A Beginner’s Guide to Gardening Lingo

gardening lingo

When browsing seed catalogs and visiting nurseries, there are certain gardening lingo terms that can be a bit confusing. But fear not! This article will explain a few basic gardening terms that are commonly used so that you can be an expert gardener in no time.

The slender stems of perennial plants that carry flowers and fruit. These are usually encouraged to grow vertically instead of sprawling along the ground, as this takes up less space in a garden and is easier to harvest.

A term that describes how long a plant can live for before it dies and needs to be replaced. This is generally determined by the weather and growing conditions in a particular location. Perennials typically flower and produce seed in their first year of life, then die back in the winter to regrow in spring.

Decoding Gardening Lingo: A Comprehensive Guide to Common Terms and Phrases in the Gardening World

Using natural methods (like pollination) to cross-pollinate two different varieties of plants that produce offspring of both kinds. This can create hybrids, which are often bred for better traits than the parent plant.

The process of removing spent or dead flowers from plants once they are past their prime. This helps to maintain a tidy appearance, reduces seed scattering and encourages new blooms. If saving seeds from annual flowers, it is important to wait until the flowers are completely dry before deadheading.

A gardening term that refers to a variety of ways in which plants can be multiplied or reproduced. The most common method is by seed, but some plants also multiply through root divisions, layering and cuttings. The rhizomes of some plants (like mint) are also sent out into the soil as a natural method of spreading and can become invasive in a garden.

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