Glossary

Glossary

Earthing up

The drawing up of soil around plants, usually with a draw hoe. It is carried out on potato crops to prevent tuber greening and infection from blight; on brassicas to prevent wind rocking; on leeks and celery to blanch the stems.

Foliar feeding

The application of a dilute solution of fertiliser to a plant’s leaves; useful as an emergency treatment for correcting trace element deficiencies, and can also used for supplementary feeding, although liquid fertilisers applied to the soil are more widely used. The absorption of liquid fertiliser is greatest where the leaf cuticle is thin, often on the undersides of the leaves, or when they are young and expanding. Foliar feeding should not be carried out in bright sunlight, as the foliage could be scorched.

Hoe

The use of specific hand tool, a hoe, to remove weeds. 1) A Dutch hoe has a triangular head with the centre cut out and is widely used by gardeners in the UK. The flat edge of the head is run back and forth through the soil surface to lift weeds and cut off their roots. 2) A combination hoe is suitable for chopping off weeds, drawing drills and earthing up. 3) Triangular hoes have a triangular head that points downwards. They can be used to create a V-shaped drill or for weeding with the flat side. 4) A digging hoe has one or two chisel-like blades. It is used with a swinging motion for breaking up small areas of hard ground. 5) Onion hoe. This small hand-held hoe is for weeding between onions and closely related plants where a larger hoe may cause plants damage. 6) A draw hoe is good for chopping weeds and earthing up. The corner can be used to create a drill.

Pinch out

The removal of the growing tip of a plant (with finger and thumb) to encourage the production of sideshoots or the formation of flower buds. This technique is often used for tender perennials, such as fuchsias, to make plants bushy. It is also known as ‘stopping’.

Pot-bound

A plant whose roots are densely packed into the container, often becoming woody and constricted. Pot-bound roots may wind themselves round and round the inside of the pot, making an impenetrable wall. On re-potting, pot-bound roots are unlikely to spread out into the new soil or compost unless first being physically loosened by the gardener. It is best to avoid pot-bound conditions by timely potting-on and planting out. Affected plants are likely to be starved, dry, and less vigorous once re-planted.

Top-dress

An application of soluble fertiliser, fresh soil, or compost to the soil surface around a border or pot plant, or to a lawn to replenish nutrients. Can also refer to a decorative dressing applied to the soil surface around a plant.