Gardening Dictionary

Grow with what you got, Cousins. This gardening dictionary explains the words you may see on our seed pages and in the garden.

Find a word: On a computer, press Ctrl + F (or Command + F on a Mac). On a phone, choose Find on page in your browser menu.

Seed badge terms: Light to Germinate · Harvest Repeatedly · Cut & Come Again (CC) · Bush Habit · Spicy / Hot · Organic (OG) · Heirloom

Jump to: A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · T · U · V · W · X

A

Acclimation
Helping a plant adjust to a new place a little at a time. Example: Give a houseplant more outdoor light over several days instead of moving it straight into full sun.
Aeration
Air moving through soil or water so roots can breathe. Example: Perlite can add air spaces to a potting mix.
Amendment
Material mixed into soil to improve it. Example: Finished compost is a soil amendment.
Annual
A plant that finishes its life cycle in one growing season. Example: Most garden beans are grown as annuals.

B

Beneficial insect
An insect that helps the garden by pollinating flowers or eating pests. Example: Lady beetle larvae eat many aphids.
Biennial
A plant that usually takes two growing seasons to flower and make seed. Example: A carrot may grow its root the first year and flower the second.
Blossom-end rot
A dark, sunken spot on the bottom of some fruits, often linked to uneven water and poor calcium movement in the plant. Example: Keep tomato soil evenly moist to lower the risk.
Bolting
When a plant quickly sends up a flower stalk, often because of heat or long days. Example: Lettuce may bolt and turn bitter in hot weather.
Broadcast sowing
Scattering seed over a bed instead of planting in rows. Example: Sprinkle salad-mix seed evenly over a shallow tray.
Bush Habit
Plants with a compact, bushy growth pattern rather than a primarily vining habit.
Bt
Short for Bacillus thuringiensis, a group of bacteria used to control certain insect larvae. Example: Use only the Bt type labeled for the pest you have.

C

Chilling hours
The amount of cool weather some fruit plants need before they can grow and bloom normally. Example: Choose a peach variety whose chilling need fits your winter.
Cold frame
A low, clear-covered box that protects plants and traps warmth. Example: Use a cold frame to shelter cool-season seedlings.
Companion planting
Growing plants near each other because they may share space well or support garden goals. Example: Put flowers near vegetables to offer food for pollinators.
Compost
Finished, decayed plant and food material used to add organic matter to soil. Example: Mix mature compost into a raised bed before planting.
Compost tea
Water that has been steeped with compost. It is not a replacement for compost, and poorly made tea may carry harmful germs. Example: Use finished compost in soil when you want the safer, proven benefit.
Container gardening
Growing plants in pots, buckets, grow bags, or other containers with drainage. Example: Grow a compact tomato in a sunny patio pot.
Cool-season crop
A crop that grows best in mild or cool weather. Example: Lettuce and collards often grow well in spring or fall.
Cotyledon
A seed leaf; usually the first leaf you see after a seed sprouts. Example: Wait for true leaves before feeding many seedlings.
Cover crop
A crop grown mainly to protect or improve soil, not to harvest for food. Example: Grow clover in an empty bed, then cut it before it sets seed.
Crop rotation
Moving plant families to different beds over time. Example: Do not plant tomatoes in the same spot every year if you have room to rotate.
Cultivar
A named plant variety selected or bred for certain traits. Example: ‘Red Robin’ is a tomato cultivar.
Cut & Come Again (CC)
Plants that can regrow harvestable leaves or stems after selective cutting.
Cutting
A piece of stem, leaf, or root used to grow a new plant. Example: Root a basil stem cutting in moist mix.

D

Damping off
A disease problem that makes young seedlings rot or fall over, often in wet, crowded conditions. Example: Use clean seed-starting mix and gentle airflow.
Days to maturity
An estimate of how long a crop needs to reach harvest. The count may start at sowing or transplanting, so check the label. Example: “55 days from transplant” starts when the seedling goes into its final growing place.
Deadheading
Removing old flowers. Example: Clip faded zinnia blooms to encourage more flowers.
Deep watering
Watering long enough to moisten more than the soil surface. Example: Water a raised bed slowly, then check moisture a few inches down.
Determinate
A tomato growth habit that reaches a set size and ripens much of its crop in a shorter window. Example: A compact determinate tomato can fit a patio pot.
Direct sowing
Planting seed where the crop will finish growing. Example: Direct sow carrots because their roots dislike disturbance.
Disease resistance
A plant’s inherited ability to limit damage from a named disease; it does not mean immunity. Example: Match resistance codes to diseases common in your area.
Dormancy
A resting period when growth slows or stops. Example: Some seeds stay dormant until cold or moisture changes their seed coat.
Drainage
How easily extra water moves out of soil or a container. Example: Use a pot with open drainage holes so roots do not sit in water.
Drip irrigation
A system that delivers water slowly near plant roots. Example: A drip line can water tomatoes without soaking the leaves.

E

Etiolation
Pale, stretched growth caused by too little light. Example: Move seedlings closer to a grow light if they grow thin and leggy.

F

F1 hybrid
The first generation from a planned cross between two parent lines. Saved seed may not grow true to type. Example: Buy fresh seed when you want the same F1 traits again.
Fertilizer
A material that supplies plant nutrients. Example: Follow the label; too much fertilizer can burn roots or make excess leaves.
Floating row cover
Light fabric laid over crops to block some pests or hold a little warmth. Example: Cover young brassicas, then secure the edges.
Foliar feeding
Applying a nutrient solution to leaves. Example: Use only a product labeled for foliar use and avoid hot midday sun.
Food forest
An edible garden designed in layers, such as trees, shrubs, vines, and groundcovers. Example: A fruit tree with berry shrubs and herbs beneath it can form a small food-forest patch.
Frost date
An average date for the last spring frost or first fall frost; it is a guide, not a promise. Example: Check the forecast before setting out tomatoes after your average last frost.
Fruit set
The stage when a pollinated flower begins forming fruit. Example: Very hot weather can reduce tomato fruit set.
Full sun
At least about six hours of direct sun a day; many fruiting crops do best with more. Example: Put tomatoes in the sunniest useful space you have.

G

Germination
The process of a seed waking up and beginning to grow. Example: Warm, evenly moist mix helps tomato seed germinate.
Germination rate
The percentage of seeds that sprout under test conditions. Example: If 8 of 10 seeds sprout, the observed rate is 80%.
Green manure
A crop grown and then cut or turned into the soil to add organic matter. Example: Cut a cover crop before it makes mature seed.
Grow light
An electric light used to give plants enough usable light indoors. Example: Keep seedlings close enough to the light to prevent stretching, following the fixture directions.
Growing degree days
A way to track accumulated warmth for plant or insect development. Example: Farmers may use degree days to estimate pest timing.
Growing medium
The material roots grow in, such as soil, potting mix, coco coir, or water culture. Example: Use seed-starting mix as the medium for tiny seedlings.

H

Hardening off
Slowly getting indoor-grown seedlings used to outdoor sun, wind, and temperature. Example: Increase outdoor time over a week or two before transplanting.
Hardiness zone
A USDA area based on average annual extreme minimum winter temperature. It mainly helps with perennial cold survival. Example: Your zone does not replace local frost dates for annual vegetables.
Harvest Repeatedly
Plants that produce multiple harvests over their growing season.
Heavy soil
Soil with a high clay content that drains slowly and feels sticky when wet. Example: Avoid working heavy soil while it is soggy.
Heirloom
An established, open-pollinated variety passed down through generations. Do not automatically classify all open-pollinated varieties as heirlooms.
Hill
A planting station, often slightly raised, where several seeds are sown together. Example: Sow squash seeds in hills with plenty of room between them.
Humus
The stable, dark part of decomposed organic matter in soil. Example: Healthy soil-building practices support humus over time.
Hybrid
A plant produced by crossing genetically different parent plants. Example: A hybrid may be bred for uniform size or disease resistance.
Hydroponics
Growing plants without field soil, usually with roots in nutrient-rich water or an inert medium. Example: Lettuce can grow in a small hydroponic unit.

I

In-ground
Growing directly in the native ground instead of a pot or raised bed. Example: Test and improve an in-ground bed before planting.
Indeterminate
A tomato growth habit that keeps making new vine growth and fruit until weather, disease, or pruning stops it. Example: Give an indeterminate tomato a tall cage or trellis.
Inoculant
Helpful microorganisms added to seed or soil for a specific purpose. Example: A legume inoculant must match the crop and be used as labeled.
Integrated pest management (IPM)
A step-by-step way to prevent, watch, identify, and manage pests with the least harmful effective method. Example: Identify the caterpillar before choosing a treatment.

L

Leaching
Water carrying soluble nutrients or salts down through soil or out of a pot. Example: Heavy rain can leach nitrogen from sandy soil.
Leggy
Weak, stretched plant growth, usually from low light or crowding. Example: Thin seedlings and improve overhead light.
Light to Germinate
Seeds that require light for germination. Surface-sow or gently press into the growing medium without covering, following variety-specific instructions.
Loamy soil
Soil with a useful balance of sand, silt, and clay. Example: Loam can hold moisture while still draining well.
Long-day plant
A plant whose flowering or bulbing responds to longer daylight. Example: Choose an onion day-length type suited to your latitude.

M

Microclimate
The special conditions in one small spot. Example: A south-facing brick wall may be warmer than the rest of the yard.
Mulch
Material spread over soil to slow weeds and moisture loss. Example: Add clean straw after the soil warms, keeping it away from stems.
Mycorrhizae
Fungi that live with plant roots and trade nutrients and water with the plant. Example: Protect soil life by avoiding needless disturbance.

N

Nematode
A tiny roundworm; some help soil systems and some damage plants. Example: A lab test can confirm harmful root-knot nematodes.
Nitrogen
A major plant nutrient that supports leafy growth. Example: Too much nitrogen can delay tomato fruiting.
Node
A point on a stem where leaves, buds, or branches grow. Example: Make some cuttings just below a node.
N-P-K
The three numbers on fertilizer labels: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Example: A soil test helps you choose what your garden actually needs.

O

Open-pollinated
A variety that can produce similar offspring when it is kept from crossing with other varieties of the same crop. Example: Isolate varieties if you want true-to-type saved seed.
Organic (OG)
Seeds identified as organic only when supported by appropriate supplier documentation or certification.
Organic growing
Growing with practices and inputs allowed under an organic standard. “Organic” is a regulated label when products are sold as certified organic. Example: Read labels instead of assuming every natural product is allowed.
Organic matter
Plant, animal, and microbial material in different stages of decay. Example: Compost adds organic matter to a bed.
Overwinter
Keeping a plant alive or a crop in place through winter. Example: Protect hardy greens with a row cover during cold spells.

P

Partial shade
Less direct sun than a full-sun spot, often about three to six hours a day. Example: Afternoon shade may help lettuce in warm weather.
Perennial
A plant that lives for more than two years when the climate and care suit it. Example: Chives can return for several seasons.
Perlite
A lightweight, expanded mineral used to add air space and drainage to mixes. Example: Perlite is common in potting soil.
Pest pressure
The amount of pest activity affecting a crop at a given time. Example: Check leaf undersides more often when aphid pressure is high.
Soil pH
A scale showing how acidic or alkaline soil is. It affects nutrient availability. Example: Test before adding lime or sulfur.
Phosphorus
A major plant nutrient involved in energy transfer and root and flower development. Example: Add phosphorus only when a test or crop need supports it.
Photosynthesis
The process plants use to turn light, water, and carbon dioxide into sugars. Example: Good light helps a seedling make energy.
Pinching
Removing a soft stem tip to shape growth or encourage branching. Example: Pinch basil above a node for a bushier plant.
Pollination
Moving pollen so a flower can make seed or fruit. Example: Gently shake indoor tomato flowers when insects and wind are absent.
Pot-bound (rootbound)
When roots circle tightly because a plant has outgrown its container. Example: Move a rootbound seedling into a larger pot or its final bed.
Potassium
A major plant nutrient that supports water balance and many plant functions. Example: Use a soil test to avoid adding more than needed.
Potting mix
A light growing medium made for containers; it is different from heavy garden soil. Example: Fill a grow bag with fresh potting mix.
Pricking out
Moving tiny crowded seedlings into separate cells or pots. Example: Lift seedlings by a leaf, not the tender stem.
Propagation
Making new plants from seeds, cuttings, division, grafting, or other methods. Example: Starting tomato seed is sexual propagation.
Pruning
Removing selected plant parts to guide growth, health, or harvest. Example: Do not heavily prune a determinate tomato.

R

Raised bed
A growing bed built above the surrounding ground. Example: Fill a raised bed with a tested soil blend, not pure compost.
Rhizome
An underground stem that can make roots and new shoots. Example: Mint can spread through rhizomes.
Rootbound
See pot-bound.
Row cover
Fabric or another cover placed over crops for pest or weather protection. Example: Remove or vent covers when heat builds up.
Runner
A stem that grows along the surface and makes new plants. Example: Strawberry runners can root into nearby pots.

S

Scarification
Scratching, nicking, or softening a hard seed coat so water can enter. Example: Scarify only species that call for it.
Seed coat
The protective outer covering of a seed. Example: A hard seed coat may slow water uptake.
Seed leaf
Another name for a cotyledon.
Seed saving
Collecting and storing seed for future planting. Example: Save seed from healthy, fully mature open-pollinated plants.
Seed-starting mix
A fine, clean, lightweight medium for germinating seeds. Example: Moisten the mix before sowing tiny seeds.
Self-pollinating
A plant that can set seed or fruit using pollen from the same flower or plant. Example: Tomatoes are largely self-pollinating but still benefit from flower movement.
Short-day plant
A plant whose flowering or bulbing responds to longer nights. Example: Short-day onions suit lower latitudes.
Side dressing
Adding fertilizer beside growing plants instead of directly against stems. Example: Water after applying the measured amount.
Soil-borne disease
A disease caused by a pathogen that survives or spreads in soil or growing media. Example: Rotation and clean tools can lower some disease risk.
Soil structure
How soil particles form crumbs or clumps and create spaces for air and water. Example: Compost and living roots can support better structure.
Soil test
A lab or approved kit analysis of soil pH and nutrients. Example: Test before adding lime or a strong fertilizer.
Sowing depth
How deep a seed is planted. Example: Sow tomato seed about ¼ inch deep.
Spacing
The distance between plants or rows. Example: Thin seedlings to their final spacing so air and light can reach them.
Spicy / Hot
Pepper varieties that produce noticeable heat, typically from capsaicinoids.
Stratification
A moist warm or cold treatment that helps some dormant seeds germinate. Example: Cold-stratify only when the crop instructions call for it.
Succession planting
Sowing or planting in planned rounds for a longer harvest. Example: Sow radishes every two weeks while the weather stays cool.

T

Taproot
A main root that grows downward with smaller side roots. Example: Carrots form enlarged taproots.
Thinning
Removing extra seedlings so those left have enough room. Example: Snip crowded lettuce seedlings at soil level.
Top dressing
Adding compost or another material over the soil surface. Example: Spread a thin layer of finished compost around plants.
Transplanting
Moving a plant from one place or container to another. Example: Transplant tomatoes after frost danger passes and the soil warms.
Trellis
A support that holds climbing or vining plants upright. Example: Tie an indeterminate tomato gently to a strong trellis.
True leaves
The leaves that appear after seed leaves and look more like the mature plant. Example: Thin seedlings after their first true leaves appear.

U

USDA hardiness zone
See hardiness zone. It describes winter cold, not summer heat or the best vegetable planting date.

V

Vector
An organism that carries a disease-causing agent from plant to plant. Example: Some aphids spread plant viruses.
Vermiculite
A lightweight expanded mineral that holds water and is used in potting and seed-starting mixes. Example: A thin layer can cover some small seeds.
Viability
A seed’s ability to germinate and grow. Example: Test older seed on a damp paper towel before planting a large bed.
Volunteer plant
A plant that sprouts without being planted on purpose. Example: A tomato may volunteer where last year’s fruit fell.

W

Warm-season crop
A crop that grows best in warm, frost-free weather. Example: Tomatoes, peppers, and okra are warm-season crops.
Watering at the soil line
Putting water near the roots instead of wetting leaves. Example: Aim a watering wand at the base of the plant.
Wick watering
Using absorbent material to pull water from a reservoir into growing mix. Example: A self-watering planter may use a wick or wicking column.
Wilt
Drooping caused by water stress, root trouble, heat, or disease. Example: Check soil moisture before assuming a wilted plant needs more water.
Worm castings
Material produced by earthworms and used as a gentle soil amendment. Example: Blend a modest amount into potting mix.

X

Xeriscaping
Planning a landscape to use water wisely through plant choice, soil care, and efficient irrigation. Example: Group plants with similar water needs.

Trusted places to keep learning

Garden advice changes with climate, season, and local conditions. Your county Cooperative Extension office can help you apply these terms where you live.