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GLOSSARY OF GARDENING TERMS

Asphalt
A mixture of bitumen pitch with sand or gravel, which is used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, and other applications.

Bagasse
The fibrous pulp that remains after sugarcane has been crushed and the juice extracted.

Crop
A plant such as a vegetable, fruit or cereal that is grown to be harvested as food or livestock feed or for any other economic purpose.
Fertilizer
A natural or chemical substance which is used to improve the fertility of the soil, add nutrients to the soil or provide essential nutrients directly to plants. It is used to improve the growth and productivity of plants.

Garden Nursery
A place where seedlings are produced.

Grow Box
A partially or completely enclosed system for growing plants both indoors and outdoors. It is used in small areas or where outdoor gardening space is lacking. It is used for growing vegetables, herbs, and ornamental plants.

 Growing Medium
Anything a plant can grow in is considered a growing medium.

Honeydew
A sticky, sweet substance excreted by certain insects as they feed on plant sap.

Imperial Measurements 
Imperial units of measurement are measurements of the British Imperial System. It was the traditional system of weights and lengths (eg. pounds, ounces, miles, feet, inches etc.). It was the traditional system used until the adoption of the metric system.

Limestone 
A soil additive that neutralizes acids in the growing medium and soils. It is made from crushed limestone or chalk. The two most common types of limestone are calcitic limestone (calcium carbonate) and dolomitic limestone ( a combination of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate).

 Loam
A soil containing a mixture of sand, silt and, clay.

Mealybug
A mealybug is a small, soft-bodied insect that is covered in a white, waxy, cotton-like substance. It belongs to the family Pseudococcidae.

Metric Measurements 
The metric system replaced the Imperial System of measurements. It originated with the French and is now called the International System of Units (SI). It is the decimal measuring system based on length, capacity, and mass (eg. metre, litre and gram). 

Photosynthesis
The process by which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria transform light energy, primarily from the sun, into chemical energy and store it in the form of glucose.

Pre-plant Fertilizer
Fertilizers are applied to the soilless growing medium prior to planting.

 Promix
A type of commercial potting soil.

 Rice hulls
The hard protective outer covering of the rice grain.

 Sawdust
Powdery particles of wood are produced during sawing.

Seed Box
A box (container) for growing seeds until they are ready to be transplanted. It is used for sowing seeds that are very small and delicate.

Shallow-Rooted
Roots that grow close to the surface of the soil.

Short term crop
Any crop that has a production period of one year or less, from the seed stage to harvesting.

Solarizing

The process of exposing something to sunlight to influence or treat it.


Soil-less growing medium
Any growing medium that is NOT dirt or field soil.

Sooty mold 
A black, powdery fungus that grows on plants' surfaces when honeydew is present.

Sowing
The process of planting seeds.

 Thinning Out
In agriculture, it means removing some plants to allow other plants to grow successfully. This process is essential for healthy plant growth.

 Waterlogged
A situation where the soil is saturated, flooded or filled with water. This occurs when the soil is poorly drained.

Weed
Any plant that is growing in an area where it is not wanted or desired


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