Gardening Terms Kids Should Know

Gardening is a hands-on experience for most kids. But reading and learning about the garden doesn't end with that experience. Knowing some gardening terms is also important.

Prune: Pruning involves cutting back something. You often prune rose bushes to keep them tidy. Prune back flowers to keep them healthy and from intruding on other plants.

Pruners: These are scissor-like tools that are used for pruning.

Spade: A spade is like a mini shovel. It helps dig up roots and transplants and helps with general digging chores in the garden.

Mulch: Mulch is a cover of something, usually wood chips, to help with water retention and to help choke out weed growth.

Horticulture: Horticulture is another name for the gardening that you do in your small garden. It is considered an art and a science. It takes practice and sometimes many years to become good at it.

Root: The roots of a plant are the part that sucks up nutrients and water from the soil. The root system includes the roots, tiny hairs on the roots called root hairs and sometimes specialized parts. Roots also help anchor the plant into the ground, keeping it from blowing away in winds and washing away in water.

There are different types of roots. Some roots spread out in many tiny branches often called lateral or branched roots. Some root systems consist of a large central root called a taproot.

There are many specialized roots including root tubers (think potatoes) and prop roots that are found on corn to help with the corn's sturdiness.

Soil: The dirt the plants grow in. There are many different types of soil.

Soil can be comprised or made up of pieces of rock, clay and sand. Sometimes the soil is very fine, in very tiny pieces. Other soils are very rocky and are chunky.

Topsoil is the nutrient rich soil that is at the very top. This the layer of soil that gardeners are most concerned with.

There are seed-starting mixes that are rich in the nutrients that young growing seedlings need. There are also mixes for container gardening.

Wheelbarrow: A wheelbarrow, generally a three-wheeled tub, is used to carry around tools, dirt and other items often needed in the garden. They can be small or large and made from many different materials.

Rake: The rake that is important to gardeners is the garden rake. It is generally a rake with a long handle and a flat head that is perpendicular (or in a t-shape) to the handle. This is a sturdier rake used for raking topsoil.

Sow: Sowing (sounds like sew-ing) means simply to place the seed in the ground to grow.

Till: Tilling means to ground up the soil to get rid of the crusty layer and the weeds or grass that may be on that top layer. Usually a tool called a tiller is used. A tiller looks similar to a mower (that cuts grass) but the blades (called tines) are visible and much larger.

Cotyledon: Commonly called a seed leaf or the first leaves, a cotyledon is the first green part you see after you plant a seed. These contain the food for the newly emerged plant.

Growing Zones: Growing zones are important in that they help determine when and what can be grown in a given area. They usually describe average temperatures, so that gardeners know when to plant or whether they can plant at all.

Terminology confusing?
There are many other terms that are certain to cross your way that are very important. Don't let the big words get you down. Most have simple definitions. Ask around your local gardening community if you don't understand something.