Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Fibrous root
A fine, young root, usually one of very many. These are the roots that take up moisture and nourishment from the soil. A fine, young root, usually one of very many. These are the roots that take up moisture and nourishment from the soil.
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Fan palm
A palm with roughly circular (palmate) leaves, so called because they can be used to make fans. A palm with pinnate leaves is called a “feather palm.” A palm with roughly circular (palmate) fronds or leaves, the ribs radiating from the end of the supporting stalk, like those of an old-fashioned hand fan. Most palms…
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F1 hybrid
A hybrid strain created by pollinating two very carefully selected parents. The resulting seedlings usually show great vigor and uniformity and many strains of annuals and vegetables are F1 hybrids. It is useless to save seeds from these, as the original cross must be made afresh every time seed is wanted. The first generation offspring…
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Espalier
The technique of training a tree or shrub, most typically a fruit tree such as a peach or a fig, to grow flat against a wall or trellis. It was originally designed to encourage earlier ripening by holding the fruit close to the reflected warmth of the wall, but can also be used for decorative…
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Division
The simplest method of propagation, whereby a clump of plants is dug up and broken up into several pieces which are then replanted. In politics, a method of voting. The action of cutting or splitting into parts. The simplest method of propagation, whereby a clump-forming plant is dug up and broken or cut apart into…
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Die-back
The death of the tips of shoots or branches, sometimes followed by the death of the entire shoot. It can be caused by frost or by disease. The death of the tips of shoots or branches, often progressing downward with time until the whole plant dies—mostly caused by diseases or pests attacking the root system,…
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Dead-head
To remove dead flowers, with the twofold aim of tidying up the plant and preventing it wasting energy in unwanted seed.
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Compost
The most effective of all fertilizers, it is made from organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings and manure which has been allowed to rot for a few weeks or months until it has turned black and crumbly; in orchid growing, the soil-free medium, which may or may not contain compost from the compost heap,…
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Cold frame
A miniature, portable greenhouse placed over crops in the open ground to protect them from cold or encourage early development Traditionally made from two or four pieces of glass in a wire frame, but can be simply a wire frame ( lad in transparent plastic.
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Cactus
The most significant family of succulent plants, all perennial and native to the Americas. A member of the large plant family Cactaceae, almost wholly native to the Americas and the most significant family of succulent plants, most species with very sharp spines. Used loosely by some gardeners to refer to any succulent or spiky plant.…
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