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Gardeners' glossary A-Z

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Use our easy-to-understand guide to help out with all those confusing gardening terms. From Acicular to Zebrinus, Annual to Zinc, you'll find a simple explanation below.

Earthing up

Also referred to as ridging, to earth up is to cover roots with a thick layer of soil. It's particularly associated with potatoes, to prevent greening of the tubers.

Earwig

A scavenging insect of the Dermaptera order. Earwigs have long, narrow bodies and pincers at the rear. They may damage plants, especially those with dense flowerheads, as they can provide it with food and shelter.

Eelworm

A microscopic worm of the family Nematoda, that resembles white cotton thread. May enter plant tissue and cause rotting.

Elliptic

Oval-shaped leaf with little or no noticeable point at the end.

Elongate

Stretched or extended. Narrow and tapering.

Emarginate (notched)

Leaves or petals that have a notch at the apex.

Entire

Describes leaves that are completely smooth edged.

Epiphyte

A non-parasitic plant that grows attached to another plant. They often have aerial roots to collect atmospheric moisture.

Epiphytic

Plants that grow in the manner described above are described as epiphytic. They include some orchids and many bomeliads.

Ericaceous

Plants that are lime hating and require acid soils with a pH of 6.5 or lower. See Calcifuge.

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