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Garden
Glossary
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A-Z Garden Glossary
Food gardening is a science - learn some of the basic terms used
in describing how plants grow and how they interact with their
environment.
Allelopathic:
Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon by which an organism
produces one or more biochemicals
that influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of other
organisms. These biochemicals are known as allelochemicals and can
have beneficial (positive allelopathy) or detrimental (negative
allelopathy) effects on the target organisms. Allelochemicals are a
subset of secondary
metabolites[1],
which are not required for metabolism (i.e. growth, development and
reproduction) of the allelopathic organism. Allelochemicals with
negative allelopathic effects are an important part of plant
defense against herbivory. Wikipedia
Agroecology:
A science that utilizes the practices of agronomy and
ecology to design sustainable agricultural systems. It
enhances agricultural systems by encouraging natural processes
andcreating beneficial biological interactions and synergies for
soil enhancement and plant growth. It puts a strong emphasis
on managing organic matter by raising soil biotic activity and thus
reducing outside inputs, integrating plants and livestock,
diversifying species and genetic resources, and focusing on the
interactions among the various components of an agricultural system.
Biodegradable: Degrades
naturally to produce environmentally-friendly components.
Companion Planting: A system of garden planning that maximizes the
characteristics of specific plants to attract pollinators, repel
harmful insects, or trap other types of insects.
Composting: Composting is
the purposeful biodegradation of organic matter, such as yard and food
waste. Decomposition is preformed by micro-organisms, including
bacteria, yeasts and fungi. There are a wide range of organisms
that contribute to the process, depending on temperature conditions
and the stages of organic breakdown. The end point is a
chemically stable product called humus. The breakdown of organic
material can either be anaerobic or aerobic, with aerobic being the
process that most home gardeners are looking to achieve. Aerobic
composting requires a balance of nitrogen
(greens - fruit scraps, plant trimmings, houseplants cuttings, egg
shells, and small amounts of grass ) and carbon (brown - leaves,
straw, dried grass), moisture, and air, within the mixture.
Cultivar: Plants that are selected for
specific properties, such as color, shape, or some other feature.
Cultivar names may be one or two words, and are always set apart by
quotation marks. Iris siberica "Butter and
Sugar" is an example of a Siberian iris cultivar. The genus
would be Iris and the species would be siberica. Cultivars are selected, bred, and propagated by breeders. A
cultivar is not the natural variation that distinguishes it within the
species.
Dew Point Temperature (°C):
The dew point temperature in degrees
°C,
and is a measure
of the humidity of the air. It is the temperature to which the air would
have to be cooled to reach saturation with respect to liquid water.
Saturation occurs when the air is holding the maximum water vapour
possible at a specific temperature and atmospheric pressure.
DEET: Diethyl toluamide - used as an
insect repellant. Can irritate eyes and skin. It is easily absorbed by
the skin and damages the nervous system. Do not use full strength on
children, who have a higher surface to volume ratio than adults. Try
some of the new botanical products first. Contact your
local health unit if you are unsure about procedures to take against West Nile virus -
remove any
sources of standing water as an important first step (see: Integrated
Pest Management).
Diatomaceous Earth: Ground up skeletal
remains of marine organisms are called diatoms. They are a natural way
that you can kill garden slugs. It works by penetrating the exoskeleton, causing
dehydration. Implementing proper integrated pest management
systems can assist to monitor plants and reduce infestations early
before they spread.
Dioxins: Dioxins are highly toxic
chlorinated compounds that are the by-product of incineration or
chlorine bleaching. Dioxins are a carcinogen, and the cause of many negative
health impacts.
Ericaceous: Refers to plants of the family Ericaceae that require
an acid soil, generally with a pH of 6 or less - examples include azaleas, rhododendrons,
blueberries, and heathers.
Fair Trade: A
trading process that involves a cooperative association that ensures
that marginalized and disadvantaged world producers and farmers
receive sufficient compensation for goods and produce. Usually
associated with the coffee
industry, and identified with the Fair
Trade logo.
Fumigant: A
chemical used to as a solvent to propel pesticides.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's):
GMO's are created when genes are transferred from one organism to
another - this creates a new type of artificial organism that is based
on a new combination of genetic characteristics. Most corn,
and canola sold in North America is modified. Genetic
modification is not required on the Nutrient
Facts Labels.
Growing Degree Days: Growing degree
days, or GDD, are used to estimate the growth and development of
plants and insects during the growing season. They are calculated in
much the same manner as CDD (cooling degree days) but with different base temperatures. The
basic assumption is that development will only occur if the air
temperature exceeds some minimum developmental threshold or base
temperature. The increase in development is also assumed to be close
to linear in relation to an increase in temperature or heat energy
accumulation. The base temperatures are determined experimentally and
are different for each organism.
Green Roofs: Roof
top gardens, which result in significant environmental gains, such as
increased insulation values in winter with increased cooling values in
summer. Downloadable manual available at: PWGSC_GreeningRoofs_wLinks.pdf
Heating Degree
Days: Heating
degree-days for a given day are the number of Celsius degrees that the
mean temperature is below 18°C. If the temperature is equal to or
greater than 18°C, then the number will be zero. For example, a day
with a mean temperature of 15.5°C has 2.5 heating degree-days; a day
with a mean temperature of 20.5°C has zero degree-days. Heating
degree-days are used primarily to estimate the heating requirements of
buildings.
Humidex: The humidex is an
index (a computed value as opposed to something measured) devised to
describe how hot or humid weather feels to the average person. The
humidex combines the temperature and humidity into one number to
reflect the perceived temperature. It takes into account these two
important factors that affect summer comfort. It is therefore a better
measure of how stifling the air feels than either temperature or
humidity alone.
Humus: Degraded
organic material in soil, which causes some soil layers to be dark
brown or black. Humas is formed when the organic material has
reached a point of stability, where it will not break down any futher.
Physically, it helps the soil maintain water by increasing
microporosity and assists in the formation of good soil structure.
Humas is dark and spongy, and is the last stage in the composting
process. Humas retains nutrients for plant use, whether they are
positively or negatively charged compounds. Hence, it retains
nutrients more in more forms than clay can. Also, humas shares
nutrients with plants, whereas not all nutrients in clay are available
to plants. Humas also acts to moderate soil temperature because
it holds water, which means it is slower to heat up and to slow down.
Invasive Species:
Any
plant, especially one that is non-native
to an area that grows too well in it and becomes difficult to
control and/or can threaten
native plants. Invasiveness is subjective; it can vary from
zone to
zone, and
garden to
garden. 'Naturalized' is another word for 'invasive'.
The terms ‘invasive’
and ‘weed’
are emotionally charged and based on subjective assessments. Depending
on place and time a so-called ‘weed’
can become desirable and is even cultivated by the nursery trade. Note
the current popularity of Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium purpureum,
and Orange Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosis). Japanese
Knotweed, Fallopia japonica, and Elderberry, Sambucus
canadensis, which makes a very functional sun-or-shade
blind or
hedge where other plants fail. If the objective is to 'naturalize'
a species to
form a blind or
border then you want a
plant that is fast-growing and ‘invasive’.
In general terms,
invasive plants are characterized as such because they exhibit one
or more of the following tendencies:
1. Rapid, unchecked growth (which may require certain conditions;
under adverse conditions, the
plant's growth may be moderate);
2. Spreading by
seed into areas where the
plant is not desired and/or cannot be contained;
3. Spreading by runners or roots, which choke out or crowd other
desirable plants (whether
native or cultivated); and/or
4. Causing harm to the environment (For example, water hyacinth cuts
off waterways in warm climates;
kudzu vine smothers out and kills vegetation, including mature
trees.)
See also noxious
weed and undesirable plant
specieshttp://davesgarden.com/guides/terms/go/500.html
Intercropping:
The practice of growing two or more crops
in close proximity. The most common goal of intercropping is to
produce a greater yield on a given piece of land by making use of
resources that would otherwise not be utilized by a single crop.
Careful planning is required, taking into account the soil,
climate,
crops, and varieties.
It is particularly important not to have crops competing with each
other for physical space, nutrients,
water,
or sunlight.
Examples of intercropping strategies are planting a deep-rooted
crop with a shallow-rooted crop, or planting a tall crop with a
shorter crop that requires partial shade.
Irrigation:
The rate of irrigation should not exceed the infiltration rate
otherwise soil erosion will occur. Ensuring that water has
sufficient time to infiltrate is essential. Infiltration is
dependent on the type of soil in the garden or lawn. In a course
textured soil, water must be applied close to the plant because the
movement is downward. Another example is with clay soils, where
irrigation is best between the rows, as the water will have a tendency
to move outward.
Lindane: The pesticide Lindane
is an organochloride insecticide and fumigant.
Mutagen: A
substance that can alter genetic material resulting in changes that
can be inherited.
Monecious - having male and female reproductive organs in the
same plant or animal
Neurotoxin: A
substance that causes damage to the central nervous system.
Organic Food Organic food
is food that is produced
without pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormones, antibiotics,
artificial additives, food coloring, ionizing radiation, and is not
genetically modified in any way (such as with terminator
genes).
Open Pollination: Open pollination is done naturally by
insects, birds, wind or other mechanisms. Open pollinated plants
will produce new generations of those plants, however because breeding
is uncontrolled, my result in plants with a variety of genetic traits.
Open pollination increases biodiversity.
Perched Water Table:
A perched water table occurs when two dissimilar soil texture
classes are laid one on top of the other. A barrier forms between the
layers because the pore size are different and the pores do not line
up so water can not move in the capillaries from one soil texture to
the other. The water percolates through the upper layer but the second
layer will not begin to wet until the first layer is saturated,
creating a perched water table. This phenomena occurs if a dissimilar
soil is added without being thoroughly mixed in.
Permaculture: Permaculture
is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural
systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies.
Permaculture is sustainable land use design. This is based on
ecological and biological principles, often using patterns that occur
in nature to maximise effect and minimise work. Permaculture aims to
create stable, productive systems that provide for human needs,
harmoniously integrating the land with its inhabitants. The ecological
processes of plants, animals, their nutrient cycles, climatic factors
and weather cycles are all part of the picture. Inhabitants’ needs
are provided for using proven technologies for food, energy, shelter
and infrastructure. Elements in a system are viewed in relationship to
other elements, where the outputs of one element become the inputs of
another. Within a Permaculture system, work is minimised, “wastes”
become resources, productivity and yields increase, and environments
are restored. Permaculture principles can be applied to any
environment, at any scale from dense urban settlements to individual
homes, from farms to entire regions.
Phthalates: Chemical compounds that
are used as plasticizers. These compounds cause health effects such as
endocrine disruption, kidney or liver damage.
Round-Up: The
most commonly used pesticide in the world - Round-Up
- Glyphosate
Rhizosphere
is the narrow region of soil that is directly influenced by root
secretions and associated soil microorganisms. It is teeming
with bacteria that feed on sloughed-off plant cells, termed rhizodeposition,
and the proteins and sugars released by roots. The protozoa and
nematodes that graze on bacteria are also concentrated near roots.
Thus, much of the nutrient cycling and disease suppression needed by
plants occurs immediately adjacent to roots.
Taxonomic Rank: In biological
classification, rank is the level (the relative position)
in a taxonomic
hierarchy.
Examples of taxonomic ranks are species,
genus, family,
and class.
Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories.
Tubers: Tubers are a class of
plant which have large, fleshy, bodies as part of their structure.
Tubers may be 'stem' tubers or rhizomes. The tubers are used to store
nutrients for survival during winter and dry periods, during which the
plant goes dormant to save energy, and as a means of asexual
reproduction, being used as a base for generation of new plants which
form mini-tubers around the main tuber. Tubers are a highly successful
plant structure, and include some very well known types of plant. Some
plants, like Mignonette vines, have aerial tubers, which fall from
vines and grow new plants.here are two forms of
tubers: stem tubers, and root tubers. Stem tubers form from
underground stems known as rhizomes;
potatoes and begonias are both stem tubers. Stem tubers are closely
related to corms like cassava, which form when the stems of their
parent plants swell. Root tubers are formed when sections of the root
swell and bud; cassavas and dahlias
are two familiar examples.
For the parent plant, storing nutrients
in a tuber
is quite sensible. By keeping a reserve of energy underground, a plant
can ensure that this energy will be accessible in the future, and if
the parent plant dies off, the tuber
will helpfully step in and propagate some new plants. Many people have
noticed the budding “eyes” on potatoes which have been stored a
little too long; each eye would develop into its very own potato
plant, if given a chance.
Tubers tend to be very starchy, and they are also typically rich in
vitamins and minerals.
This makes them an excellent addition to the human diet, which may
explain why tubers have become so important in many regional cuisines.
Tubers can also be prepared in a wide variety of ways, and flavored
with an array of spices, making them extremely flexible additions to
the kitchen.
Growing tubers is generally very easy, as they are specifically
designed for propagation. In fact, this can sometimes be a problem; if
a single potato is left behind in a garden bed, for example, it will
cheerfully produce potatoes the next year, whether or not they are
wanted by the gardener. Tubers are also famous for propagating
themselves in compost
piles.
UA: Urban
agriculture. There are many definitions of UA. CFP
used the following: "An industry located within (intra-urban) or
on the fringe (peri-urban) of a town, a city, or a metropolis, which
grows or raises, processes, and distributes a diversity of food and
nonfood products. It (re)uses on a daily basis human and natural
resources, products, and services largely found in and around that
urban area and, in turn, supplies on a daily basis human and material
resources, products, and services largely to that urban area." Intra-urban
agriculture refers to agriculture carried out within city limits
(as defined by ratio of built-up area, population density, or
administrative boundary line). Peri-urban agriculture is
carried out beyond that city limit and outward, up to a certain point.
Where one sets the outer boundary of the peri-urban agricultural zone
will depend on the criteria used, and several have been used in past
research. But the degree of development of the local transportation
infrastructure and system tends to be key in defining the
"width" of this zone around the city (see UPA).
Variety: Refers to the international taxonomic
rank of "variety"
(regulated by the ICBN),
nor with the term "cultivar"
(regulated by the ICNCP).
Some horticulturists
use "variety" imprecisely; for example, viticulturists
almost always refer to grape cultivars as "grape
varieties".The variety of a plant is always indicated by
the form "var", an example is the doublefile Viburnum - Viburnum
plicatum var. tomentosum. It is a natural variation
that distinguishes it within the species.
This varies from "Plant variety", which is a legal
term, following the International
Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
Convention. Recognition of a cultivated plant
(a cultivar)
as a "variety" in this particular sense provides its breeder
with some legal protection, so-called plant
breeders' rights, depending to some extent on the internal
legislation of the UPOV signatory countries, such as the Plant
Variety Protection Act in the US.
Zeolites: Natural
or synthetic crystalline substances that remove odors from the air
through an electrochemical process.
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