# Essential Landscape Lingo: Gardeners

If you’re undertaking a landscape project of any sort, you’re likely to encounter a lot of industry-specific terminologies. Keep this reference guide handy as you navigate through the world of outdoor improvements.

## Talking like a Gardener

Gardeners, landscapers, and maintenance personnel helping to keep your outdoor spaces in tip-top shape will appreciate your knowing some common landscape care practices.

**aerate** - loosening or puncturing the soil to increase water and oxygen penetration  
**complete fertilizer** - plant food with three primary elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium  
**compost** - product created from decomposed garden material and used to add nutrients to soils  
**deadheading** - pinching or snipping off old blooms to promote continued bloom  
**dieback** - the death of tips of shoots caused by damage or disease  
**erosion** - wearing or washing away of soil  
**fertilizer** - material rich in nutrients (usually nitrogen, phosphates and potash) added to feed plants  
**inorganic fertilizer** - synthetic compounds or minerals; potent though can be a pollutant  
**organic fertilizer** - made from decomposed plant and animal products  
**fungicide** - chemicals used to control fungus-related diseases  
**herbicide** - chemicals used to control weeds  
**mulch** - a material used to cover soil for moisture conservation and weed suppression  
**pesticide** - chemicals used to control unwanted organisms  
**potting soil** - a mixture designed for container gardens and potted plants; loose, light, and sterile  
**pruning** - cutting back plants to remove dead or injured wood and direct new growth  
**topsoil** - the top layer of native soil, which may also be good quality soil sold at garden centers  
**transplant** - moving a plant from one location to another