Gardening Terms

Blanching

The aim of blanching is to produce paler stems and leaves to improve the flavour and texture of the vegetable.

You can wrap paper around the stems (i.e. with celery). A piece of slate can be placed over small plants such as endive or larger plants such as rhubarb may be covered by a larger pot.

Disbudding

This term refers to the removal of buds to encourage the plant to produce fewer but better quality flowers.

Earthing Up

Drawing soil up around the stem of the plant such as potatoes and leeks to blanch and protect tubers and stems. This process is continued 2/3 times throughout the growing season.

Hardening Off

A delightful phrase used to describe the toughening up of plants raised in the heat to help them withstand normal outdoor temperatures. They should spend a period of time in a cold frame before being put outside. If a frame is not available - put them outside during the day and bring them in at night until the danger of frosts have passed.

Heeling-in

If you receive trees and shrubs during a period of bad weather, prepare a hole big enough to take the root ball and plant as a temporary measure until conditions improve.

Liquid Feeding

The description says it all - plants are watered with a solution of water and liquid feed to promote growth and increase yields.

Mulching

A conditioning of the soil by placing compost, rotted manure, barks chippings etc around the plants in the spring once the soil is warm and moist. This will help retain moisture during the summer months. This will also deter those pesky weeds!

Pricking Out

Once the seeds have germinated the young seedlings are carefully lifted and moved to seed boxes, pots or open ground so that they get extra resources as they need them.

Pinching

Pinching out the growing tips from the plants to promote strong busy growth.