Gardening Glossary

Deadheading is the removal of spent flowers from plants before they can shed their seeds. The process usually prolongs the blooming period and will help prevent self-sowing. It also keeps flowering plants looking tidy and fresh.

Sometimes one vegetable crop comes to an end a couple of months before you are ready to plant the next crop on that part of ground. Catch cropping is when you sow a quick maturing crop in this vacant gap. Suitable crops for filling such gaps include spring onions, radishes and lettuce – they mature quickly and can be ‘out of the way’ quickly.

Many generations of gardeners, farmers, and families have relied on canning to preserve fruits and vegetables for the winter months. The trick to canning is to use very high temperatures to kill harmful bacteria, enzymes and micro-organisms in the food and to create a vacuum seal to prevent food-spoling organisms from getting back into the jar. Canning is a fantastic way to ensure that you have an abundant supply of nutritious and local produce all year round. For more information, visit the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning at http://foodsafety.psu.edu/canningguide.html.

The Allium family includes onions, leeks, chives, garlic, and many decorative species. They all give off the characteristic onion odour when bruised or cut, and they are useful as companion plants because the odour deters many insect pests. Alliums are also offensive to deer.

While there are many insects that create problems in our gardens, there are far more insect allies. Flowers depend on bees, flies, and some moths for pollination. Many predatory insects such as ladybugs eat pest insects such as aphids. Many species are important in helping garden materials to compost. You can plant varieties that will attract beneficial insects to your garden or order them and relsease them in problem areas. Tip: Resist the temptation to cut down hollow stems such as hollyhocks, delphiniums, meadow rue, lovage, fennel, etc. Adult ladybugs overwinter in the long tunnels, ensuring their presence in your garden...