{"id":13205,"date":"2020-08-01T14:23:23","date_gmt":"2020-08-01T04:23:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/?p=13205"},"modified":"2025-10-30T21:09:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:09:01","slug":"gardening-terms-every-beginner-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/2020\/08\/01\/gardening-terms-every-beginner-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Gardening Terms Every Beginner Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/files\/2020\/05\/GARDENING-TERMinologies-Copy.jpg\" alt=\"Scientists and experts in every field communicate with each other in a distinct, highly-specialized dialect. \" class=\"wp-image-13214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/GARDENING-TERMinologies-Copy.jpg 800w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/GARDENING-TERMinologies-Copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/GARDENING-TERMinologies-Copy-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Scientists and experts in every field communicate with each other in a distinct, highly specialized dialect.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are new to gardening, you are likely to run into difficulty deciphering certain terminologies in gardening books and blogs. In fact, you might even find a number of phrases and words in seed packages utterly bewildering. Don\u2019t despair. No expert gardener would ever question your intelligence because of it.<\/p>\n\n\n&lt;!&#8211; wp:common\/insert-amalinkspro-shortcode {&quot;shortcode&quot;:&quot;[amalinkspro type=\\u0022cta-btn-css\\u0022 apilink=\\u0022u002[lasso\\u0022 amazon_url=\\u0022https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/0989268845?tag=theownebuilne-20\\u0026linkCode=osi\\u0026th=1\\u0026psc=1\\u0022 link_id=\\u00225364\\u0022]addtocart=\\u0022false\\u0022 new-window=\\u0022true\\u0022 nofollow=\\u0022true\\u0022 alignment=\\u0022aligncenter\\u0022 link_id=\\u0022561\\u0022]<\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:post-content -->\n\n\n\t\t\t<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":15592,\"width\":439,\"height\":512,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/files\/2021\/09\/Garden-Pedia-An-A-to-Z-Guide-to-Gardening-Terms-scaled.jpg\" data-lasso-id=\"559\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/files\/2021\/09\/Garden-Pedia-An-A-to-Z-Guide-to-Gardening-Terms-878x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15592\" width=\"439\" height=\"512\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Garden-Pedia: An A-to-Z Guide to Gardening Terms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\t\t\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The linguist will tell you that practical, everyday communication is built on grammatical simplicity and a scant &#8211; and therefore manageable &#8211; vocabulary. In comparison, scientists and experts in every field communicate with each other in a distinct, highly specialized dialect. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The poet, Robert Graves, once famously asserted that some of the worst offenses against proper English are to be found in this type of specialized verbiage.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Gardening Terms You Should Know<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>It is easy enough to find proof to support Graves\u2019 claim. Often, as it happens, publishers or special events organizers will ask an expert to write a book or deliver a lecture on his expertise. On such occasions, the expert is rarely able to translate all his ideas in a language that is immediately intelligible to a general audience.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Be that as it may, below are a few gardening terms every beginner should know to ensure a smoother learning process and &#8211; hopefully &#8211; a better first harvest.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3>General Gardening Terminology<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul><li><strong>Chlorosis<\/strong><a href=\"\"> <\/a>\u00b7<a href=\"\"> <\/a>abnormal reduction or loss of the normal green coloration of leaves of plants<\/li><li><strong>Cold frame<\/strong> \u00b7 an unheated structure, usually made of wood and covered with glass or plastic, used to protect plants from frost<\/li><li><strong>Deadhead<\/strong> \u00b7<a href=\"\"> <\/a>a faded blossom on a flowering plant<\/li><li><strong>Dead-heading<\/strong> \u00b7 pinching or snipping off spent flowers.<\/li><li><strong>Direct sowing<\/strong> \u00b7 planting seeds in the garden, as opposed to germinating seeds indoors<\/li><li><strong>Full-sun<\/strong> \u00b7 minimum amount of light a sun-loving plant needs to thrive, at least six hours of direct sunlight each day<\/li><li><strong>Hardening-off<\/strong> \u00b7 the process of acclimating plants to the outdoors<\/li><li><strong>Hardiness zone<\/strong> \u00b7 a geographic area defined to encompass a certain range of climatic conditions relevant to plant growth and survival<\/li><li><strong>Hybrid<\/strong> \u00b7 the offspring of two plants of different species or varieties<\/li><li><strong>Naturalized<\/strong> \u00b7 plants that have become established as a part of the plant life of a region other than their place of origin; landscaping technique that incorporates local native plants into the design<\/li><li><strong>Pruning<\/strong><a href=\"\"> <\/a>\u00b7<a href=\"\"> <\/a>process of removing dead, diseased, or damaged leaves or branches from plants<\/li><li><strong>Raised bed<\/strong> \u00b7 an area of ground that has been elevated and specially prepared so that plants can be grown in it<\/li><li><strong>Side-dressing<\/strong> \u00b7 application of fertilizers in a shallow furrow or band along the side of a vegetable row or in a circle around individual plants<\/li><li><strong>Staking<\/strong> \u00b7 supporting a tree or plant with a stake or stakes<\/li><li><strong>Thinning<\/strong> \u00b7 making a planting bed less dense, crowded, or numerous by reducing the number of seedlings<\/li><li><strong>Transplant<\/strong> \u00b7 in gardening, to remove plants from one location and <a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/2020\/05\/07\/6-gardening-tips-to-minimize-transplant-shock\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-lasso-id=\"560\">replant<\/a> them in another<\/li><li><strong>Trellis<\/strong> \u00b7 latticework that supports climbing plants<\/li><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":13216,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/files\/2020\/05\/PHLOX-1.jpg\" alt=\"Full-sun refers to the minimum amount of light that sun-loving plants need to thrive, which is at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.\" class=\"wp-image-13216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/PHLOX-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/PHLOX-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/PHLOX-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Full-sun refers to the minimum amount of light that sun-loving plants need to thrive, which is at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3>Plant and Seed Terminology<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul><li><strong>Annual<\/strong> \u00b7 a plant that has a one-year life cycle<\/li><li><strong>Bare-root <\/strong>\u00b7 a plant with its roots cleared of soil in preparation for transplanting<\/li><li><strong>Biennial<\/strong> \u00b7 a plant that has a two-year life cycle<\/li><li><strong>Bolting <\/strong>\u00b7 a plant\u2019s premature production of seeds or flowering stems<\/li><li><strong>Cultivar <\/strong>\u00b7 a plant variety produced in cultivation by selective breeding<\/li><li><strong>Damping-off <\/strong>\u00b7the rotting of the stem and root tissues at and below the soil surface usually as a result of soil-borne fungal disease<\/li><li><strong>Deciduous<\/strong> \u00b7 a plant that sheds its leaves each fall or winter<\/li><li><strong>Dormancy <\/strong>\u00b7<a href=\"\"> <\/a>a state in which a plant is alive but not actively growing<\/li><li><strong>Evergreen <\/strong>\u00b7 a plant that retains its leaves throughout the growing season<\/li><li><strong>Frost date <\/strong>\u00b7average&nbsp;date&nbsp;of the first or last light&nbsp;freeze&nbsp;that occurs in spring or fall<\/li><li><strong>Genus<\/strong> \u00b7 a category of plants that have common characteristics<\/li><li><strong>Germination <\/strong>\u00b7 the development of a plant from a seed or spore<\/li><li><strong>Groundcover<\/strong> \u00b7 a low-growing, spreading plant that covers the ground<\/li><li><strong>Heirloom<\/strong> \u00b7 an old, open-pollinated cultivar of a plant grown and maintained by gardeners and farmers<\/li><li><strong>Humus<\/strong> \u00b7 decomposed material that forms the organic portion of the soil<\/li><li><strong>Native<\/strong> \u00b7 a plant of indigenous origin<\/li><li><strong>Open pollination<\/strong> \u00b7 natural plant propagation through the wind, insect activity, or soil movement<\/li><li><strong>Ornamental <\/strong>\u00b7 plants grown solely for their appearance<\/li><li><strong>Perennial<\/strong> \u00b7 a plant that lives through multiple growing seasons<\/li><li><strong>Pollination<\/strong> \u00b7 the transfer of pollen from a flower\u2019s stamen to the pistil, which results in the forming of a seed<\/li><li><strong>Self-pollinating<\/strong> \u00b7 pollination by pollen from the same flower or from another flower on the same plant<\/li><li><strong>Woody<\/strong> \u00b7 a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue<\/li><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":13217,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/files\/2020\/05\/SOIL-AND-SEEDLINGS.jpg\" alt=\"Humus is decomposed plant material that forms the organic portion of the soil.\" class=\"wp-image-13217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/SOIL-AND-SEEDLINGS.jpg 800w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/SOIL-AND-SEEDLINGS-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/05\/SOIL-AND-SEEDLINGS-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Humus is decomposed material that forms the organic portion of the soil.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3>Soil Terminology<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul><li><strong>Acidity<\/strong><a href=\"\"> <\/a>\u00b7<a href=\"\"> <\/a>the level of acid in the soil, measured in pH<\/li><li><strong>Bone meal <\/strong>\u00b7 a type of fertilizer made from animal bones<\/li><li><strong>Clay <\/strong>\u00b7 sticky fine-grained earth, typically yellow, red, or bluish-gray in color, often forming an impermeable layer<\/li><li><strong>Compost <\/strong>\u00b7 decayed organic matter used as a soil conditioner, mulch, or fertilizer<\/li><li><strong>Loam<\/strong> \u00b7 soil that contains roughly equal parts of sand, silt, and clay.<\/li><li><strong>Micronutrients <\/strong>\u00b7 trace amounts of minerals essential for plant development, including chlorine, molybdenum, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, and boron<\/li><li><strong>Mulch<\/strong> \u00b7 a protective covering (as of sawdust, compost, or paper) spread on the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil temperature, prevent erosion, control weeds, enrich the soil, or keep fruit clean<\/li><li><strong>pH<\/strong> \u00b7 measure of the soil\u2019s acidity or alkalinity ranging from 0 to 14<\/li><li><strong>Sand<\/strong> \u00b7<a href=\"\"> <\/a>the largest particles of mineral components in soil<\/li><li><strong>Silt<\/strong><a href=\"\"> <\/a>\u00b7<a href=\"\"> <\/a>soil containing 80 percent or more tiny rock particles and less than 12 percent clay<\/li><li><strong>Soil texture<\/strong> \u00b7 proportion of clay, silt, and sand in the soil<\/li><li><strong>Tilth<\/strong> \u00b7 the condition of tilled soil, especially its suitability for sowing seeds<\/li><li><strong>Vermiculite<\/strong> \u00b7 a light, spongy mineral (also called &#8220;mica&#8221;) heated to the point of expansion and used to retain water and air in plant growing media<\/li><li><strong>Waterlogged<\/strong> \u00b7 a state of being completely saturated with water<\/li><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":11357,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"essb-block-image\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large essb-block-image\" data-essb-pin-description=\"Mulch is a protective covering spread on the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil temperature, control weeds, or keep fruit clean.\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"557\" src=\"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/files\/2020\/03\/STRAWBERRY-MULCH.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/03\/STRAWBERRY-MULCH.jpg 800w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/03\/STRAWBERRY-MULCH-300x209.jpg 300w, https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/files\/2020\/03\/STRAWBERRY-MULCH-768x535.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Mulch is a protective covering spread on the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil temperature, control weeds, or keep fruit clean.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3>Understanding the Jargon<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Gardening is a fulfilling and rewarding hobby. Not only does it involve good physical exercise, but it also improves mental health and well-being. After all, there are few things more gratifying than the sense of accomplishment that comes with growing your own flowers, fruits, and vegetables.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>But gardening is by no means a walk in the park. Success requires hard work and a great deal of research. Often enough, however, consulting gardening magazines, books, radio shows, or websites for advice will only further the beginner\u2019s confusion.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>While veteran gardeners understand gardening jargon, the same language may well befuddle the newcomer \u2013 and everybody else, for that matter. We hope the guide above helps to clear at least some of the neophyte\u2019s inevitable \u2013 and perfectly understandable &#8211; confusion.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are new to gardening, you are likely to run into difficulty deciphering certain terminologies in gardening books and blogs. Here is a glossary of terms thay may come in handy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13557,"featured_media":13215,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"New to gardening? Master essential terms fast with our beginner-friendly glossary. 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