Gardening Glossary
Definitions for gardening terms that start with C
- calcium
A mineral used to amend soil so as to provided a needed nutrient to the plants growing there.
- cambium
The thin membrane located between the bark and stem of a plant.
- carotene
A pigment in plants that causes them to look yellow.
- catkin
Slender, cylindrical flower clusters.
- chlorophyll
A pigment in plants that causes them to look green. When present, it usually masks all other pigments.
- clay soil
Soil that has a high clay content.
- cocoa bean hulls
A type of mulch made up of the coverings of Cocoa Beans.
- coffee grounds
An organic soil amendment that is used to raise the pH of the soil.
- cold frame
An unheated, usually small enclosure that is covered with glass or plastic, used to overwinter semi-hardy plants or to harden off young plants.
- companion planting
Planting two different kinds of plants close to each other with the idea that each plant will benefit the other.
- complete fertilizer
A fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
- complete flowers
A flower that has sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils.
- compost
A soil amendment created from the decomposed organic matter.
- composting
Taking organic matter and letting it decompose in order to make a soil amendment.
- conifer
A cone bearing tree with needle shaped leaves.
- container gardening
Using containers such as flower pots, buckets and tubs to grow plants rather than planting the plants directly into the ground.
- copper
A trace metal found in the soil that can be beneficial in small amounts, but toxic in large amounts. It can also be used to keep snails away from plants.
- corm
A thickened stem like structure which grows underground and produces roots, leaves and flowers during the growing season.
- cotyledon leaves
The first set of leaves that a seedling produces. They contain stored energy that feeds the plant until it develops a full root system and true leaves.
- cover crop
A crop, usually grass based, which is planted in fallow ground to control weeds, prevent erosion and add humus to the soil later.
- crown
The point just above or below the soil where a plant’s roots and top join.
- cultivar
A variation of a particular species of plant.
- cutting
A piece of a plant’s leaf, stem or root which can be used to propagate the plant.
- cutting back
Removing part of a plant in order to correct the size of the plant or to encourage new growth and blooming.
