TERM | DEFINITION |
| |
Acid Soil | Soil with a pH of below 7 |
Aerate | To loosen the soil in order to allow in air |
Alkaline Soil | Soil with a pH of over 7 |
Annual | A plant that completes its lifecycle within the space of one growing season. For example, Tagetes erecta (the African marigold) |
Aphid | A small plant bug that feeds by sucking plant juices. For example, greenfly. Aphids can also transmit viruses between plants |
Bare-root | A plant lifted from the open ground and sold in this condition |
Biennial | A plant that completes its lifecycle over the space of two growing seasons. For example, Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William) |
Bolting | The premature production of flowers and seeds |
Canker | A plant disease that appears on woody stems and herbaceous plants |
| Catch Crop | A fast growing crop to utilise the land |
Clay | A fine-grained soil that is rich in nutrients but has poor drainage |
Climber | A plant that climbs by clinging to other plants or objects via twining stems or tendrils |
Cloche | A glass or polythene cover used for propagation, for protecting early crops raised outside or to warm the soil before planting. Can also be used to protect over wintering plants |
Cold-frame | An unheated structure made from wood, brick or glass used to protect plants from the cold |
| Cordon | A plant that is pruned to only one stem with all side shoots removed. Most often seen in fruit trees |
Cultivar | A variety of plant that is produced by horticultural methods. The term literally means a "cultivated variety" |
Damping-off | A disease that affects seedlings in cold wet soil and crowded conditions |
Deciduous | A plant that loses all of its leaves at the end of its growing season |
Division | A method of increasing plants by splitting the crown or roots into smaller pieces, each piece retaining some roots and shoots |
Double Digging | A cultivation technique in which the soil is worked over to a depth of two spade blades |
Dry Rot | A fungal disease that causes the tissues and cells within a plant to crumble |
Dutch Elm Disease | A serious fungal disease affecting elms |
Etiolation | When plants grow in either partial or complete absence of light they exhibit different growth patterns than those grown in brighter conditions. The plants will appear pale and elongated as the shoots strive to find light. Can be used to advantage in growing, for example, rhubarb |
Ericaceous | A term describing plants that require acidic soils. For example, heathers |
Evergreen | A plant that retains its foliage throughout the year |
Fastigiate | An erect, upright form of growth with branches close together |
Fireblight | A serious disease of pears and other trees of the Rosaceae family caused by bacteria |
| Foliar Feeding | The application of a dilute solution of fertiliser to a plant's leaves |
Foot Rot | A fungal disease of plants that causes the root system and bottom part of the stem to rot |
Forcing | The concept of bringing a plant into flower earlier that it normally would by altering day length or temperature |
Frost-hardy | A plant that is able to withstand frosty conditions without protection |
Frost-tender | A plant that requires protection from frosty conditions |
Fungicide | A chemical that kills fungal diseases |
Gall | An abnormal localised swelling or outgrowth on a plant that is caused by a parasite. Bacteria, fungi, insects or mites can all cause galls |
Genus | A category of plant classification that identifies a group of related species. For example, Rosa is a genus, to which many different species belong |
Germination | The process by which a seed develops into a seedling |
Gley | Waterlogged soil lacking oxygen |
Green Manure | A plant that is grown to improve the soil. It is grown and then allowed to die down into the soil or is dug into the soil |
Half-hardy | A plant that is unable to survive the winter without protection but does not require protection all year round |
Hard Pan | A hard, compacted layer in the soil |
Harden Off | Plants that have been raised in warm conditions require a period of acclimatisation before they are able to be placed outside in cooler temperatures. This is achieved by hardening off, which involves gradually reducing the amount of warmth the plant receives. |
Hardy | A plant that is capable of surviving the winter without any protection |
Herbaceous Perennial | A non-woody plant in which the upper parts die down to a rootstock |
Herbicide | A weedkiller |
Humus | The organic residue of decayed vegetable matter in the soil |
Insecticide | Any chemical that kills insects |
Layering | A method of propagation in which a portion of the stem is induced to root while still attached to the parent plant |
Leaf Mould | Decomposed leaves used as a soil conditioner |
Loam | The best soil to have. It consists of medium texture and is easily worked. Contains equal parts sand, clay and silt |
Mulch | A layer of organic or other material applied to the soil to suppress weed growth |
Neutral Soil | A soil with a pH of 7 |
Nutrient | A plant food |
Peat | The remains of partially decayed vegetation laid down millions of years ago in waterlogged soil. Improves soil structure. Acidic |
Perennial | A plant that lives for at least three growing seasons |
pH | A measure of acidity and alkalinity in soil |
Pinching Out | The removal of the growing tip to encourage side growth |
| Pot Bound | A plant whose roots are tightly packed within its pot. Roots usually wind around themselves, restricting growth and development |
Potato Blight | A fungal disease of potatoes and related plants |
Pricking Out | Transplanting seedlings to its own pot |
Pruning | The cutting back of some or all of the branches of a woody plant. Includes the removal of dead or diseased branches and to form the plant into shape |
Rootstock | The crown and root system of herbaceous perennials |
Shade Plant | A plant that thrives in conditions of low light levels. For example, ferns |
Shrub | A woody plant that branches from the base with no obvious trunk |
Specimen Plant | A striking plant used as a feature in a planting scheme |
Subsoil | The layer of soil below the topsoil. It is lighter in colour and lacks organic matter and nutrients |
Sun Plant | A plant that thrives in conditions of full light. For example, Stachys byzantina (Lambs Ears) |
Top-dress | To apply a material such as fertiliser or compost to the soil around a plant |
Topsoil | The upper layer of soil that is the most fertile |
Variegated | Marked with various colours in an irregular pattern |
Variety | Describes any variation in a plant with consistently reproducible characteristics |
Weed | Any plant that is growing where it is not wanted |
Fencing 
Landscaping materials
