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Gardening

aerate verb

to put air into something such as soil

bed out phrase

to plant young plants outdoors

bonsai noun

the activity of growing trees in this way

compost verb

to make decaying plants and vegetables into compost

cross-fertilise phrase

a British spelling of cross-fertilize

cross-fertilize verb

to fertilize one type of plant with pollen from a different type of plant in order to produce a new genetic mix

cross-pollinate verb

to use the pollen from one plant to fertilize the flowers of another, or to be fertilized in this way

deadhead verb

to remove the dead flowers from a plant

drill noun

a line in the earth in which seeds are planted

drill verb

to plant seeds in lines

earth up phrase

to put soil around a plant in order to protect it or to help it to grow

feed verb

to put a substance onto a plant or into the soil to make a plant grow well

fertilize verb

to add a natural or chemical substance to soil in order to help plants grow

force verb

to make a plant grow faster than it would normally, for example by giving it extra heat or light

fork verb

to dig the ground or to lift something with a garden fork

formal adjective

formal gardens have plants and paths arranged in a set of regular patterns

garden verb

to look after a garden and its plants

gardener noun

someone whose job is to look after a garden

gardener noun

someone who enjoys growing plants and is good at it

gardening noun

the activity of planning and looking after a garden

graft verb

to take a piece from a plant and join it to a cut made in another plant so that it can grow there

grow verb

if you grow plants, you look after them and help them to develop

hedge verb

to enclose an area with bushes

hoe verb

to turn soil over using a hoe

home-grown adjective

grown in someone's garden, not on a large farm

horticulture noun

the activity of growing and studying garden plants

landscape verb

to make a piece of land more attractive by adding plants, paths, or other features

landscape gardening noun

the profession or activity of making a garden or area of land more attractive by adding trees, plants, and other special features. Someone who does this is called a landscape gardener.

lift verb

to dig vegetables or other plants out of the ground

mali noun

a gardener

mature adjective

a mature garden contains plants that have grown to their full size and has been looked after for a long time

mow verb

to cut grass using a machine or tool with blades

new-mown adjective

new-mown grass or hay has just been cut

plant verb

to put trees, plants, or seeds in soil or the ground so that they will grow there

plant verb

to use an area of land for growing trees, plants, crops etc

plant out phrase

to take a young plant that is growing in a container and put it in the ground to grow

plant over phrase

to grow plants or trees on an area of ground so that it is covered with them

plant up phrase

to grow trees, plants, or seeds in a container or an area so that they fill it completely

pollinate verb

to place pollen from one flower on another flower in order to help it to produce seed

pot verb

if you pot a plant, you put it in a container with soil so that it will grow there

pot on phrase

to move a plant into a larger container because it has grown bigger

prick out phrase

to move a small young plant into a larger pot or container so that it can grow bigger

propagate verb

to grow new plants from seeds or from pieces cut from an existing plant, or to make a plant produce more plants

propagator noun

a covered box containing soil used for growing new plants

prune verb

to remove parts of a tree or plant, for example to make it grow better

rake verb

to use a rake to make an area of soil level or to remove leaves from the ground

revive verb

if you revive a plant, or if it revives, it starts to look fresh and healthy again

root up phrase

to pull a plant out of the ground, including its roots

season noun

a time when plants grow, or when they produce flowers or fruit

seed verb

to put seeds in the ground so that they can grow

seedbed noun

an area of ground where plants are grown from seeds before being moved

sow verb

to plant seeds in the ground

sprout verb

to make a plant start to produce new leaves or shoots

thin verb

to remove plants, leaves, trees etc so that they do not fill an area or space completely

topiary noun

the art or act of cutting bushes and trees into particular shapes for decoration

train verb

to make a plant grow in a particular direction

transplant verb

to take a plant out of the ground and put it in a different place

uproot verb

to pull a whole tree or plant from the ground, including all the roots that grow in the soil

water verb

to pour water on plants to keep them healthy

weed verb

to remove weeds from the ground

have green fingers phrase

to be good at growing plants. You can also say that someone is green-fingered. The American expression is have a green thumb.