil to improve it in such ways as water retention, permeability, water infiltration, drainage, aeration and structure. The amendments are mainly organic matter or minerals that are worked into the soil.
Soil Test: This measures the amount of the main nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) in the soil and also the pH level.
Specimen Plant: This is a tree or shrub grown in a prominent position where it becomes the focus of attention.
Staking/Caging: Where larger plants are tied to a stake or a cage for support to improve their stability and encourage growth. Examples are tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and peas.
Standard: A single stemmed tree or shrub that has little lateral growth and has a crown of foliage at the top.
Suckers: These are shoots that grow from the stem or root of a plant and do not produce flowers or fruit. They are not desirable as they sap the plants energy. They should pruned to encourage more productive plant growth.

Tender annual: This describes a plant that grows from seed, flowers and dies in one year. It is prone to damage or will die at temperatures below 5C.
Tender biennial: This is a plant that grows from seed and produces leaves in its first year. It then flowers, produces seeds and dies in its second year. It is prone to damage or will die at temperatures below 5C.
Tender bulb/ corm/ rhizome/ tuber: Plant that grows from an underground storage organ. It is prone to damage or will die at temperatures below 5C.
Tender perennial: This is a plant that is planted once and grows and flower for many years. They can be evergreens or they may die back to the ground in winter but will begin to grow again the following season. It is prone to damage or will die at temperatures below 5C.
Tender Tree/ shrub: Woody plant, usually having a permanent framework of branches. It is prone to damage or will die at temperatures below 5C.
Thin/Thinning : To remove a number of buds, flowers, seedlings or shoots to improve the growth and quality of those remaining. For example - More seeds are planted than are actually needed in case some fail to germinate. Its important to thin them as they start to grow so that your remaining plants have enough space.
Tilth: Describes the physical condition of the soil including the balance of nutrients, water, and air.
Transplant: To move a plant from one growing medium to another. For example - plants may be grown from seedlings indoors. Once they are large enough they are transplanted outside into garden beds.
Tree/ Shrub: A woody plant, usually having a permanent framework of branches.
Topdressing: Applying fertilizers or other types of soil amendments directly on top of the soil. It is also common to apply a topdessing to a lawn.
Tuber: Swollen root or underground stem with storage tissue. Potatoes are good examples.

Vermicomposting: The joint action of worms and micro-organisms to convert food scraps or other organic materials into a rich compost (vermicompost).

Worm Casting: The digested organic waste of worms. They are considered to be the most nutritious organic compost available.

Xeriscaping: The creation of a low maintenance landscape by using drought-tolerant plants, mulch and efficient irrigation with the aim of reducing water useage.

Zone: Refers to a geographical area that has a temperature range where certain plants will grow. Some seed packets have a map on the back to show you which zone they will grow in and when they should be planted.