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.