Gardening Terms Explained

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 637, 13 April 1929, Page 28

Gardening Terms Explained

DAMPING OFF Plants, particularly seedlings, when overcrowded in seed boxes, sometimes 1 rot off at the soil level. The term j “damping off” is probably applied be- j cause the trouble, which is really a j i disease, is encouraged by keeping the I j soil continually wet and the atmo- j j sphere humid and close, j DISBUD i To remove buds, such as the side j j buds developed below the main buds of : | carnations. The term is also used to I | describe the work of removing sur- j i plus shoots, as from vines and peaches. ; | Peaches. DOUBLE DIGGING This differs from ordinary digging in that the soil is moved to twice the depth of the spade. DRILL A shallow furrow in which seeds are sown. DRAWN A plant which is overcrowded by others, or is growing under trees or elsewhere, where it cannot obtain full light, grows tall and weakly, and is said to -be drawn. DRESS Blooms are “dressed” for exhibition purposes by arranging the florets oi petals by artificial means for best effect. Soil is “dressed” by applying , manure, leaf-mould, or other substance to it, and such soil covering is termed a “dressing.” DUSTING A sprinkling of some powder-like material, such as soot, lime, sulphur, etc., on plants or on the soil. EARTHING This describes the process ot placing soil around celery to blanch It, or the drawing up of soil to potatoes to protect tile tubers. FEEDING When fertilisers additional to what may have been supplied in the soil are used, the practice is known as feeding.