Calogary (Zone 3) Gardening Glossary:
Acid soil - Soil with a pH below 7
Aeration - Puncturing the soil to allow better water and air circulation
Common Uses:
• Loosening compacted clay lawns each spring or fall
• Improving drainage on lawns that pool after rain
• Prepping a lawn before overseeding or topdressing
• Reviving thin, patchy turf in high-traffic areas
Air layering - A propagation method used for plants that have grown too tall
Alpine - Plants that grow naturally above the tree line in mountainous regions
Annual - A plant that completes its life cycle and dies in one season
Common Uses:
• Filling containers and hanging baskets with colour from late May
• Adding quick colour to new beds
• Planting vegetables like lettuce, beans, and tomatoes
• Filling gaps between young perennials
Biennial - A plant that completes its life cycle over two seasons
Blanching - Keeping light from tender vegetable stems
Bog plant - A species that has evolved to live in damp soil
Bone meal - A slow release phosphorous rich natural fertilizer
Bonsai - The Japanese method of training dwarf plants in containers
Botanical name - The scientific name for a plant; plants may have several common names
Bud - The swelling as a plant starts new flower or leaf growth
Bulb - An underground stem, that stores nutrients and produces stems, leaves and flowers
Bulblet - A small bulb developing at the base of a mature one
Cactus - A succulent plant with swollen, fleshy stems, and needles
Compost - A soft, rich, dark substance produced by decomposing organic matter
Corm - Thick underground stems, covered by protective leaves, that flower and die in one season
Cormel - Small corm developing on the surface of corms
Deadheading - Removing spent flowers to encourage re-blooming
Deciduous - Plants that lose their leaves at the end of the growing season
Division - The process of dividing clump forming plants into separate smaller plants
Dormancy - The annual period when plant's growth slows greatly, usually the winter
Dwarf - A miniature form of a particular plant
Evergreen - A plant that retains its foliage all year long
Fertilizer - A compound that provides plants with nutrients
Foliage - A term describing plant leaves
Force - To encourage a plant to come into stem, leaf and flower production out of season
Furrow - A shallow trench in which seeds or seedlings are planted
Germination - The process of seeds turning into young plants
Grafting - The process of artificially uniting a stem with a stock plant
Ground cover - Low growing, spreading plants that cover large areas
Hardening off - Adapting a plant slowly to colder conditions
Hardiness - A plant's ability to survive in harsh conditions
Herb - Plants with culinary or medicinal uses
Herbicide - A chemical used to kill unwanted plants
Humus - Organic matter resulting from composting
Hybrid - A plant variety resulting from the combination of two different plant species, varieties, or cultivars
Insecticide - A chemical used to kill insects that are considered pests
Leader - The plant's main stem
Loam - Soil rich in organic material, ideal for growing
Microclimate - The climate of a small area. Yards may contain several microclimates that may support the needs of different plants
Mulch - A layer of organic material placed on the soil to retain moisture, suppress weed growth and insulate plant roots
Naturalizing - The process of planting bulbous plants where they are scattered to create a natural look
Nitrogen - The element present in fertilizer that promotes leaf growth
Organic gardening - Gardening without the use of pesticides
Organic material - Decomposed plant matter used in mulches and composts
Perennial - A non-woody plant that lives longer than two years
Phosphorous - The element of fertilizer that promotes root growth
Pollination - The transfer of pollen between plants, which enables flower and fruit production
Potassium - The element of fertilizer that promotes cell strength and plant hardiness
Potting soil - A mix of soil or other products used for plants grown in containers
Propagation - Starting new plants
Pruning - The removal or shortening of branches from plants
Rhizome - A thickened stem that grows horizontally along the soil's surface
Root - The underground part of the plant that supplies nutrients and water to the plant from the surrounding soil
Root ball - The roots along with the soil that clings to them
Rooting hormone - A liquid or powder that contains hormones which stimulate root formation in cuttings
Seedling - A young plant that has been raised from a seed
Shrub - A plant with many woody stems
Sow - The act of planting seeds
Species - Plant groupings that have the same general characteristics
Spike - Tall flower head
Stem - The main above ground part of the plant that develops buds and shoots
Succulent - A plant with fleshy leaves and stems that can adapt to survive drought conditions
Sucker - Growth coming directly from a plant's roots
Systemic - A chemical pesticide, fungicide or weed killer that is absorbed into a plant's system
Terrarium - An enclosed glass case for growing humidity-loving plants
Thinning - Removing excess seedlings so that the remaining plants have room to reach maturity
Topsoil - The uppermost layer of most fertile soil
Transplanting - Moving a plant from one spot in the garden to another, also refers to moving container plants into larger containers
Tuber - A thickened underground stem or root that stores plant nutrients for later use
Variegated - Leaves that have edges or patches a different colour than the main leaf colour
Vermiculite - a natural, heat-expanded mineral used mainly in gardening to retain moisture and improve soil aeration.
Common Uses:
• Seed starting: Keeps seeds moist and provides an airy medium for delicate new roots
• Soil amendment: Mixed into potting soil or heavy clay to improve aeration and moisture retention
• Rooting cuttings: Helps anchor and support tender plant cuttings
• Bulb storage: Used to store tender flower bulbs over the winter
Weed - A plant that is growing in the wrong place
Winter kill - Portion of a plant dying back due to harsh winter conditions