📚 Garden Glossary

71 Australian gardening terms explained — from beginner basics to advanced concepts.

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

The process of creating pathways in compacted soil to allow air, water, and nutrients to p...

A biological phenomenon where a plant produces biochemicals that influence the growth, sur...

An integrated growing system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) with hydroponics (gr...

B

Plants sold and transplanted without soil around their roots, typically during dormancy. F...

A holistic approach to farming and gardening that treats the farm as a self-sustaining eco...

When a plant prematurely produces a flower stalk and sets seed, triggered by heat, drought...

Plant behaviour

A genus of plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) that includes broccoli, cabbage, ca...

Broadcast sowing

Scattering seeds evenly over a prepared soil surface rather than planting in rows. Used fo...

C

Capillary action

The ability of water to move through narrow spaces against gravity, due to adhesion and co...

The number of hours below 7°C required by deciduous fruit trees and some bulbs to break d...

Yellowing of plant leaves caused by insufficient chlorophyll. Often indicates nutrient def...

Coconut fibre — a sustainable growing medium derived from the outer husk of coconuts. Us...

An unheated structure with a transparent lid (glass or polycarbonate) used to protect plan...

Companion planting

The practice of growing different plants near each other for mutual benefit — pest deter...

The controlled biological decomposition of organic materials into a rich, dark, soil-like ...

A crop planted primarily to protect and improve soil rather than for harvest. Cover crops ...

Post-harvest treatment of certain vegetables (pumpkins, potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, ...

D

A common fungal disease of seedlings where the stem collapses at soil level. Caused by sev...

Pests and disease

Removing spent flowers from plants before they set seed. Encourages continued flowering by...

Plants that shed all their leaves seasonally, typically in autumn, and remain leafless thr...

Deficit irrigation

Deliberately applying less water than a plant requires at certain growth stages to stress ...

Planting seeds directly into the ground where they will grow to maturity, rather than star...

A period of minimal metabolic activity and growth in a plant, typically triggered by cold ...

Plant behaviour

E

Mounding soil around the base and lower stems of a plant as it grows. Used for potatoes (t...

Describes plants that require acidic soil conditions (pH below 6.0) to thrive. Includes bl...

The horticultural practice of training trees or shrubs to grow flat against a wall or trel...

F

A first-generation plant bred from two different parent varieties. F1 hybrids are often mo...

The practice of applying fertiliser through an irrigation system, dissolving nutrients dir...

A low-lying area where cold air collects on still nights, making it significantly colder t...

A substance used to kill or prevent the growth of fungi and fungal spores. Organic options...

Pest management

G

The process by which a plant emerges from a seed. Requires the right combination of moistu...

A horticultural technique where a shoot (scion) of one plant is joined to the rootstock of...

A crop grown specifically to be incorporated into the soil while still green to improve fe...

H

The gradual acclimatisation of seedlings grown indoors or in a greenhouse to outdoor condi...

Plant varieties that have been cultivated for many generations and are open-pollinated (se...

A permaculture technique involving building raised garden beds over mounds of buried wood....

Growing plants in nutrient-enriched water without soil. Plants are supported in inert medi...

I

Growing two or more crops in the same space simultaneously. Maximises productivity, can pr...

L

Lacto-fermentation

Food preservation through natural fermentation by lactic acid bacteria, which occur natura...

Food preservation

The process by which water-soluble nutrients are washed down through the soil by rain or i...

A soil type with a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay, generally considered ideal fo...

M

A local atmospheric zone with conditions that differ from the surrounding area. Garden mic...

Any material applied to the soil surface to retain moisture, moderate temperature, suppres...

Symbiotic associations between plant roots and fungi. The fungal network dramatically exte...

N

Microscopic roundworms found in soil. Most are beneficial (feeding on bacteria and fungi, ...

O

Open-pollinated

Varieties pollinated by insects, wind, or other natural means, producing seeds that grow t...

P

A volcanic glass expanded by heat into lightweight white particles. Used in potting mixes ...

A design philosophy and practice modelled on natural ecosystems, aiming to create sustaina...

A measure of soil acidity or alkalinity on a scale of 0–14, with 7 being neutral. Most v...

Removing the growing tip (apical meristem) of a plant by pinching between thumb and forefi...

One of three primary macronutrients (NPK). Essential for fruit and flower development, dis...

R

A horizontal underground stem that sends out roots and shoots. Distinguishes many plants i...

Plant structure

A condition where a pot-grown plant's roots have completely filled the container and are c...

S

Mechanically or chemically abrading a seed's hard coat to allow moisture penetration and t...

Collecting and storing seeds from garden plants for replanting in future seasons. Only pra...

Self-pollinating

Plants that can pollinate themselves using their own pollen, without needing a different v...

Plant behaviour

The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates or clumps, creating pore spaces for air,...

Succession planting

Sowing the same crop at regular intervals (typically every 2–3 weeks) to ensure a contin...

T

The complete natural environment in which a plant is grown, including soil, topography, an...

Removing surplus seedlings from a row or bed to allow remaining plants adequate space to d...

The physical condition of soil in relation to its suitability for planting — its texture...

Applying fertiliser, compost, or other soil amendments to the soil surface around plants r...

The process by which plants absorb water through roots and release water vapour through le...

U

Planting low-growing plants beneath taller ones to make use of the shaded space, suppress ...

V

A naturally occurring mineral expanded by heat into lightweight, accordion-shaped particle...

The induction of flowering or improved growth in a plant following exposure to cold temper...

Plant behaviour

W

A self-watering garden bed with a sealed reservoir at the base from which water is drawn u...

A barrier of trees, shrubs, or structures designed to reduce wind speed and protect plants...

X

Landscape design that reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental watering. Uses droug...

Y

The quantity of produce harvested from a plant or garden. Influenced by variety, soil fert...

Z

In gardening, refers either to hardiness zones (geographic areas defined by average annual...

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