Glossary

A

• Acidity/Alkalinity (pH): A measure of how acidic or alkaline your soil is, on a scale of 0-14. Most vegetables prefer a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0).
• Aeration: Aerate: The process of improving air circulation in the soil, often through tilling or adding organic matter, which benefits root growth.
• Amendments: Materials added to soil to improve its physical properties, fertility, or pH. Examples include compost, sand, and lime. This is not an exhaustive list by any means.
• Annuals: Plants that complete their life cycle within one growing season. This means they don’t tend to grow back next growing season. If you want to grow these again, you will generally need more seed or a fresh plug plant.

B

• Biennial: Plants with a two-year life cycle, typically flowering and producing seeds in the second year. Biennial crops typically require two growing seasons to complete their life cycle. The first year focuses on vegetative growth (roots, leaves, stems), while the second year is for reproductive growth (flowers, seeds, fruits). Many biennials also require vernalization, a period of cold exposure, to trigger flowering in the second year. Once the plant has gone to seed, you can save those seeds and plant the following season. Examples of biennials include onions, beets, carrots, and celery.

 

C

• Compost: Decomposed organic matter used to enrich soil, improve its structure, and provide nutrients. It’s a mixture of carbon-rich “brown” materials (dead leaves, wood shavings, straw, shredded cardboard) and nitrogen-rich “green” (grass clippings, kitchen waste, coffee grounds, spent flowers, etc.)materials, along with essential elements like water, oxygen, and nutrients. Compost is a valuable alternative to synthetic fertilisers, providing essential nutrients for plants and improving soil health. 

D

• Deadheading: The practice of removing spent, faded or dead flowers from a plant. This is done to encourage further blooming and prevent the plant from producing seeds. Deadheading redirects the plant’s energy from seed production to new growth and flower development. It’s important to cut or pinch the flower stem just above the first set of full, healthy leaves or a developing side shoot. Avoid removing any new buds or shoots as they will produce future flowers.

E

• Fertiliser: Materials, natural or synthetic, applied to soil or plants to supply essential nutrients for growth. This is much like amending your soil, but is often applied around the base of the plant, as is the case with something like tomatoes. You can purchase fertiliser in many garden centres, but do look for organic ones.

H

• Hardening Off: Gradually acclimating seedlings and young plants started indoors to outdoor conditions (sunlight, wind, temperature fluctuations) before transplanting into their permanent growing space.
• Heirloom Variety: An open-pollinated plant variety that’s been passed down through generations, often prized for its flavour or unique characteristics. Heirloom seeds will produce plants that retain the characteristics of the original plant. 
• Half-Hardy: Half-Hardy refers to plants that are somewhat tolerant of cool temperatures but are not able to fully withstand frost or prolonged exposure to cold conditions. Half-hardy plants are generally more cold-sensitive than hardy ones. Examlpes of plants that would be considered half-hardy would be, chard, cauliflower, potates, and celery. Sometimes half-hardy plants will take a small frost and if the weather warms sufficiently they will bounce back. However, I certainly wouldn’t risk exposing half-hardy plants to prolonged frost.

I

• Interplanting: This technique, also known as intercropping or companion planting, is the practice of growing two or more different crops together in the same space at the same time to maximise resource use, reduce pests, and improve yields. By combining plants with complementary growth habits or nutrient needs, you can create more resilient and productive systems. For example, lettuce growing in the shade of tomatoes, or carrots sown in between onions.

J

M

N

• Native Plants: Species that occur naturally in a specific region and are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. If you can purchase open pollenated seeds that have been around for many years then you might consider the plant native.
• Nodes: A plant node is the point on a stem where leaves, branches, or buds emerge, and it contains tissues capable of producing new growth. Nodes are essential for plant growth because they contain meristematic tissue, which can develop into new stems, leaves, or roots.

O

• Open-Pollinated: A plant variety that, when pollinated by another plant of the same variety, will produce seeds that are true to type i.e., will grow into plants similar to the parent. (see heirloom) 

P

• Perennial: A plant that lives for more than two years, often returning year after year, such as asparagus and rhubarb.
• Plug Plants: A plug plant is a small young plant that has been grown from seed in a cell or plug of compost rather than directly in the ground. This is a very common way of purchasing seedlings or slightly more established plants, such as vegetables, annuals, and bedding plants.

Q

R

• Row Cover: A lightweight fabric used to protect plants from pests, frost, or intense sun. Row covers are useful in Winter, Autumn/Fall, and early Spring when plants need more protection from the cold. 

S

• Subsoil: The layer of soil beneath the topsoil, often less fertile, lighter in colour and more compact. It is made up of mainly sand, silt and clay with less organic matter than topsoil. However, it is vital for supporting plant life, providing drainage and storing moisture. It often contains more minerals than topsoil and provides good support for plant roots.

T

• Transplanting: Transplanting refers to the process of moving a plant from one location to another. This can involve moving a plant from a seedtray or pot to its final growing position in the garden or transferring a mature plant to a different part of the garden. The main thing to keep in mind when transplanting any plant or seedling is to be careful not to disturb or damage the root system.

U

V

• Vermiculite: a naturally occurring magnesium-aluminium-iron silicate mineral that, when heated, expands significantly into a lightweight, flaky material resembling worms. It acts like a sponge holding water & moisture. It absorbs plant nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and calcium, releasing them slowly. Excellent for lightly covering newly sown seeds

W

• Wilting: When a plant’s leaves or flowers lose their rigidity and start to drop. This can be caused by a number of reasons. It may be due to loss of water, disease or damage. Many non-woody plants rely on water pressure within their cells to keep them erect. When the plant loses water for whatever reason this can cause the leaves to start wilting or drooping.

X

Y

Z