Breedbay's Glossary of Gardening and Canna-Related Terms

[Rellikbuzz]

At the request of one of our newest members, here is a glossary of terms and terminology specific to the Horticultural industry as well as many Canna-related terms and definitons as a resource for our members to use.

As confusing as our "jargon" can be for the "newbie" gardener, it is our hope that this glossary will take some of the intimidation out of learning our favorite hobby. Enjoy!

RB

Breedbay's Glossary of Gardening
and Canna-Related Terms

(A)
Alternating Current (AC): An electric current that reverses it's direction at regular occurring intervals. Homes have AC.
Acid: An acid or sour substance has a pH below 7.0
Aeration: Supplying soil and roots with air or oxygen.
Aeroponics: Growing plants by misting roots suspended in air.
Alkaline: Refers to a substance with a high pH; any pH over 7.0 is considered alkaline.
ALLELE: One member of a pair or series of genes that occupy a specific position on a specific chromosome.
All-Purpose (GENERAL PURPOSE) Fertilizer: A balanced blend of N-P-K; all purpose fertilizer is used by most growers.
Amendment: Fortifying soil by adding organic or mineral substances in order to improve the texture, nutrient content or biological activity.
Ampere: The unit used to measure the strength of an electric current.
Annual: A plant that normally completes it entire life cycle in one year or less. Tomatoes are examples of annual plants.
ANTHER: The pollen-bearing part of the stamen
Arc: Luminous discharge of electricity (light) between two electrodes.
Arc Tube: A quartz container for luminous gases; also houses the arc in HID lights.
ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION: Relating to, produced by, or involving reproduction that occurs without the union of male and female gametes, as in cloning and tissue culture.
AUTOFLOWERING: A plant that flowers only according to plant maturity and is not flowering photoperiod responsive.
Auxin: Classification of plant hormones; auxins are responsible for foliage and root elongation. Any of several plant hormones that regulate various functions, including cell elongation.

(B)
Bacteria: Very small, one-celled organisms.
Beneficial Bacteria: Good bacteria added to soils/medium that create an active culture in the medium; usually added by amendment, beneficial bacteria help break down nutrients and neucrotic plant material into a form that plants can absorb as food.
Beneficial Insects: A good insect that eats bad flower and vegetable munching insects.
Biodegradable: Able to decompose or break down through natural bacterial or fungal action, substances made of organic matter are biodegradable.
Bolt: Term used to describe a plant that has gone to seed prematurely.
Bonsai: A very short or dwarfed plant; typically recognized as the Japanese art form of manipulating the growth stem of a small tree into beautifully shaped, miniature trees.
Breaker Box: Electrical circuit box having on/off switches (breakers) rather than fuses.
Breathe: Roots draw in or breathe oxygen, stomata (pore on the underside of the leaves) draw in or breathe carbon dioxide.
Bud Blight: A withering condition that attacks flower buds.
Buffering: The ability of a substance to reduce shock and cushion against pH fluctuations. Some nutrients "buffer" the pH into the proper range.
Bulb: The outer galss envelope or jacket that that protects the arc tube of an HID lamp.
Bulbs: Common are tulips and daffodils planted in the Fall for Spring blooms, or forced indoors for Winter blooms.

BX1: (Backcross 1) The first inbred hybridization of a Mother plant to a first generation male sibling from the same line. F1 (First Gen. Hydrid) x P1 (Mother plant)
BX2: (Backcross 2) The second inbred hybridization of a second generation sibling (F2) to the original Mother Plant (P1) (Second Gen. Male) x P1 (Mother plant)

(C)
Calyx: The pod harboring female ovule and two protruding Pistils, seed pod.
CANNABINOID: Any of various organic substances, such as THC, found in cannabis.
CANNABIS INDICA: A cannabis of a variety noted by its short squat traits and shorter flowering period. It has a more physical, body stone, type of effect.
CANNABIS RUDERALIS: A cannabis of a variety noted for its autoflowering properties.
CANNABIS SATIVA: A cannabis of a variety noted by its long broad traits and longer flowering period. It has more head high type of effect and is less physical.
Carbon Dioxide: (CO2) A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas in the air necessary for plant life and biomass accumulation.
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 that houses it's DNA.
Cellulose: A complex carbohydrate that stiffens a plant's tissue.
CFM: Cubic feet per minute.
Chelate: Combining nutrients in an atomic ring that is easy for plants to absorb.
Chlorine: Chemical used to purify water.
Chloroplast: Containing chlorophyll.
Chlorosis: The condition of a sick plant with yellowing leaves due to inadequate formation of chorophyll. Chlorosis is caused by nutrient deficiency, usually iron or imbalanced pH.
Clay: Soil made of very fine organic mineral particles. Clay is not suitable for container gardening.
Climate: The average condition of the weather in a garden room or outdoors.
Color Spectrum: The band of colors (measure in NM) emitted by a light source.
Color Temperature: The relative whiteness of a piece of tungsten steel heated to that temperature in degrees Kelvin.
Color Tracer: A coloring agent added to many commercial fertilizers, so the horticulturist knows there is fertilizer in the solution.
Compaction: Soil condition that results from tightly packing soil; compacted soil allows for only marginal aeration and root penetration.
Companion Planting: Planting garlic, marigolds, etc., along with other plants to discourage insect infestation.
Compost: A mixture of decayed organic mattter.
Core: The transformer in the ballast is referred to as the core in the HID lighting systems.
Corms, Rhizzomes and Tubers: Dormant stems planted in the Fall for Spring blooms, or forced indoors for Winter blooms. Common varieties are Dahlias and Irises.
Cotyledon: Energy storage components of a seed that feed the plant before the emergence of it's first true leaves.
Cross-Pollinate: Pollinating two plants having different ancestry.
Cubic Foot: Volume measurement in feet: L" x W" x H" divided by 1728" = Cu. Ft.
CUBING: Selective, but random, mating of a female by using all of her offspring's pollen in a backcrossing operation to produce a population of offspring for further breeding selection.
Cutting: (1) Growing tip cut from a parent plant for asexual propogation. (2) Clone.

(D)
Damping Off: Disease that attacks young seedlings and cuttings causing stem to rot at base.
Direct Current (DC): An electric current that flows in only one direction.
Deplete: Exhaust soil of nutrients, making it infertile.
Desiccate: Cause to dry up. Insecticidal soap desiccates it's victims.
DIPLOID: Having a pair of each type of chromosome, so that the basic chromosome number is doubled: diploid somatic cells.
Dioecious: Having distinct male and female organs on different plants within the same species. Characterized by species in which the male and female reproductive organs appear on different individuals; sexually distinct.
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 the soil evenly.
Drip Line: A line around a plant directly under it's outermost branch tips: Roots seldom grow beyond the drip line.
Drip System: A very efficient watering system that employs a main hose with small water emitters.
Dry Ice: A cold, white substance formed when corbon dioxide is compressed and cooled; dry ice changes into CO2 gas at room temperature.

(E)
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 lmap.
ENZYME: Any of numerous proteins or conjugated proteins produced by living organisms and functioning as biochemical catalysts.
Equinox: The point at which the sun crosses the equator and day and night are each 12 hours long; the Equinox occurs twice a year, in Spring and Fall.

(F)
Feed: Deliver nutrient to the plant via roots or foliage.
Female: Pistillate, ovule, seed-producing.
Fertigate: To fertilize and irrigate at the same time.
Fertilizer Burn: Over fertilization: first leaf tips burn (turn brown) then the leaves curl.
Filial: In hybridizing plants, the offspring resulting from the pollination of a female plant is referred to as the "filial generation". The first generation of offspring as often called the F1 (1st Filial) generation. The offspring of a male F1 and a female F1 results in the F2 or 2nd Filial generation.
FIM: or "fimmed" - Stands for 'Fuck, I missed'. Refers to a "topping" technique whereby you MOST, but not all, of the growth shoot of a plant so that it encourages multiple branches instead of just two. When done successfully, can result in a many a 6-8 new branches in one topping.
Flat: Shallow (three inch) deep container, often 18 x 24 or 10 x 20 inches with good drainage, used to start seedlings or cuttings.
Fluorescent Lamp: Electric lamp using a tube fulled with fluorescent material, which has a low heat output.
FLOWERING: The final stage of plant growth where the plant develops its sexual organs fro reproduction.
Foliage: The leaves or more generally, the green part of a plant.
Foliar Feeding: Misting fertilizer solution which is absorbed by the foliage. Best to do a few minutes before first turning on your lights.
Foot-Candle: The unit is defined as the amount of illumination that the surface of an imaginary 1-foot radius sphere would be receiving if there were a uniform point source of one candle in the exact center of the sphere. The Foot-Candle is equal to one lumen per square foot. Foot-Candle is a derived unit of illuminance from Lux. One Foot-Candle is equal to 10.76 Lux.
Fungistat: A product that inhibits fungus keeping it in check.
Fungus: A lower plant lacking chlorophyll which may attack green plants;mold, rust, mildew.
Fuse: Electical safety device consisting of a metal that melts and interrupts the circuit when the circuit is overloaded.
Fuse Box: Box containing fuses that control electric circuits.

(G)
GAMETE: A reproductive cell having the haploid number of chromosomes, especially a mature sperm or egg capable of fusing with a gamete of the opposite sex to produce the fertilized egg.
GPM: Gallons per minute.
Gene: Part of a chromosome that influences the development of a plant: genes are inherited through sexual propagation.
GENOTYPE: The genetic makeup, as distinguished from the physical appearance of an organism or a group of organisms. The combination of alleles located on homologous chromosomes that determines a specific characteristic or trait. Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica are examples of genotypes.
Genetic Make-up: The set of genes inherited from parent plants.
GENUS: A taxonomic category ranking below a family and above a species and generally consisting of a group of species exhibiting similar characteristics. In taxonomic nonmenclature the genus name is used, either alone or followed by a Latin adjective or epthet, to form the name of a species, such as Cannabis Sativa.

(H)
Halide: Binary compound of a (Halogens) with electropositive elements.
Hermaphrodite: One plant having both male and female organs: the breeding of hermaphrodites is hard to control.
Hertz (Hz): A unit of frequency that cycles one time each second: A home with 60 Hertz AC current cycles 60 times per second.
HETEROSIS: A marked vigor or capacity for growth that is often shown by crossbred animal or plants also called hybrid vigor.
HETEROZYGOUS: Having different alleles at one or more corresponding chromosomal loci. Of or relating to a heterozygote.
HID: High Intensity Discharge. High Pressure Sodium and Metal Halide lighting systems are examples of HID lighting.
HOMOGENEOUS/HOMOZYGOUS: Having the same alleles at a particular gene locus on homologous chromosomes.
Honey Dew: A sticky, honey like substance secreted into foliage by aphids, scale and mealy bugs.
Hood: Reflective cover of a HID lamp; also referred to as a reflector.
HOR: The abbreviation stamped on some HID bulbs meaning they must 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 to root. A synthetic compound, or naturally produced similar substances found in plants and that regulate their development.

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. The offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock, especially the offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties, species, or races.

Hybridizing: The art of cross-breeding two different species of plants.

Hydrated Lime: Instantly soluble lime, used to raise pH or sweeten soil.
Hydrogen: Light or colorless, odorless gas; hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water.

Hydroponics: The name "Hydroponic" comes from Latin and means "Working Water". In reality hydroponics is the growing of plants without soil, or "Dirtless Gardening". Hydroponics may be described as growing plants in water and nutrients, without soil. Ebb and Flow, DWC (Deep Water Culture) and NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) are examples of different types of hydroponic systems.
Hygrometer: Instrument for measuring relative humidity in the atmosphere.

(I)

IBL: Stands for Inbred Line, meaning that through successive incrossing/backcrossing (breeding 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation males back to the original Mother plant), the strain has been "stablized" for desired traiits of the original Mother plant. Typically, Inbred Lines are thought to have very little if any phenotype expressions other than that of the Mother plant. In other words, when starting from seed, the resulting plants will resemble each other very closely. This is why IBL's are referred to as "stabilized" and "true breeding".

Inbred: (True Breeding) Offspring of plants of the same breed or ancestry.
INBREEDING: To breed by the continued mating of closely related individuals, especially to preserve desirable traits in a stock. To breed or develop within; engender.
Inert: Chemically non-reactive; inert mediums/soils contain no food value. Inert growing mediums make it easy to control the chemistry of the nutrient solution.
Intensity: The magnitude of the light energy per unit; intensity diminishes the farther way from the source.
INTERNODE: A section or part between two node regions. Also called the internode distance.
Ix- Symbol for "incross". In breeding, incrossing is the cross pollination of male and female sibling plants from the same generation. F1 x F1, F2 x F2

(J)
Jacket: Protective outer bulb or envelope of lamp.

(K)
Kelvin: A unit of measurement used to measure the temperature of the color spectrum of light. Low color temperature is the warmer, more yellow to red light while high color temperature is the colder, more blue light. Daylight, for example, has a lower color temperature near dawn and a higher one during the day. The standard unit of measurement for color temperature is Kelvin (K). Some typical color values include the following;

• candles or oil lamps: 1000K
• household light bulbs: 2500K
• bright sunshine on a clear day: 6000K
• very overcast sky: 10,000K

Kilowatt Hour: Mesure of electricity used per hour; a 1000-watt HID uses one kilowatt in one hour.

(L)
Lacewing: Beneficial insects that prey on Aphids.
LANDRACE: A population of plants, commonly found in the wild, with some man made influences suggesting cultivation in its lineage, even though it may now grow wild.
Leach: Dissolve or wash out soluble components of soil by heavy watering.
Leaf Curl: Leaf malformation due to over-watering, over fertilization, lack of magnesium, insect or fungus damage or negative tropism.
Leaflet: Small, immature leaf.
Leaves: The external part of a plant attached to branches and stems for the purpose of taking in light from the sun's energy. They do this with choloroplasts, in the cells which contain chlorophyll.
Leggy: Abnormally tall internode space, with sparse foliage. Leggyness of a plant is usually caused by lack of blue light or CO2. Too much nitrogen can also cause this.
Life Cycle: A series of growth stages through which a plant must pass in it's natural lifetime; the stages for an annual plant are seed, seedling, vegetative and floral.
Light Mover: A device that moves a lamp back and forth or in a circle across the ceiling of a garden room to provide more even distribution of light.
Lime: Used in the form of dolomite or hydrated lime to raise and stabilize soil pH.
LINKAGE: An association between two or more genes such that the traits they control tend to be inherited together.
Litmus Paper: Chemically sensitive paper used for testing pH.
Loam: Organic soil mixture of crumbly clay, silt and sand.
LOCI: The plural of locus.
LOCUS: The position that a given gene occupies on a chromosome.
Lumen: Measurement of light output: one lumen is equal to the intensity of light emitted by one candle that falls on one square foot of surface located one foot away from one candle.

(M)
Macro Nutrient: One or all of the primary nutrients (N-P-K, Nitrogen/Phosphorous/Potassium) or the secondary nutrients magnesium and calcium.
Mean: Average throughout life; HID's are rated in mean lumens.
Meristem: Central-most main stem of a plant.
Micro Nutrients: Also referred to as Trace Elements, including S (Sulphur), Fe (Iron), Mn (Manganese), B (Boron), Mo (Molybdenum), Zn (Zinc) and Cu (Copper).
Millimeter: Thousandth of a meter; approzimately .04 inch
Moisture Meter: An 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, leaves, etc.; indoors mulch keeps soil too moist and possible fungus could result.

(N)
Nanometer: .000000001 meter, NM is used as a scale to meaure 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.
NODE: The point on a stem or branch, where a leaf or branch is attached or has been attached. The region where a leaf is joined to a petiole or where the petiole is joined to a branch, or where a branch meets the stem.
Nutrient: Plant food, essential elements N-P-K, secondary and trace elements fundamental to plant life.

(O)
Ohm's Power Law: A law that expresses the strength of an electric current; volts x amperes = watts.
Organic: Made of, or derived from or related to living organisms. In agriculture, organic means "natural". In chemistry, organic means "a molecule or substance that contains carbon".
OUTBREEDING: The interbreeding of individuals or strains that are relatively unrelated.
OVERDOMINANCE: The condition of a heterozygote having a phenotype that is pronounced or better adapted than that of either homozygote.
Ovule: A plant's egg found within the Calyx, it contains all the female genes; when fertilized, an ovule will grow into a seed. A minute structure in seed plants, containg the embryo sac and surrounded by the nucellus, that develops into a seed after fertilization.
Oxygen: Tasteless, colorless element, necessary in soil to sustain plant life as well as animal life.

(P)
P: The symbol used in breeding to indicate a Parent plant. The parental generation is considered two "true breeding" (IBL) plants (1 male/1 female) that differ in a particular trait used to cross breed to produce plants that share traits of both parent plants.
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, which completes it's life cycle over several years. Perennial plants die off in Winter and come back in the Spring.
PETIOLE: The stalk by which a leaf is attached to a stem. Also called leafstalk.
pH: A scale from 1 to 14 that measures the acidity to alkaline balance of a growing medium (or anything for that matter); in general plants grow best in a range of 5.5-6.8. Cannabis plants grown in soil grow best between 6.0-6.5 while hydroponically grown plants only thrive between 5.5-6.0
pH Tester: Electronic instrument or chemical used to find where soil or water is on the pH scale.
Phenotype: A genealogical representation of a hybrid. A phenotype of a given plant will exhibit traits of one or both parent plants and can show traits of a plant from previous generations prior to that of either parent plant.
Photometrics: The study of light, especially color.
Phosphor Coating: Internal bulb coating that diffuses light and is responsible for variation in color outputs.
Photoperiod: The relationship between the length of light and dark in a 24 hour period.
Photosynthesis: The process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of photosynthesis release oxygen as a byproduct.The building of chemical compounds (Carbohydrates) from light energy, water and carbon dioxide.
Phototropism: The specific movement of a plant part towards a light source.
PHYLLOTAXY: The arrangement of leaves on a stem.
PHYTOCHROME: A cytoplasmic pigment of green plants that absorbs light and regulates dormancy, seed germination, and flowering.
Pigment: The substance in paint or anything that absorbs light, producing (reflecting) the same color. A substance , such as chlorophyll that produces a characteristic color in plant tissue.
PISTIL: The female, ovule-bearing organ of a flower, including the stigma, style, and ovary.
PISTILLATE: Having one or more pistols. having pistils but no stamens; pistillate flowers.
Pollen: Fine, dust-like microspores containing male genes.
POLLINATE: To transfer pollen from an anther to the stigma of (a flower)
POLYPLOID: Having one or more extra sets of chromosomes: a polyploid species; a polyploid cell.
Power Surge: Interruption or change in intensity of electricity.
PRE-FLOWERING: Calyx development before flowering. Also called Primordia. Preflowers normally develop between the 6th to 8th week of vegetative growth or after exposed to 12 or more hours of darkness for 1-3 weeks.
PROGENY: Offspring or descendants considered as a group.
Primary Nutrients: N-P-K (Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium)
Propagate: (1) Sexual: produce a seed by breeding different male and 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.
PUNNETT SQUARE: In genetics, a type of grid used to show the gametes of each parent and their possible offspring; a type of grid that can indicate all the possible outcomes of a genetic cross.
PURE BREED: See IBL
PVC Pipe: Plactic (Polyvinylchloride) pipe that is easy to work with, readily available and used to pipe water into a garden room.
Pyrethrum: Natural insecticide made from the blossoms of various Chrysanthemums.

(R)
RADICLE: The part of a plant embryo that develops into a root.
RECESSIVE: Of, or relating to, or designating an allele that does not produce a characteristic effect when present with a dominant allele. Of or relating to a trait that is expressed only when the determining allele is present in the homozygous condition.
REGENERATE: To flower the plant again after harvest. Also called rejuvenation, reflowering or revegetation.
Rejuvenate: Restore youth; a mature plant, having completed it's life cycle (flowering), may be stimulated by a new 18 hour photoperiod to rejuvenate or produce new vegatative growth. Also referred to as "revegging".
Rootbound: Roots stifled or inhibited from normal growth by the confines of a container.
Roots: Their purpose is to anchor a plant and provide a means in which the feed and hydrate a plant.

(S)
Salt: Crystalline compound that results from imporper pH or toxic buildup of fertilizer. Salt will burn plants, preventing them from absorbing nutrients.
SCROG: An acronym for Screen of Green which is a style of gardening in which a plant's limbs are trained to grow through a screen or netting. This training is designed to maintain an even canopy and expose more of the budsites to the light sourse resulting in higher yields.
Secondary Nutrients: Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg).
SEEDLING: A young plant that is grown from seed.
Seed Pod: A dry Calyx containing a mature or maturing seed.
SINSEMILLA: Spanish translation is "without seed". Unpollinated female buds.
SEXING: Determining your plants gender. Determined when plants become sexually mature enough to produce preflowers.
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION: Relating to, produced by, or involving reproduction that occurs with the union of male and female gametes, as in seed production.
Short Circuit: Condition that results when wires cross and form a circuit. A short circuit will blow fuses.
Socket: Thpeaded, wired receptacle for a bulb.
SOG: An acronym for Sea of Green. SOG is a method of gardening, typically in a small confined space, whereby plants are pruned to grow a single cola and are packed together very tightly compared to bush-style plants. The name Sea of Green comes from the prospective one gets when looking across the thick, green canopy of a SOG grow.
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 a leaf or stem.
Square Feet (Sq Ft): Length (in feet) times width equals square feet.
Stamen: Male, pollen-producing; refers to male sexual organ. The pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower, usually consisting of a filament and an anther.
STAMINATE: Having stamens but lacking pistils.
Starch: Complex Carbohydrate, starch is manufactured and stored in food.
Sterilize: Make sterile (super clean) by removing dirt, germs and bacteria.
STIPULE: One of the usually small, paired appendages at the base of a leafstalk
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 the leaf underside, responsible for transpiration and many other life functions; the millions of stomata must be kept clean to function properly. One of the minute pores in the epidermis of a leaf or stem through which gases and water vapor pass. Also called stomate.

Sugar: Food product of plant. Carbohydrates that contain hydrocarbon chain.
Synthesis: Production of a substance, such as chlorophyll, by uniting light energy and elements or chemical compounds.

(T)
Tap Root: The main or primary root that grows from the seed; lateral roots will branch off the tap root.
Tepid: Warm 70-80 degrees Farenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celcius); always use tepid water around plants to facilitate chemical processes and ease shock.
Terminal Bud: Bud at the growing end of the main stem.
THC: A compound, C21H30O2, obtained from cannabis or made synthetically, that is the primary intoxicant in marijuana and hashish.
Thin: Cull or weed out weak, slow growing seedlings.
Topping: Pruning the plant's growth tip by cutting off the top to encourage lateral branching.
Transformer: A device in the ballast that transforms electric power from one voltage to another.
Transpire: Give off water vapor and by products via the stomata and carbon dioxide intake at the leaves. The emmision of water vapor from the leaves of plants.

Trellis: Frame or netting (lattice) that trains or supports plants.
Trichome: A clear mushroom-shaped gland found on the leaves and buds that contain the THC resins of the plant.
TRIPLOID: Having three times the haploid number of chromosomes in the cell nucleus.
Tungsten: A heavy, hard metal with high melting point which conducts electricity well; tungsten is used for a filament in tungsten halogen and incandescent lamps.

(U)
Ultraviolet: Light with very short wave lengths, out of the visible spectrum, past the blue-violet.

(V)
Variety: Strain, phenotype.
Vent: Opening such as a window or door that allows the circulation of fresh air.
Ventilation: Circulation of fresh air, fundamental to a healthy indoor garden, an exhaust fan creates excellent ventilation.
Vertical: Up and down perpendicular to the horizontal.

(W)
Wetting Agent: Compound that reduces the droplet size and lowers the surface tension of the water, making it wetter. Wetting agents are used in foliar sprays to prevent droplets from forming on the leaves which can act as a magnifying glass under HID lighting and cause burn spots on leaves.
WHORLED PHYLLOTAXY: Having more than two branches form at the same axis area.
Wick: Part of a passive hydroponics system using a wick suspended in the nutrient solution, the nutrients pass up the wick and are absorbed by the medium and roots.

(X)
XYLEM: The supporting and water-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting primarily of tracheids and vessels; woody tissue.

(Y)

(Z)
ZYGOTE: The cell resulting from the union of an ovum and a spermatozoon (including the organism that develops from that cell).