Module 1: Gardening Terminology For Beginners

A

Acclimation

Plants beginning to adjust to cooler conditions. Frequently utilised in spring before establishing out plants that have been developing inside. Used alongside the phrase "Hardening off."

Aerate

Compact soil is typically loosened using a garden fork to allow air to enter and is also known for aerating lawns.

Annual

A plant that completes its lifecycle in one year. Growing from seed to maturity, flowers produce seeds and die within a single year.

Aphid

Aphids are greenflies and blackflies, tiny sap-sucking insects that are frequently found on beans and roses. Although they can harm plants, most of them are harmless.

B

Bareroot

Plants with no soil surrounding their roots are dug out of the ground in autumn or winter (when they are "dormant"). Trees, bushes and roses are often sold along these lines.

Biennial

A plant with a two-year life cycle typically begins with the growth of leaves and stems in the first year and ends with flowers and seeds in the second year.

Biodegradable 

A material that can naturally decompose in the environment without leaving behind any harmful residues, typically within a year or less.

Bulb

A scale-like, fleshy underground storage organ from which the plant flowers and grows before going dormant

C

Chitting

Seed potatoes should be planted in a tray or egg box that is bright, cool, and free of frost to encourage sprouting before planting.

Cloche

Over a plant, a structure made of glass, plastic, or horticultural fleece over a plant is placed to protect the plant or force early crops.

Cold frame

A frame without a heater for growing and acclimating hardy and half-hardy plants outside.

Companion planting

The practice of planting two or more distinct species of plants together to share nutrients, shade, and control pests for both parties.

Compost

A mixture of organic materials that have broken down into a rich, soil-like substance that is great for feeding plants, such as food scraps, grass clippings, and leaves.

Crown

The point at which a plant produces new shoots, usually just below the soil's surface.

Cultivar

A plant bred or chosen by growers for its distinctive flowers, leaf colour, growth pattern, etc. It differs from the original species because it has distinct and uniform characteristics.

D

Deadhead

The process of removing dead flowers from a plant to promote new growth and additional blooms.

Deciduous

A plant that annually sheds its leaves.

Direct sow

Rather than starting seeds indoors or in a greenhouse, plant them directly into the soil.

Drought tolerant 

It is a plant that thrives on little water, ideal for areas with limited water supply or little rainfall.

E

Earth up

To draw soil around a plant to reject light, safeguard it from ice or urge roots to grow from the stem. Potato crops are commonly used in this manner.

Ericaceous

Used to refer to plants that thrive in acidic soil but cannot tolerate alkaline soil, which contains chalk or lime.

F

F1 Hybrid

Original posterity got from rearing two unmistakable thoroughbred lines. They are uniform, vigorous plants. F1 Hybrid seeds will not produce their parents' desired results.

Fertiliser

A substance is added to the soil to give it the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium plants need to grow.

Fungicide

A substance that is utilised to control or prevent plant fungal diseases.

G

Germination

The process by which a seed emerges and begins to develop into a plant.

Grafting

A method by which one plant's stem or branch is joined to another plant's rootstock, typically to produce a stronger or more desirable plant.

H

Half-hardy annual

A plant goes through the life cycle's growth, reproduction, and death phases in a single season. It can be grown outside, but it needs to be protected from frost and cold temperatures in the winter.

Half-hardy biennial

A plant whose life cycle is completed in two years, with growth in the first year and reproduction and death in the second. It can be grown outside but needs to be protected from frost and cold temperatures in the winter.

Half-hardy Bulb/ corm/ rhizome/ tuber

A plant that grows from an underground storage organ. Typically provided without any top growth and in a dormant state. It can be grown outside, but it needs to be protected from frost and cold temperatures in the winter.

Half-hardy perennial

A plant that is more than two years old. It can be grown outside, but it needs to be protected from frost and cold temperatures in the winter.

Half-hardy tree/ shrub

A woody plant that typically has a permanent structure of branches. It can be grown outside, but it needs to be protected from frost and cold temperatures in the winter.

Harden off

Before transplanting indoor-grown plants, the process of gradually acclimating them to the outdoor environment.

Hardy annual

A plant goes through the life cycle's growth, reproduction, and death phases in a single season. Equipped for enduring outside winter temperatures down to -15C.

Hardy biennial

A plant whose life cycle is completed in two years, with growth in the first year and reproduction and death in the second. Able to withstand outdoor winter temperatures as low as -15 degrees

Hardy Bulb/ corm/ rhizome/ tuber

A plant that grows from an underground storage organ. Typically provided without any top growth and in a dormant state. Able to withstand outdoor winter temperatures as low as -15 degrees

Hardy perennial

A plant that is more than two years old. Able to withstand outdoor winter temperatures as low as -15 degrees

Hardy tree/ shrub

A woody plant that typically has a permanent structure of branches. Equipped for enduring outside winter temperatures down to - 15C.

Heirloom

It is a plant variety handed down from generation to generation and prised for its history, distinctive features, and frequently superior flavour or flower.

Herbaceous plant

A non-woody perennial plant with underground rootstocks or a woody base that typically dies in the winter and goes into dormancy. Spring is when growth begins again.

Humus

A dark organic material that comes from animal and plant matter that has been broken down and is rich in nutrients and good for the health of the soil.

Hybrid

A type of plant that is the result of crossing two or more different plants.

L

Loopers

A pruning instrument with long handles and a detour or blacksmith's iron cutting edge, utilised for managing thick branches and stems.

M

Mulch

A layer of organic material is added to the soil around plants, like leaves, bark, or straw, to help keep moisture in the soil, get rid of weeds, and control the temperature of the soil.

Mulching

The process of covering the soil around plants with a layer of organic or inorganic material to help keep moisture in, keep temperatures in check, and get rid of weeds.

N

Nitrogen Fixation

The process by which some plants, like legumes, convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form that other plants can use.

O

Organic

A term used to depict planting rehearses that depend on normal techniques and materials, for example, manure and regular nuisance control, as opposed to manufactured synthetic compounds.

Organic matter 

Any substance that contributes to the structure and fertility of the soil and is derived from living or once-living organisms, such as compost, manure, or leaf litter.

P

Perennial

A plant that lives for a long time and typically grows new growth from its root system every year.

pH

A number from 1 to 14, with seven being neutral, of the soil's acidity or alkalinity.

Pinching out

Removing a young plant's growing points to encourage the formation of side shoots. This encourages more flowering stems and a bushy growth habit.

Pollination

The process by which pollen moves from a male to a female plant so that many plants can produce fruit.

Propagation

The act of reproducing plants, such as by planting seeds, dividing clumps, or cuttings.

Prune

Removing dead, damaged, or overgrown branches from a plant to encourage healthy growth.

R

Raised bed

A method of gardening in which plants are grown in raised beds, typically made of bricks or wooden boards, above the ground.

Rootbound

A condition in which a plant has outgrown its container and has crowded its roots, possibly leading to wilt or death.

Rootstock

The part of a plant that is below ground and contains the roots. A plant is joined to a desirable rootstock in grafting, frequently to encourage a dwarfing habit.

S

Seedling

A seed-grown young plant that typically only grows a few inches tall.

Self-fertile

A plant that does not require the pollen of a second person to fertilise and bear fruit.

Soil

The foundation for plant growth comprises minerals, organic matter, and air.

Specimen plant

Typically, a tree or shrub that has grown in a prominent location where it can be observed from a variety of perspectives.

T

Thinning

The process of removing some of the plants or seedlings from a crowded bed or container gives the remaining plants more space to grow.

Top dressing

Mulching the soil's surface with fertiliser, such as compost, manure, or synthetic fertiliser.

Topsoil

The soil in which you plant into. In contrast to the subsoil, which has very little nutritional value, it is the portion of the soil with the most nutrients.

V

Vermicomposting

A method of composting in which worms decompose organic material, resulting in worm castings, is a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

W

Waterlogged

Used to depict plants, typically filling in pots, which are totally lowered in water.

Weed

An undesirable plant that can harm the garden and competes with other plants for resources.

Weeding

The process of removing undesirable plants or weeds from a container or garden bed to lessen resource competition and boost the health of desired plants.

Wilting

Used to describe plants that have shrunk and fallen over, usually due to insufficient water, frost, or a fungal disease.

X

Xeriscaping

A kind of finishing that utilises drought-tolerant plants and different procedures to preserve water

Xylem

The component of a plant's vascular system conveys nutrients and water from the roots to the leaves and stems.

Y

Yellowing 

A condition in which the leaves of a plant turn yellow, typically indicating a lack of nutrients or other problems.

Yield

The quantity of crops or produce produced by a plant or garden bed is is typically expressed in weight or volume.