Vegetable Growers' Dictionary

BLANCHING Excluding light from stems of celery, leek, endive.etc. to make them more palatable.

BLIND A plant without a bud at it's tip.

BRASSICA Member of the cabbage family.

BROADCAST Seed spread evenly over an area, rather than in drills.

CATCH CROP Quick-maturing crop grown in the short interval between lifting one main crop and planting another.

DRILL A staight and shallow furrow in which seeds are sown.

EARTHING UP Drawing up soil around the stems of plants.

EYE An undeveloped growth bud.

HYBRID SEED Obtained by crossing two true parent strains. Vigour and other properties are increased.

HALF HARDY A plant which cannot stand frost, but which can be grown outdoors once the danger of frost has passed.

HARDENING OFF Gradually acclimatising plants grown under glass to the conditions they will have to face outdoors.

HARDY A plant which can withstand frost and the heat of summer.

HAULM Another name for the shoots of some vegetables (peas, beans, potatoes, etc.)

IMMUNE Resistant to a certain disease. Note that immune varieties are not resistant to all diseases.

INTERCROP A crop grown between rows of another crop.

LEGUME Member of the pea and bean family.

MAINCROP The varieties and planting times which yield the major harvest of the vegetable and provide the supply for storage.

MULCH A surface layer of organic matter, used to soppress weeds and conserve moisture.

OPEN Description of winter weather when it is neither raining or freezing.

PINCHING OUT Removing the growing tip of the stem to keep the plant compact or tp hasten maturity.

PRICKING OUT Transplanting a seedling from where it was germinated to another container.

SEED LEAVES The first leaf, or pair of leaves,after germination.

SET The fertilisation of the flower - the start of fruit development.

SOIL BALL The mass of roots and soil of a pot grown plant.

SPIT The depth of a spade (about 250mm)

SYSTEMATIC A fungicide, insecticide or fertiliser which is able to penetrate the leaves and enter the sap system.

TILTH The texture of the soil.

TRUE LEAVES The leaves which appear after the seed leaves and are typical of the plant.

TRUSS A cluster of fruit at the end of a stem, as in tomatoes.

VARIETY The popular name for the technical term term 'cultivar' (=cultivated variety).

BLANCHING	Excluding light from stems of celery, leek, endive.etc. to make them more palatable.
BLIND	A plant without a bud at it's tip.
BRASSICA	Member of the cabbage family.
BROADCAST	Seed spread evenly over an area, rather than in drills.
CATCH CROP	Quick-maturing crop grown in the short interval between lifting one main crop and planting another.
DRILL	A staight and shallow furrow in which seeds are sown.
EARTHING UP	Drawing up soil around the stems of plants.
EYE	An undeveloped growth bud.
HYBRID SEED	Obtained by crossing two true parent strains. Vigour and other properties are increased.
HALF HARDY	A plant which cannot stand frost, but which can be grown outdoors once the danger of frost has passed.
HARDENING OFF	Gradually acclimatising plants grown under glass to the conditions they will have to face outdoors.
HARDY	A plant which can withstand frost and the heat of summer.
HAULM	Another name for the shoots of some vegetables (peas, beans, potatoes, etc.)
IMMUNE	Resistant to a certain disease. Note that immune varieties are not resistant to all diseases.
INTERCROP	A crop grown between rows of another crop.
LEGUME	Member of the pea and bean family.
MAINCROP	The varieties and planting times which yield the major harvest of the vegetable and provide the supply for storage.
MULCH	A surface layer of organic matter, used to soppress weeds and conserve moisture.
OPEN	Description of winter weather when it is neither raining or freezing.
PINCHING OUT	Removing the growing tip of the stem to keep the plant compact or tp hasten maturity.
PRICKING OUT	Transplanting a seedling from where it was germinated to another container.
SEED LEAVES	The first leaf, or pair of leaves,after germination.
SET	The fertilisation of the flower - the start of fruit development.
SOIL BALL	The mass of roots and soil of a pot grown plant.
SPIT	The depth of a spade (about 250mm)
SYSTEMATIC	A fungicide, insecticide or fertiliser which is able to penetrate the leaves and enter the sap system.
TILTH	The texture of the soil.
TRUE LEAVES	The leaves which appear after the seed leaves and are typical of the plant.
TRUSS	A cluster of fruit at the end of a stem, as in tomatoes.
VARIETY	The popular name for the technical term term 'cultivar' (=cultivated variety).