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Alternating Current (AC)
- an electric current that reverses its direction at regularity
occurring intervals. Homes have A.C.
Adobe - heavy clay soil, not suitable for
container gardening or hydroponics.
Aeration - supplying growing mediums and roots
with air or oxygen.
Aeroponic - growing plants by misting roots
suspended in air. No medium is needed with this method
and usually only small plants that need no support are
grown this way.
Aggregate - medium usually grow rocks, gavel,
or lava rocks that is all nearly the same size, and used
for an inert hydroponic medium.
Alkaline - refers to soil or hydroponic nutrient
solution with a high pH : Any pH over 7 is considered
alkaline.
All-purpose (General-purpose) fertilizer -
A balanced blend of N-P-K; all purpose fertilizer for
soil and is used by most growers in the vegetative growth
stage. Miracle-Gro and Peters is an example. They are
not recommended for hydroponics.
Ampere (amp) - the unit used to measure the
strength of an electric current; A 20-amp circuit is overloaded
when drawing more than 17amps,
Annual - a plant that normally completes its
entire life cycle in one year or less: Marigolds and tomatoes
are examples of annual plants.
Arc - luminous discharge of electricity (light)
between two electrodes.
Arc tube - container for luminous gases; also
houses the arc.
Auxin - classification of plant hormones;
Auxins are responsible for foliage and root elongation.
Bacteria - very small, one-celled
organisms that have no chlorophyll.
Beneficial insect - a good insect that eats
bad insects that attack your plants.
Biodegradable - able to decompose or break
down through natural bacterial action; Substances made
of organic matter are biodegradable.
Bleach - Ordinary laundry bleach is used in
a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water solution as a garden
fungicide. Use this solution to clean all your equipment
between harvests to rid of any lingering contamination.
Bolt - term used to describe a plant that
has run to seed prematurely which means that it bloomed
because of heat or other reasons.
Bonsai - a very short or dwarfed plant.
Breaker box - electrical circuit box having
on/off switches rather than fuses,
Breath - Roots draw in and breath oxygen,
stomata draw in and breathe CO2.
Bud blight - a withering condition that attacks
flower buds.
Buffering - the ability of a substance to
reduce shock and cushion against pH fluctuations. Many
soil fertilizers contain buffering agents but it is much
more critical to maintain the correct pH with hydroponics
than with soil growing..
Bulb - 1. the outer glass envelope or jacket
that protects the arc tube of an HID lamp 2. clove or
bulb of garlic.
Calyx - the pod harboring
female ovule and two protruding pistils, seed pod.
Carbon dioxide (CO;) - a colorless, odorless,
taste less gas in the air necessary for plant life.
Carbohydrate - neutral compound of carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen; Sugar, starch and cellulose are carbohydrates.
Caustic - capable of destroying, killing or
eating away by chemical activity
Cell - the base structural unit that plants
are made of: Cells contain a nucleus, membrane, and chloroplasts.
Cellulose - a complex carbohydrate that stiffens
a plant: Tough stems contain stiff cellulose.
CFM - Cubic feel per minute.
Chelate - combining nutrients in an atomic
ring that is easy for plants to absorb.
Chlorophyll - the green photosynthetic matter
of plants: Chlorophyll is found in the chloroplasts of
a cell.
Chlorine - chemical used lo purify water.
Cbloroplast - containing chlorophyll
Chlorosis - the condition of a sick plant
with yellowing leaves due to inadequate formation of chlorophyll;
Chlorosis is caused by a nutrient deficiency, usually
iron or imbalanced pH.
Circuit - a circular route traveled by electricity.
Clay - soil made of very tine organic and
mineral particles: Clay is not suitable for container
gardening.
Climate - the average condition of the weather
in a grow room or outdoors.
Color spectrum - the band of colors (measured
in nm) emitted by a light source.
Color tracer - a coloring agent that is added
to many commercial fertilizers so the horticulturist knows
there is fertilizer in the solution. Peters has a blue
color tracer.
Compaction - soil condition that results from
lightly packed soil: Compacted soil allows for only marginal
aeration and root penetration
Companion planting - planting garlic, marigolds,
etc. along with other plants to discourage insect infestations.
Compost - a mixture of decayed organic matter,
high in nutrients; Compost must be at least one year old.
When to young, decomposition uses nitrogen; after sufficient
decomposition, compost releases nitrogen.
Core - the transformer in the ballast is referred
to as a core,
Cotyledon - seed leaves first leaves that
appear on a plant.
Cross-pollinate - pollinate two plants having
different ancestry.
Cubic foot - volume measurement in feet: Width
times length times height equals cubic feet.
Cutting - 1. growing tip cut from a parent
plant for asexual propagation 2. clone
Damping-off - fungus disease
that attacks young seedlings and cuttings causing them
to rot at the base: Over-watering is the main cause of
damping-off.
Direct Current (DC) - an electric current
that flows in only one direction
Deplete - exhaust soil of nutrients, making
in infertile: Once a soil is used it is depleted
Desiccate - cause to dry up. Safari's Insecticidal
Soap desiccates its victims.
Detergent - liquid soap concentrate used as
a: 1. wetting agent for sprays and water 2. pesticide.
Note: Detergent must be totally organic to be safe for
plants.
Dioecious - having distinct male and female
flowers.
Dome - the part of the HID outer bulb opposite
the neck and threads.
Dome support - the spring-like brackets that
mount the arc tube within the outer envelope,
Drainage - way to empty soil of excess water:
with good drainage, water passes through soil evenly,
promoting plant growth; with bad drainage water stands
in soil, drowning roots.
Drip line - a line around a plant directly
under its outermost blanch tips: Roots seldom grow beyond
the drip line.
Drip system - a very efficient watering system
that employs a main hose with small water emitters. Water
is metered out of the emitters, one drop at a time.
Dry ice - a cold, white substance formed when
CO2; is compressed and cooled: Dry ice changes into CO2;
gas at room temperatures. For small garden rooms this
my be an easy way to add CO2.
Dry well - drain hole, filled with rocks
Electrode - a conductor used
to establish electrical arc or contact with non-metallic
part of circuit.
Elongate - grow in length.
Envelope - outer protective bulb or jacket
of a lamp.
Equinox - the point at which the sun crosses
the equator and day and night are each 12 hours long:
The equinox happens twice a year.
Extension cord - extra electrical cord that
must be 14-gauge or larger (i.e. 12-or IO-gauge).
Feed - fertilize.
Female - pistillate, ovule, seed-producing.
Fertilizer burn - over-fertilization: First
leaf tips bum (turn brown) then leaves curl.
Fixture - electrical fitting used lo hold
electric components.
Flat - shallow (three-inch) deep container,
often 18 by 24 inches with good drainage, used to start
seedlings or cuttings.
Flat white - very reflective, whitest white
paint available.
Fluorescent lamp - electric lamp using a tube
coated with fluorescent material, which has low lumen
and heat output; A fluorescent lamp is excellent for rooting
cuttings.
Foliage - the leaves, or more generally, the
green part of a plant
Foliar feeding - misting fertilizer solution
which is absorbed by the foliage.
Fritted - fused or embedded in glass, Fritted
trace elements (FTE) are long-lasting and do not leach
out easily,
Fungicide - a product that destroys or inhibits
fungus.
Fungistat - a product that inhibits fungus
keeping in check.
Fungus - a lower plant lacking chlorophyll
which may attack green plants; Mold, rust, mildew, mushrooms
and bacteria are fungi.
Fuse - electrical safety device consisting
of a metal that melts and interrupts the circuit when
circuit is overloaded.
Fuse box - box containing fuses that control
electric circuits.
GPM - Gallons per minute
General purpose fertilizer - See ALL-PURPOSE
FERTILIZER.
Gene - part of a chromosome that influences
the development and potency of a plant; Genes are inherited
through sexual propagation.
Genetic make-up - the genes inherited from
parent plants: Genetic make-up is the most important factor
dictating vigor and potency.
Halide - binary compound
of a halogen(s) with an electropositive elements.
Halogen - any of the elements fluorine, chlorine,
bromine, iodine and astatine existing in a free state:
Halogens arc in the arc tube of a halide lamp.
Hermaphrodite - one plant having both male
and female flowers: The breeding of hermaphrodites is
hard to control.
Hertz (Hz) - a unit of a frequency that cycles
one time each second: A home with a 60 hertz AC current
cycles 60 times per second.
HID - High Intensity Discharge.
Honeydew - a sticky, honey-like substance
secreted onto foliage by aphids, scale and mealy bugs.
Hood - reflective cover of a HID lamp; A large,
while hood is very reflective.
HOR - The abbreviation stamped on some HID
bulbs meaning they may be burned in a horizontal position.
Horizontal - parallel to the horizon, ground
or floor.
Hormone - chemical substance that controls
the growth and development of a plant. Root-inducing hormones
help cuttings root.
Hose bib - water outlet containing an on/off
valve,
Humidity (relative) - ratio between the amount
of moisture in the air and the greatest amount of moisture
the air could hold at the same temperature.
Humus - dark, fertile, partially decomposed
plant or animal matter: Humus forms the organic portion
of the soil.
Hybrid - an offspring from two plants of different
breeds, variety or genetic make-up.
Hydrated lime - instantly soluble lime, used
to raise or lower pH.
Hydrogen - light, colorless, odorless gas:
Hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water.
Hygrometer - instrument for measuring relative
humidity in the atmosphere A hygrometer will save time,
frustration and money.
Inbred - (true breed) offspring
of plants of the same breed or ancestry.
Inert - chemically non-reactive; inert growing
mediums make it easy to control the chemistry of the nutrient
solution,
Intensity - the magnitude of light energy
per unit: Intensity diminishes the farther away from the
source.
Jacket - protective outer
bulb or envelope of lamp,
Jiffy 7 pellet - compressed peat moss wrapped
in an expandable plastic casing; When moistened, a Jiffy
7 pellet expands into a small pot that is used to start
seeds or cuttings.
Kilowatt-hour - measure of
electricity used per hour; A 1000- watt HID uses one kilowatt
per hour,
Leach - dissolve or wash
out soluble components of soil by heavy watering but can
be beneficial to hydroponics systems to flush out excess
fertilizer salts.
Leader - See Meristem
Leaf curl - leaf malformation due lo over-watering,
over fertilization, lack of magnesium, insect or fungus
damage or negative tropism.
Leaflet - small immature leaf,
Leggy - abnormally tall, with sparse foliage:
Legginess of a plant is usually caused by lack of light.
Life cycle - a series of growth stages through
which plant must pass in Its natural lifetime: The stages
for an annual plant arc seed, seedling, vegetative and
floral.
Light mover - a device that moves a lamp back
and forth across the ceiling of a grow room to provide
more even distribution of light.
Lime - used in the form of DOLOMITE or HYDRATED
LIME to raise and stabilize soil pH.
Litmus paper - chemically sensitive paper
used for testing pH.
Loam - organic soil mixture of crumbly clay,
silt and sand.
Lumen - measurement of light output: One lumen
is equal to the amount of light emitted by one candle
that falls on one square foot of surface located one foot
away from one candle.
Macro-nutrient - one or all
of the primary nutrients N-P-K or the secondary nutrients
magnesium and calcium.
Mean - average throughout life; HID's are
rated in mean lumens.
Meristem - lip of plant growth, branch lip.
Micro-nutrients - also referred to as TRACE
ELEMENTS, including S, Fe, Mn, B, Mb, An and Cu.
Millimeter - thousandth of a meter; approximately
.04 inch.
Moisture meter - a fantastic electronic device
that measures the exact moisture content of soil at any
given point.
Monochromatic - producing only one color;
LP sodium lamps are monochromatic.
Mulch - a protective covering of organic compost,
old leaves, etc.: Indoors, mulch keeps soil too moist,
and possible fungus could result.
Nanometer - .000 000 001
meter, nm is used as a scale to measure electromagnetic
wave lengths of light: Color and light spectrums are expressed
in nanometers (nm).
Necrosis - localized death of a plant part.
Neck - tubular glass end of the HID bulb,
attached to the threads.
Nutrient - plant food, essential elements
N-P-K, secondary and trace elements fundamental to plant
life.
Ohm's Power Law - a law that
expresses the strength of an electric current: Volts times
Amperes equals watts.
Organic - made of, derived from or related
to living organisms.
Outbred - see hybrid.
Overload - load to excess; A 20-amp circuit
drawing 17 amps is overloaded,
Ovule - a plant's egg; found within the calyx,
it contains all the female genes; When fertilized, an
ovule will grow into a seed.
Oxygen - tasteless, colorless element, necessary
in soil to sustain plant life.
Parasite - organism that
lives on or in another host organism: Fungus is a parasite.
Peat - partially decomposed vegetation (usually
moss) with slow decay due to extreme moisture and cold.
Perennial - a plant, such as a tree or shrub,
that completes its life cycle over several years,
pH - a scale from I to 14 that measures the
acid-lo-alkaline balance a growing medium (or anything):
In general plants grow best in a range of 6 to 6.8 pH
in soil and 5 to 6.5 for hydroponics
pH tester - electronic instrument or chemical
used to find where soil or water is on the pH scale.
Phosphor coating - internal bulb coating that
diffuses light and is responsible for various color outputs.
Photoperiod - the relationship between the
length of light and dark in a 24-hour period.
Photosynthesis - the building of chemical
compounds (carbohydrates) from light energy, water and
CO2.
Phototropism - the specific movement of a
plant part toward a light source.
Pigment - The substance in paint or anything
that absorbs light, producing (reflecting) the same color
as the pigment.
Pollen - fine, yellow, dust-like microspores
containing male genes.
Pod seed - a dry calyx containing a mature
or maturing seed.
Pot-bound - bound, stifled or inhibited from
normal growth, by the confines of a container: Root systems
become pot bound.
Power surge - interruption of change in flow
of electricity.
Primary nutrients - N-P-K.
Propagate - 1. Sexual - produce a seed by
breeding different male and a female flowers 2. Asexual
- to produce a plant by taking cuttings.
Prune - alter the shape and growth pattern
of a plant by cutting stems and shoots.
PVC pipe - plastic (polyvinyl chloride) pipe
that is easy to work with, readily available and used
to make most of the gardens on this site.
Pyrethnim - natural insecticide made from
the blossoms of various chrysanthemums: Raids' Pyrethrum
is the most effective natural spider mite exterminator.
Rejuvenate - Restore youth:
A mature plant, having completed its life cycle (flowering),
may be stimulated by a new 18 hour photoperiod, to rejuvenate
or produce new vegetative growth.
Root-bound - see POT BOUND.
Salt - crystalline compound
that results from improper pH or toxic buildup of fertilizer.
Salt will burn plants, preventing them from absorbing
nutrients.
Secondary nutrients - calcium (Ca) and magnesium
(Mg).
Short circuit - condition that results when
wires cross and forms a circuit. A short circuit will
blow fuses.
Socket - threaded, wired holder for a bulb.
Soluble - able to be dissolved in water.
Spore - seed-like offspring of a fungus.
Sprout - 1, a recently germinated seed 2.
small new growth of leaf or stem.
Square feet (sq. ft.) - length (in feet) times
width equals square feet.
Staminate - male, pollen producing.
Starch - complex carbohydrate: Starch is manufactured
and stored food.
Sterilize - make sterile (super-clean) by
removing dirt, germs and bacteria. A good sterilizer for
hydroponic equipment is a 10 percent bleach to water solution.
Stroboscopic effect - a quick pulsating or
flashing of a lamp.
Stress - a physical or chemical factor that
causes extra exertion by plants: A stressed plant will
not grow as well as a non-stressed plant.
Stomata - small mouth-like or nose-like openings
(pores) on leaf underside, responsible for transpiration
and many other life functions: The millions of stomata
must be kept very dean to function properly.
Sugar - food product of a plant.
Super-bloom - a common name for fertilizer
high in phosphorus that promotes flower formation and
growth
Synthesis - production of a substance, such
as chlorophyll, by uniting light energy and elements or
chemical compounds.
Sump - reservoir or receptacle that serves
as a drain or holder for hydroponic nutrient solutions,
Tap root - the main or primary
root that grows from the seed: Lateral roots will branch
off the tap root,
Teflon tape - tape that is extremely useful
to help seal all kinds of pipe joints. I like Teflon tape
better than putty.
Tepid - warm 70 to 80° F (21 to 270 C). Always
use tepid water around plants to facilitate chemical processes
and case shock,
Terminal bud - bud at the growing end of the
main stem.
Thin - cull or weed out weak, slow growing
seedlings.
Tonic life - the amount of time a pesticide
or fungicide remains active or live.
Transformer - a devise in the ballast that
transforms electric current from one voltage to another.
Transpire - give off water vapor and by products
via the stomata.
Trellis - frame of small boards or PVC (lattice)
that trains or supports plants.
True breed - see INBRED.
Tungsten - a heavy, hard metal with a high
melting point which conducts electricity well: Tungsten
is used for a filament in tungsten halogen lamps.
Ultraviolet - light with
very short wave lengths, out of the visible spectrum.
Variety - strain, phenotype
(sec strain).
Vent - opening such as a window or door that
allows the circulation of fresh air.
Ventilation - circulation of fresh air, fundamental
to healthy indoor garden. An exhaust fan creates excellent
ventilation.
Vertical - up and down; perpendicular to the
horizontal.
Wetting agent - compound
that reduces the droplet size and lowers the surface tension
of the water, making it wetter. Liquid concentrate dish
soap is a good wetting agent if it is biodegradable,
Wick - part of a passive hydroponic system
using a wick suspended in the nutrient solution, the nutrients
pass up the wick and are absorbed by the medium and roots.
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