Glossary of Gardening terms

Glossary

The gardening world has a large number of terms that those of you who are just getting interested in the subject may not be familiar with. Here we give you an A-Z of 75 of the most common words that you will encounter when reading or talking about gardening.

75 Common Gardening Terms.

  1. Aerate. This is the process of spiking your grass to loosen the soil and allow oxygen to circulate which will help improve the appearance and health of your lawn.
  2. Annual. An annual plant is one that completes its entire life cycle within one year.
  3. Aphids. Sap sucking insects that can cause major damage to your garden’s plants.
  4. Biennial. A plant that completes its life cycle in two years, typically flowering and setting seed in the second year.
  5. Beneficial insects. These are insects that help control pests, pollinate flowers, or decompose organic matter in the garden.
  6. Bolting. This happens when a plant produces flowers and seeds prematurely. This can be caused by high temperatures or a lack of nutrients or water. Bolting will reduce your harvest.
  7. Bone Meal. A fertilizer made from ground down bones that contains calcium and phosphorus.
  8. Brassica. A family of vegetables that features many that are grown in a typical UK garden. Included are cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts.
  9. Bulb. A type of underground stem that stores food and produces new plants. Common examples of bulbs are daffodils and tulips.
  10. Chlorophyll. This is the green pigment in a plant that allows it to convert light into energy in a process called photo synthesis. It is hugely important as plants cannot survive without this.
  11. Companion Planting. The practice of growing certain combinations of plants next to one another to gain benefits such as pest reduction and maximising yield.
  12. Compost. A mixture of decayed organic matter that enriches the soil and improves its structure, water retention, and fertility.
  13. Crop Rotation. A practice of growing different types of crops in the same area in successive seasons or years to prevent soil depletion, pest infestation and the spread of diseases.
  14. Cultivar: A cultivated variety of a plant that has been selected and bred for desirable characteristics such as increased resistance to pests and diseases.
  15. Cutting. A piece of stem, leaf, or root that is cut from a parent plant and used to propagate (grow) a new plant.
  16. Deadheading. This is the process of removing dying flowers from a plant to improve its appearance and encourage further blooms.
  17. Deciduous. This is a term for plants that lose their leaves in the Autumn. Examples of this would be trees such as Oak, Beech and Ash.
  18. Dormant. A plant is in this state when it slows or stops growing due to unsuitable growing conditions such as low temperature.
  19. Double Digging. A method to increase drainage in soil that involves loosening two levels of soil. Often done when starting a new garden.
  20. Drills. These are lines made in the soil at the correct depth to plant seeds in.
  21. Dwarf Plants. These are varieties of plants that are considerably smaller than what would be expected for that type.
  22. Evergreen. This is a term for plants that retain their leaves throughout the year, such as pines, leylandiis, holly and juniper.
  23. Fertilizer. A substance that provides nutrients to plants, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium, which enhances their growth and development.
  24. Foliage. A term that usually refers to the leaves of a plant.
  25. Full Shade. A term for plants that ideally require no more than two hours of direct sunlight a day.
  26. Full Sun. Refers to plants who are well suited to at least six hours of direct sunlight a day in midsummer. You will see it on labels when you purchase a flower or shrub.
  27. Fungicide. A pesticide made specifically for use against harmful fungi and their spores.
  28. Germination. The process of a seed sprouting and developing into a seedling.
  29. Grafting. A technique of joining two parts of different plants together, such as a scion (the upper part made of a young shoot) and a rootstock (the lower part of an established root), to create a new plant with different traits.
  30. Hardy. Referring to a plant as hardy means it should survive adverse conditions such as drought or cold. Most perennials would be classed as such.
  31. Harden Off. This is the process of getting plants that have been grown in a warm environment acclimatized to cooler outside temperatures.
  32. Herbaceous. This term refers to a plant or a part of a plant that is not woody so will die back at the end of a season like flowers or leaves. Flowers such as daffodils that die off after flowering are an example of this.
  33. Hybrid. A hybrid plant is one that has been formed from more than one species usually by cross pollination.
  34. Interplanting. The practice of growing different crops in the same space. The benefits of this include higher productivity and increased resistance to pests.
  35. Invasive species. A plant that spreads aggressively and displaces native plants. Examples include ragwort and knotweed.
  36. Irrigation. A method of adding water to the soil or plants, either manually or through a system of pipes, sprinklers, or drips.
  37. Layering. A method of plant propagation that involves bending a stem to the ground and covering it with soil, while leaving the tip exposed, until it forms roots.
  38. Legumes. A family of plants that produces seeds in pods for example peas and broad beans.
  39. Lime. It is an inorganic material that can be added to your soil to raise its pH and makes it more suitable for plants that dislike acidity in the ground.
  40. Loam. A type of soil that has a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay, and is rich in organic matter and nutrients.
  41. Moss. It is a small flowerless plant that has no roots. Instead, they have structures that attach them to the soil or rocks. Often found in your lawn or between paving blocks or cracks.
  42. Mulch. A layer of organic or inorganic material spread over the soil surface, to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, moderate temperature, increase soil quality and improve the appearance of your garden.
  43. Nematode. A microscopic worm that lives in the soil and can be used to kill specific pests.
  44. Node. The part of a plant stem where new leaves or buds originate.
  45. Nursery. A place where plants are grown and sold, or where young plants are raised before transplanting.
  46. Nutrients. The minerals that plants need to grow healthily. Examples of these are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
  47. Organic. A term that refers to the production of plants without the use of synthetic chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers.
  48. Partial Shade. An expression used for plants that do best when grown in a spot that gets between three and six hours sunlight in midsummer.
  49. Perennial. A plant that lives for more than two years, and usually flowers and produces seeds every year. Common garden perennials include lavender and geraniums.
  50. Pests. In gardening it is a term that refers to insects, bacteria or fungi that damage plants in your garden.
  51. pH. A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, such as soil or water, on a scale from 0 to 14, where 7 is neutral, lower than 7 is acidic, and higher than 7 is alkaline. This is important as some plants thrive in an acidic environment and other prefer a neutral or alkaline one.
  52. Photosynthesis. The process by which plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
  53.  Pinching.  A method of pruning that removes the growing tip of a stem, to encourage branching and bushiness. This should result in extra flowers and fruit.
  54. Pollination. The transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower (anther) to the female part(stigma) of the same or another flower, resulting in fertilization and seed production.
  55. Propagate. This is a term that means to create new plants usually from seeds or by taking cuttings from one to plant.
  56. Pruning. The cutting or trimming of diseased or dead branches or leaves, to improve the shape, health, or productivity of a plant.
  57. Root. The underground part of a plant that anchors it to the soil, absorbs water and minerals, and stores food.
  58. Root Ball. The main mass of roots found directly below the main stem of a plant.
  59. Sapling. A young tree which has a slender trunk.
  60. Scarify. Scarifying your lawn is a process where you remove the top dead thatch of the lawn to enable water and nutrients to reach the roots and encourage new growth.
  61. Seed. The reproductive unit of a plant that contains the embryo and the food reserve and can germinate into a new plant.
  62. Seedling. A young plant that has grown from a seed and has a root, a stem, and one or more leaves.
  63. Shrub. A perennial plant that is smaller than a tree that usually has several branches coming from the base of the main stem. Common examples in the UK include buddleias, forsythia and rhododendrons.
  64. Stem. The main axis of a plant, that supports the leaves, flowers, and fruits, and transports water, minerals, and food.
  65. Sulphur. This is an acidifying material that will lower the pH of your soil and make it more suitable for certain plants. Flowers like hydrangeas, camellias and rhododendrons are examples of flowers that need an acidic soil.
  66. Taproot. The thick main vertical root that grows deep into the soil and has smaller lateral roots spreading out from it.
  67. Thinning. A process of removing excess or weak plants to reduce competition and improve the growth and yield of the remaining ones.
  68. Topiary. The art of trimming and shaping shrubs, hedges and trees into decorative forms.
  69. Topdressing. This process involves adding a layer of compost or fertilizer to the top of your soil or lawn.
  70. Transplanting. Simply moving a plant from once place to another. Often its transferring young seedlings that have been grown indoors to their outdoor location to continue growing.
  71. Tuber. A swollen underground stem that stores food and can produce new plants, such as a potato.
  72. Underplanted. When you grow smaller flowers or shrubs under larger plants or trees.
  73. Variegated. A term that describes a plant that has leaves of different colours or patterns, such as stripes, spots, or edges.
  74. Vermicomposting. A process that uses earthworms to break down organic waste into compost. Vermicompost has more nutrients than composts made in other ways.
  75. Yield. The amount of crop or produce that is harvested from a given area or plant. Your aim should be to maximise this through good practice.