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Hydroponic Glossary Of Terms
Have you ever wondered what is involved in Hydroponic gardening? In order to understand how to use hydroponics for gardening you will need to understand the terminology of the various parts. You will notice that some of these terms are similar to regular gardening as well.
Genus - An assemblage of species, having so many fundamental points of structure in common that in the judgment of competent scientists, they may receive a common substantive name. A genus is not necessarily the lowest definable group of species, for it may often be divided into several subgenera. In proportion as its definition is exact, it is natural genus; if its definition can't be made clear, it is more or less an artificial genus. Example: The Sweetgum tree's scientific name is Liquidambar styraciflua; the genus name is Liquidambar, while the specific epithet is styraciflua, and the species name is Liquidambar styraciflua.
Germinate - To cause to sprout or develop.
Germination - the activation of a seed causing it to start to grow; also the production of a pollen tube by a pollen grain
Gibberellic acid - Gibberellic acid is a hormone found in plants that promotes cell elongation (plant and root growth in length or height). When externally applied it will increase the speed at which these growth functions occur. In some crops, like cucumbers and blueberries, externally applied gibberellic acid aids pollination in the absence of bees or during periods of excessively high temperatures that may occur during the normal period of pollination.
Gray mold. See Botrytis.
Green lacewing - Any one of several species of neuropterous insects of the genus Chrysopa and other allied genera. They have delicate lacelike wings and brilliant eyes. Their larvae are useful in destroying aphids. The Green Lascewing is also called the lace-winged fly and golden-eyed fly.
Green Manure - (see Cover crop)
Greensand - A variety of sandstone, usually imperfectly consolidated, consisting largely of glauconite, a silicate of iron and potash of a green color, mixed with sand and a trace of phosphate of lime.
Growing medium - materials that are sometimes used in hydroponic growing to support the plant's roots and, sometimes, to hold nutrient.
Gypsum - A mineral soil amendment, which adds Calcium and Sulfur to the soil without affecting the soil's pH.
Hard water - When water is referred to as 'hard' this simply means that it contains more minerals than ordinary water. These minerals are usually, but not limited to, calcium and magnesium. The degree of hardness of the water increases when more calcium and magnesium dissolves. Magnesium and calcium are positively charged ions. Because of their presence, other positively charged ions will dissolve less easily in hard water than in water that does not contain these minerals. This is the cause that some soaps do not readily dissolve in hard water, because these ions react with the soap molecules to form soap scum.
Hardening off - Hardening off is the process of adapting a plant that has been grown under protective shelter - indoors or in a greenhouse - to full outdoor exposure. Over a week or more, the plant is exposed to increasing intervals of time outdoors so that when it is planted in the garden it can make the transition with a minimum of transplant shock.
Herb - A plant without a persistent woody stem, at least above ground. A plant with a fleshy stem as distinguished from the woody tissue of shrubs and trees and other plants that do not die back at the end of the growing season.
Herbaceous plant - Generally dies back at the end of each growing season.
Herbicide - A chemical substance used to prevent, inhibit, or destroy non-woody plant growth. If its effectiveness is restricted to a specific plant or type of plant, it is known as a selective herbicide. If its effectiveness covers a broad range of plants, it is considered to be non-selective or broad spectrum. An herbicide is one type of pesticide. In common usage, however, the term is often used interchangeably with the words phytocide (plant killer) and silvicide (tree killer).
Honeydew - A sticky substance secreted by aphids and several other sucking insects.
Hormone - A chemical agent that controls various physiological processes within an organism: for example, adrenaline stimulates the heart, auxins and cytokinins in plants stimulate cell proliferation and growth.
Humic acid - A dark brown humic substance that is soluble in water only at pH values greater than 2. Humic acid is a long chain molecule, which slows uptake in hydroponic solutions; however, humic acid works very well in soil-based systems.
Humidity - The moisture content of air. Relative humidity is the ratio of the amount of water vapor actually present in the air to the greatest amount possible at the same temperature.
Humus - The well-decomposed, relatively stable portion of the partly or wholly decayed organic matter in a soil, which provides nutrients and helps the soil retain moisture.
Hybrid - The progeny that results from the mating or crossing of two different species or organisms. In plants, hybrids often display characteristics that are more favorable than those of their parents.
Hybrid vigor - Hybrid vigor is a condition where the progeny of a cross (the hybrid) displays greater height, yield, resistance, etc. than the parents, or the superiority of the heterozygote (hybrid) with respect to the parents.
Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) - An unstable, colorless, heavy liquid used as a bleach in industry and as an antiseptic in households. It is used as an oxidizing agent in pools and spas. H2O2 may also be used to de-chlorinate a swimming pool or spa water.
Hydrolysis - A chemical reaction in which a compound reacts with water, resulting in its decomposition or alteration.
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