Winter break: Here’s a glossary of gardening terms. A glossary is a list of technical terms, with definitions. The following list is a garden glossary listing both familiar — and some unfamiliar — gardening terms, along with simple explanations. You may have heard of a term, but its definition escapes you. It is my hope this list will be of some help.
Annual: A plant that lives and dies in one season.
Biennial: A plant that lives two years. The first year it produces leaves; the second year flowers and seeds form.
Perennial: Technically this is a plant that lives two years or more. Many perennials keep living and producing for decades.
Herbaceous: A plant with no permanent woody stem (e.g. peonies).
Self-seeding: The term self-seeding refers to the seeds of a plant that drops seed near or around a mother plant. The seeds are scattered and will germinate during the following spring.
Open pollinated: When these seeds are not cross-pollinated with the seeds from other plants the open pollinated seeds will produce plants true to the parent.
Hybrid: The seeds and plants are produced by cross-pollinating. Hybridizers select qualities that will produce a better plant, i.e. one that is disease resistant and has other desirable qualities. Some say fragrance and taste is lost in hybrids. Hybrid seeds cannot be saved as they will not produce seeds true to the original seed or plant. The more predominant strain of the crosses will take over.
Heirloom seeds: There are controversies over what constitutes an heirloom seed. Some say seeds produced before 1951, before hybridizing took over, are heirloom seeds. Others maintain that seeds handed down from generation to generation are heirloom seeds. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers and all those before them saved open pollinated seeds. Heirloom seed lovers claim that flowers are more fragrant and vegetables have a much better taste. These factors override the fact that these varieties are less resistant to disease and bugs.
Organic gardening: No chemicals or pesticides are used. I have gardened organically for years and have no problems with disease or bugs. Plants grow well and healthy. Unfortunately, woodchucks enjoy my efforts.
Compost: Organic materials collected for the compost pile include garden refuse, grass clippings, leaves and manure. No meat or fat should be added to the compost pile. Decomposed compost added to the soil enriches the soil and improves its texture.
Bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers: There really is a difference among them.
Bulbs resemble an onion, which is a true bulb. Bulbs have layers, such as tulips and amaryllis.
Corms are solid. If cut in sections, each section can be planted. Roots and new plants will develop. Crocus and gladiolus are good examples of this.
The iris is an excellent example of a rhizome, with its swollen stems that grow horizontally close to the surface of the ground.
Tubers come in two varieties: Stem tubers are formed when underground stems swell, such as those of potatoes. Root tubers are formed when root stems swell, such as those in dahlias.
Knowing the definitions of these garden terms will help gardeners plan their gardens, select the best plants, determine their proper location and predict how long a certain plant will continue to flourish.