AND OTHER DEFINITIONS

We often have people ask us both at the farmers market and around town what certain terms mean. For instance, most people think that "full sun" means you need to have a place in your yard that has sun all day. This is untrue, and almost impossible to achieve; plus the amount of sun you would want on those plants would vary from season to season, and region to region. So below, we have put together a list of the terms we have been asked about most frequently. We will add to it as new ones come up, and we will have copies at our stall at the market.

Full Sun: 6 or more hours of sun per day

Partial Sun: Less than 6 hours of sun per day

Frost: The air temperatures will be below 32° for less than 2 hours. Most plants will have no damage.

Freeze: When the air temperature will be below 32° for more than 2 hours. Most plants will have little to no damage.

Hard Freeze: Air temperatures will be below 28° for more than 2 hours. Most plants won’t survive without damage.

Indeterminate: The growth is more that of a vine, and will need trellising or some other support, or room on the ground to trail.

Determinate: The growth of the plant is more like that of a bush, occasionally needing some support if it will grow more than 2 feet tall.

Open-Pollinated: Stable plant types that will produce the same plant, or one very similar, each generation. Seeds can be saved each season, and used the next year.

Heirloom: An open-pollinated variety that has been grown consistently for more than 50 years.

F1: A hybrid based of genetically similar parent plants, whose seeds will not grow the same plant the next generation and usually need to be bought again each year.

Bolting: When a plant acquired for its leafy parts goes to flower, the leaves become bitter since it is now putting its energy into making seeds. Flowers can be picked off if caught quickly and extend the plant’s longevity.

Days to Maturity: How long it will take until the plant will produce a full-grown product.

Companion Planting: Planting certain families of plants together in order for them to use their physical characteristics to benefit each other (see chart on website).

Living Mulch: Planting smaller, faster growing plants for the benefit of shading and protecting the soil of their (eventually) taller, slower growing companions.