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Gardening Glossary

Every term explained in plain English — what it means, how it shows up in a real garden, and the free calculator that puts it to work.

Botany & Plant Basics

AnnualnounA plant that completes its entire life cycle, from seed to seed, in a single growing season, then dies.

Soil & Compost

Soil pHnounA 0-14 measure of how acidic or alkaline the soil solution is, and therefore how much of each nutrient a plant root can actually reach.

Light, Climate & Zones

Hardiness ZonenounA map band showing the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of a place, used to judge whether a perennial plant can survive your coldest nights.

Fertilizer & Nutrients

N-P-KnounThe three numbers on a fertilizer bag: the percentage by weight of nitrogen, phosphate and potash, listed in that order and never as the elements alone.

Seeds & Germination

Days to MaturitynounThe number of days a seed company expects to pass between planting and harvest, counted from sowing or from transplanting depending on the crop and the catalog.