Common Gardening Terms
- Acidic
- Soil (or liquid) having a pH of 7 or less.
- Acidifier
- A substance that can decrease the pH level of soil when introduced. Common types of acidifers include certain fertilizers (especially water-soluble types marketed for acid-loving plants) and pelletized products such as sulphur that can be used when soil tests reveal a too-high soil pH level.
- Aeration
- The process that supplies roots and plants with oxygen. For hydroponic systems, aeration means to aerate plants with a nutrient solution circulated by an aquarium type pump.
- Aeroponics
- A plant system where the roots of the plants are misted with a nutrient rich solution to promote growth without the use of a growth medium.
- Alkaline
- Soil (or liquid) having a pH above 7
- Alkaloids
- The basic organic compounds that contain nitrogen
- Annual
- A plant that matures and produces seeds in one growing season. An example of an annual plant is a summer squash.
- Aquaculture
- Another term for Hydroponics.
- Auxin
- A plant growth regulating substance.
- Biodegradable
- Material that decomposes through natural bacterial action.
- Bloom Booster
- A fertilizer that is high in phosphorus, which increases the bloom or blossom yield of a plant.
- Burn
- When leaf tips turn dark because of excess fertilizer or salt in their growing medium or nutrient solution.
- Calcium
- A vital element to all plants and is considered a macro-nutrient.
- Chlorophyll
- The green matter of the plant.
- Chlorosis
- A nutrient deficiency in plants which causes yellowing of the leaves.
- Clone
- A new plant, created through asexual reproduction by cuttings or tissue layering.
- Compost
- Decaying organic matter that is high in nutrients and benefical as plant fertilizer.
- Damping Off Fungus
- Usually attacks young plants at the base of the plant. Damping off fungus is caused by the over watering of plants.
- Drip System
- A hydroponic system that drips nutrient solution from emitters (or lines) around the plants.
- Ebb and Flow System
- A hydroponic system that periodically floods, then drains nutrient solution around the plants.
- Foliar Feeding
- The feeding of plants by misting them with a nutrient rich solution on the leaves (rather than the roots).
- Germination
- The initial development of a plant from a seed.
- Grow Medium
- Supports the plants root systems. Examples of grow medium are peebles or coconut fiber.
- Harden Off
- The prepare a plant for the outdoors by slowly acclimiatizing it to a harsh climate.
- HID Lights
- High Intensity Lights that are the most effective artificial light source for hydroponic plants.
- Hybrid
- A plant that is the offspring of two different breeds or varieties.
- Leaf Curl
- Caused by over watering, too much fertilizer, a lack of magnesium or insect/ fungus damage
- Medium
- The material used instead of soil to support the root growth of hydroponic plants. The medium also holds and releases the nutrient solution used in hydroponic gardening
- Necrosis
- The dying of plant tissue.
- Nutrient Film Technique
- A hydroponic technique that grows plants under a constant stream of nutrient solution around the bottom of the roots while air circulates around the top of the roots (increasing the oxygen).
- Photosynthesis
- The process in which a plant produces sugar by converting light energy into chemical energy.
- Rockwool
- A woven material used as a growing medium for hydroponic plants. The woven material is made from volcanic rock and limestone that is heated at a high temperture, extruded and then formed into blocks and slabs.
- Systemic
- Used in reference to plant diseases. Describes whether a disease has occurred within a plant and not from an outside source.
- Wick
- Used in passive hydroponic gardening systems. A wick is placed so that it extends from the nutrient reservior to the growing medium. The solution is then absorbed by the plant roots growing within the medium.
- Wounding
- Making cuts in the basal end of a cutting to expose cambial tissue and stimulate rooting
Let Me Know...
If you know a term that should be here to help the newbies understand about gardening in general, or any one of the specific gardening types (raised-bed, hydroponic, organic, etc.) please drop me a note and I will add it.