Glossary of Gardening Terms

Like the arts or sciences, gardening has its own unique language. We have listed the basic vocabulary of essential terms to get you started.

BED: Plants grouped together for mass effect. The outline of a bed may vary from a simple rectangle or circle to a fanciful scroll.

BIENNIAL: A plant grown from seed that requires two years to produce flowers, fruits and new seeds.

BROADLEAF EVERGREEN: An evergreen with broad, rather than needle-like, leaves. Northern types include box, rhododendron, holly and mountain laurel. Southern types include live oak and the citruses.

BUDDING: A form of grafting in which a dormant bud is inserted into an incision in the cambium layer of the woody stem of another plant. The method is used to propagate named varieties of roses as well as cherry, peach or plum trees.

BULB: A swollen, usually under ground stem with scalelike covering that are actually leaves modified to surround, protect and feed a bud. In some bulbs, the outer layer is parchment like. Roots grow from the bottom of a bulb, a young plant from its top. Among the plants with bulbs are the narcissus, snowdrop, lily and hyacinth. Some bulbs, such as the tulip, renew themselves annually; others, such as narcissus, create offshoots that can be separated for new planting.

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CANE: The stem of a bush fruit such as a raspberry or of a rose or bamboo.

CLAY: The tiMniest of soil particles- about .002 mm. across.

CHLOROPHYLL: The green coloring in plants. It absorbs energy from sunlight to make food from carbon dioxide and water.

COLD FRAME: A bottomless, box like structure set on the ground or buried partially and covered with a translucent material such as glass or plastic. Frames are used to protect propagating or growing plants. If electric cables are run into the box to heat it, the box is termed a hotbed.

COMPOST: A natural fertilizer made up of a variety of fermented or decomposed animal or vegetable materials- manure, straw, leaves, lawn clipping, vegetable peels and sod.

CORM: A solid bulb like, underground stem, resembling a bulb but without scales. Sometimes a corm has a membrane coating, Typical corms are the crocus and gladiolus.

CULTIVAR: A named horticultural variety from artificial transfer of pollen from one flower to another.

CUTTING: A piece of plant that has no roots but can be induced to produce them. A softwood cutting may consist of a side shoot, several directly at its base ( a good technique for roses or hydrangeas), or a tip cutting made below a leaf or pair of leaves on, for example, a laburnum. Bud cuttings that consist of just one bud are used for grapes; leaf cutting are widely chosen for begonias and gloxinias.

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DECIDUOUS: Describes a plant that loses its leaves in autumn or winter.

DIVISION: In horticulture, propagating plants by cutting off suckers or creeping roots (for pyrethrums or primulas) or by spading apart clumps of herbaceous perennials (phlox or violets) , or by severing the crowns of individual growth buds as on peony rootstock.

DORMANT PERIOD: A time of no apparent growth. Dormancy may be caused by cold, heat or drought. In temperate climates, most plants become dormant in winter.

ESCAPE: A cultivated plant that has run wild and maintains itself without tending; common garden escapes are lily of the valley and fruit trees.

FLAT: A shallow box for starting seedlings or cutting.

FLOWER: The reproductive organ of a seed-bearing plant. Male parts that release pollen are called stamens; female parts that accept pollen and produce a seed are called pistils.

FORCING: Using heat to bring flowers into bloom or ripen fruits and vegetables out of their natural season.

FUNGICIDE: A chemical that kills or inhibits the growth of fungus.

FUNGUS: A mushroom, morel or truffle or any of their hundreds of sometimes poisonous relatives. A fungus contains no chlorophyll and therefore is a parasite that lives on other plants living or dead.

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GENUS: The simplest category of plants, grouped because they are more like each other than any other group. As an example, the genus name for all roses is rosa. A genus is divided by species; multi flora is one rose species. A species is itself divided into varieties (the Crimson Rambler rose) or cultivars.

GREENHOUSE: A structure made chiefly of translucent glass or plastic to provide a controlled environment for growing plants. It may be attached to a house, in which case it is sometimes called a conservatory, or it may be freestanding.

GROUND COVER: Low-growing plants, generally perennials, used to provide a thin protective cover for lawn or garden areas. The plants may grow erect ( as pachysandra does) or prostrate (junipers), or they may be creepers or vines like periwinkle.

HARDPAN: A layer of compact clay or silt below the topsoil. The roots of shrubs and trees usually cannot penetrate it unless it is broken up with a shovel or pick.

HEELING-IN: Temporarily covering the roots of a plant with soil to keep them in good condition until they can be transplanted.

HERB: Any annual, biennial or perennial plant valued for its flavor, scent or medicinal properties.

HERBACEOUS: Describes a plant that does not have a woody stem or a perennial whose top dies in winter.

HUMUS: Fully or partly decayed plant or animal material in soil.

HYBRID: The offspring of dissimilar parents. Hybrids may represent a crossing of varieties, species or (rarely) genera. An F1 hybrid is a first-generation offspring; since characteristics usually change with each generation, the seed produced by an F1 hybrid doesn't match the parent.

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LEGGY: Describes a tall plant with little foliage at the base.

LIME: A white or light -gray substance containing calcium oxide used to counteract acidity in soil.

LOAM: Soil with particles of mixed sizes. Generally, loam is fertile soil containing humus and organic matter- manure, peat moss, grass clippings, compost and the like.

MULCH: Any nonliving material judged safe for plants that is used for a thin protective cover on soil. Organic mulches include wood chips, peat moss, sawdust and pine needles; these decay and nourish the soil. Plastic, gravel and clay aggregates add no nutrients but are long - lasting mulches.

ORGANIC GARDENING: A method based on natural - not chemically processed - materials to fertilize plants and control pests.

PERENNIAL: A plant that usually has a life cycle of several years during which it produces new growth. Shrubs and trees are clearly perennials, but so are grasses and many flowers. pH: The pH scale measures acidity- alkalinity on a range from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is considered neutral and optimal for successful gardening.

PRUNING: Cutting off parts of a plant to control its shape, limit its size, encourage new flowers or remove dead or diseased areas. Small twigs and branches can be pruned with cutting shears or hedge clippers; larger branches require the use of loppers. For high branches, a pruning saw is mounted on a pole and worked by a rope.

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SUCCULENT: A plant whose leaves and stems are thickened to store moisture in order to survive periods of dryness. The best known succulents are the cactuses.

THATCH: A buildup of decaying stems and leaves on top of the soil but below the green foliage of a lawn. It can be removed with a special power rake or dethatcher.

TILTH: The condition of soil when fit for cultivation. The soil should be friable, well nourished and well aerated.

TOP DRESSING: Applying fertilizer, lime, compost or other nourishment to soil without digging or mixing in.

VERMICULITE: A light, expanded mica product frequently used as a rooting medium or to lighten soil.

* Excerpeted from Woman's Day Gardening & Outdoor Living Ideas Vol. 3, No. 1 By Gerry Schremp 1993

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