| Annual |
A plant that grows for one year. |
| Biennial |
A plant that grows two years. The first year is the year plant
growth stage. The second is the flowering or fruiting stage. |
| Broadcast Seeding |
A process of spreading seeds across a wide area by taking a
handful and gently releasing them across the area you intend to
seed. It is generally used on lawns, wildflowers in fields and in
gardens where seed is very small, or fine and you are sowing them
into a seedbed for thinning and later transplant. |
| Coldframes |
A frame or enclosure that is covered with plastic or glass to
create a greenhouse effect and provide sunlight and warmth to
seedlings prior to transplanting in your garden. |
| Companion Planting |
Companion planting, or companion gardening is the practice of
planting two different plants in close proximity to each other on
the theory that they help each other in some way. |
| Container Gardening |
The planting of flowers or vegetables in a pot or other
container. It is perfect for apartment owners and people with
small yards. The list of flowers and vegetables that can be grown
in containers is many and varied. It is limited by the size of the
container and the space you can afford it. |
| Crop Rotation
|
An important farming method for commercial growers and home
gardeners. Crop rotation concept teaches planting your crops in a
different area and rotating them over a three year cycle. |
| Force or Forcing |
To force a plant to bloom. This is done by creating an
artificially natural type of environment that will induce the
plant to bloom. Common examples are poinsettias and Christmas
Cactus. |
| Floating Row covers
|
Tender vegetables are those that can be harmed or destroyed by
frost. Floating row covers are very lightweight coverings that can
be quickly placed over a row of seedlings or plants. Their light
weight minimizes any damage to tender plants. |
| Friable |
An old gardening term for soil that is soft and crumbly. |
| Frost Free Dates |
For areas that get frost and freezes, the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA) has mapped out a number of areas for the
country and posted a normal range of dates for the last date there
is a chance of frost n the spring and the first date for frost in
the fall. While a great guide, it can vary significantly within a
given zone due to many factors. |
| Furrows |
A long, trench along the row where you will plant your seed. |
| Germination |
The sprouting of a seed above the soil. The germination period
is the time it takes from planting to the time it sprouts form to
the time it emerges from the soil. Note, the germination period
can vary greatly due to a number of factors, but largely due to
soil temperature and soil moisture. |
| Hardening Off |
A process of exposing an indoor grown plant to the outside
elements over a period of time to harden it to wider climate
conditions. Hardening off is usually performed over several days
with increasing time outside each day. |
| Hills, Hilling |
A gardening method where a small round hill is created six or
seven inches high and seeds are planted. This aids seeds to
germinate through better drainage and warmer soil. |
| Leach |
In gardening terms, this means for minerals and nutrients to
move out of the soil by water washing or oozing them out. |
| Leggy |
If seedlings and plants do not get enough sunlight, they grow
tall and thin stalks as they seek sunlight. These
"leggy" plants have a difficult time supporting the
weight of the plant and is easily damaged. |
| Manure |
Gardener's gold! This is a mineral an nutrient rich by product
of animals. |
| Maturity Dates |
The normal average number of day for a plant to produce fruit.
It is normally counted from the day of germination or
transplanting into your garden. |
| Perennial |
A plant that grows for years. Many perennials once planted
will last for many years. As they regenerate more plants, it make
for a permanent plant. |
| pH |
An important measure of the balance of alkalinity versus acidity
of your soil. Most plants grow best in the mid range. Yet, there
is a specific ideal range for each plant. |
| Plant Hardiness Zones |
The USDA has divided the U.S into several zones indicating
different high and low temperature ranges to aid in the selection
of plants suitable for your area. |
| Propagation |
In the plant world, we often refer to reproduction as plant
propagation. Plants are propagated by creation of seeds, cuttings,
separation of roots. Most plants propagate by one of these means,
but some can be reproduced by two of these methods. |
| Raised Beds |
A gardening method where beds are created inside landscape
timbers or other frames to raise the soil above the level of the
ground. This has several advantages, including better drainage,
warmer soil temperatures and it is aesthetically pleasing in
appearance. |
| Root Bound |
A condition where a plant or seedling's roots have grown
compacted and entwined in the pot and has no room to grow. This
condition results in stunting the plants growth and potential. The
solution is a larger pot or transplanting outdoors. |
| Seed Bed |
A prepared bed where seeds are planted and seedlings are
nurtured prior to planting in your garden. It can be in or out of
your regular garden area. |
| Seed Tape |
This is popular with small seeds that are hard to space. Seeds
are on a bio-degradable tape, space the appropriate distance. Make
your furrow, rollout the tape and cover the seeds. Voila! |
| Soil- Sour |
The term used for soil that is acidic, or too low. Do not worry,
everybody gets these two terms mixed up. |
| Soil- Sweet |
The term used for soil that is too high in alkaline. |
| Soluble |
Capable of being dissolved in water. Plants need minerals and
nutrients that are in your soil. But if they are in a form that
can not be dissolved in water, the plant can not ingest them. |
| Succession Planting |
A great way to spread out your harvest! Plant, smaller crops in
one to two week intervals to prolong the harvest over a long
period of time. |
| Tilth |
An old gardening term for the tilled condition of your soil. |
| Transplant |
To move a plant from one location to another. |
| Transplanting Shock |
When transplanting seedlings from one place to another, the
roots are often disturbed and occasionally the change in climate
can cause the plant to slow down or appear to stop growing. This
is transplant shock. It is really redirecting it's energy to
re-grow lost roots and to get accustomed to a change in
temperature that it hadn't experienced before. |
| Viability |
A measure of seedling germination rate and health. |
