Back
Gardening Glossary
A
Annual
A plant that grows for one season only, dying off in the winter.
Acidic
This refers to soil that has a pH level that's lower than 7. Many plants need acidic soil to grow, such as Heathers or Magnolias.
Aerate
Some soil might become compact after sitting still for several years. Aerating the soil with a garden fork allows air to penetrate the lower parts of a plant, helping it to grow.
B
Biennial
A plant that grows in its second year of growth. In its first year it may just grow foliage, but won't actually flower.
Bolting
Plants that produce blooms before they should, often due to stress or unseasonable warm weather.
C
Cross-pollinating
When the wind or pollinators transfer pollen from one plant to another.
Cut flowers
Flowers that suit being cut for the vase indoors.
Cane
Plants like raspberries and blackberries are supplied as canes, their dormant state. They look quite long and thin on arrival and will produce plenty of fruits in their season.
Chitting
Encouraging seed potatoes to produce sprouts before planting them. This can be done in a tray or egg box, allowing the seed potato to get plenty of light in a frost-free place.
Cold frame
An unheated glass box that helps you to harden off plants outdoors before planting them in their final positions.
Companion
Plants that will look great with the ones you're looking at, creating a full and dynamic display.
Cultivar
A variety of plant that's been specially produced via breeding of existing plants.
Cotyledons
The first leaves to be produced by a seed, curling inside it before germination occurs
D
Deadhead
To remove spent flowers, allowing the plant to grow more or to stop it from self-seeding.
Deciduous
Plants that shed their leaves each year. For example, trees before winter.
Days to maturity
The amount of time it takes for a seed to become a full flowering plant.
Direct sow
The act of sowing a seed directly outdoors rather than starting them inside.
E
Evergreen
Plants that grow and provide colour all year round.
F
Foliage
The leaves of a plant are known as its foliage.
Fleece
Horticultural fleece is a film like layer of material that's often wrapped around plants to protect them from harsh winters.
Forcing
Tricking a plant into growing earlier than they normally would by blocking out the sun, usually by covering it with a pot.
Frost hardy
Plants that can survive frosty conditions without protection.
Frost tender
Plants that cannot survive frosty conditions and should be protected from the cold over winter.
G
Germination
Seeds in their infancy that have just started to grow.
Ground cover
Low-growing annuals and plants that are placed in sparse areas of the flower bed to fill the gaps.
Frost tender
Plants that cannot survive frosty conditions and should be protected from the cold over winter.
H
Hardy
Plants that do not need protection from the cold weather.
Harden off
The method gardeners use to introduce new plants to the outdoors, often done over several weeks before they can be planted outside permanently.
Herbaceous
Plants that aren't woody and are predominantly foliage. They will die back in the winter and reappear in the spring.
Habit
Similar to a habitat. Refers to the predictable behaviour that a plant follows when in growth. I.e., their shape.
Heirloom
Referring to a variety of seed that has been grown for 50 years or more.
I
Irrigation
Often heard in agricultural environments. Refers to the mass application of water to crops, often on farms.
L
Leggy
Seedlings that have grown tall and skinny, often with small leaves.
M
Mould
A type of fungi that grows in moist conditions. Can damage a plant if its soil is waterlogged.
Mulch
Thick layers of compost or manure that's applied to the surface of the soil, usually to keep plants warm over winter or to feed them with nutrients.
Manure
Animal waste that's mulched down and used to enrich soil for growing plants. Usually on a farm, but can be done domestically too.
Maincrop
Plants like potatoes have varieties that grow at different times of the year. Maincrop refers to plants that can be harvested in the middle of the season.
N
Naturalise
Plants that grow in an area and spread naturally. For example, a bulb would produce more bulbs, growing the display each year.
P
Pollinators
Insects like bees and butterflies that help move pollen from plant to plant.
Prune
To prune means to cut back bits of a plant that's either gotten too unruly or has died back. This can be done in either late autumn or early spring.
Perennial
Plants that flower for two years or more, coming back each season.
Propogate
Taking cuttings from plants and growing them into a separate plant.
Pot on/up
Putting plugs and seedlings into pots/trays, allowing them to grow before planting them outside. Could also mean moving a plant from one container to another, helping it grow.
Pesticide
Chemicals that are used to kill common plant pests and insects.
Pinching
Pinching off tips or shoots from plants, encouraging them to grow twice as many stems.
Prick out
Pricking out is a term used when referring to transplanting a seedling.
R
Rockery
A garden design that features mainly rocks, gravel, and foliage plants.
S
Sow
Also known as growing seeds in trays of compost.
Seedling
An infant plant that's grown from seed.
Stratification
Stratification is the process of simulating the conditions a seed needs in order to germinate. For example, cold stratification can be achieved by popping seeds into the fridge before moving into a warm place.
T
Transplant
The act of moving a new seedling from one pot to a bigger one.
Thinning
Removing seedlings that were planted too close together, allowing the strongest seedlings to grow without competing.
True leaves
The second set of leaves grown on a seedling after the cotyledons.
V
Variegated
Plants that produce foliage with irregular patches of colour that differs from their base colour.
W
Well-drained soil
Soil that allows water to drain, giving both the plants time to soak up the nutrients and soil to dry out properly between watering.
Waterlogged
The opposite of well-drained soil. Will hold onto water due to its dense state and can often rot plants, causing them to die prematurely.
Y
Yield
The size of a harvest i.e., a large yield of crops on a farm.