When you dig the ground to loosen it up you are mixing it with air. This is called aeration.

These are plants that have flowers. The flowers can be so small that you don't know they are there, like with Spinifex grass. Or, they could be big and colourful like gum tree flowers. Angiosperms are also known as Flowering plants.

Annual means once a year. An annual plant lives for more than three months but less than 12 months. Over this time it will grow from a seed, flower, produce fruit and seeds, and then die off.

For example: everlastings, marigold, pansy.

Imagine you had a car that was supposed to use ten litres of fuel every kilometre. To test the car you drove it one kilometre and found that it used twelve litres instead. What would you do? You would get the car tuned.

You want the car to use the correct amount of fuel. That is, ten litres every kilometre. Doing this means you are calibrating the car.

A tray divided into a number of smaller cells to allow single planting of seeds or cuttings.

This is something that helps you see the difference between one thing and another.

For example: when you crush the leaf of a gum tree it has a strong smell. This smell is characteristic of gum trees.

This is what gives plants their green colour.

As these plants grow upwards they grab hold of other things for support. Sometimes they hold on to other plants. They can also hold on to rocks, fences, poles, anything nearby. Other names for climbers are 'scramblers' or 'twiners'.

For example: grapevine and ivy.

These plants grow new plants around themselves forming a bunch or clump. The clump can then be divided into three or more new plants.

For example: kangaroo paw, daylilies, agapanthus, cannas.

These are plants that are grown in pots or bags. The pots or bags are called containers. The potted or bagged plants are then sold in these containers. At planting, the container must be removed, but all potting mix around the roots should be put into the planting hole.

Rotting plant material. Compost is used to improve soils. When you add compost, plants grow better and the soil can hold more water.

These are chemicals that can damage or eat away other things. An acid is a corrosive chemical. It can eat away metals.

This is something that has a hidden meaning.

A garden tool which is good for loosening soil or removing small weeds.

There are many things that can affect the way a plant grows. Here are some examples:

• Climate - Some plants prefer wet weather while others do better when it is drier.

• Aspect - A lot of plants do not like to be shaded, they prefer to be in full sun.

• Soils - Some plants prefer sandy soils while others do better in composted soils.

• Pruning - Many plants grow bushier after they have been cut back.

• Propagation - Plants can reproduce in a lot of different ways, such as by seeds or cuttings.

• Pests and diseases - Some plants do not get attacked by pests and diseases as much as others.

• Horticultural uses - Plants have many uses. They can be used for food, to decorate gardens, make furniture, etc.

This can be numbers, letters or words.

For example: you record the hours you work on a time sheet. The amount of hours you work is data.

Deciduous plants lose their leaves at a certain time of the year. This is usually in autumn or winter. Because the weather is too cold or too dry, plant growth slows down. It goes into a resting period and the leaves fall off.
For example: plums and apricots.

Some plants are deciduous at other times of the year.
For example: kurrajong and boab.

Plants, particularly tropical plants, sometimes flower during their resting period.

This is when a plant loses its leaves.

Thickness or width.

Many plants don't like to grow in soil that holds a lot of water. If the water is able to flow from the soil you would say it has good drainage.

This is a way of planting seeds. You can make a hole for each seed. Or, you can make a furrow for many seeds.

Everyone who works must think about their safety, and the safety of people that they work with. It does not matter if you are in charge or just one of the workers.

State and Federal Governments have laws to cover safety in all workplaces in Australia.

A tree or shrub trained to grow flat across a wall.

Evergreen plants keep their leaves throughout the year. Old leaves drop off and new ones grow back throughout the year.

Many Australian plants, such as eucalypts, are evergreen. Other examples of evergreens include camellias, olives and citrus fruit trees.

All parts of the flower have a purpose. The stamen produces the polen and the pistil produces the fruit and seeds. From these seeds a new plant will grow. Flowering plants are also known as angiosperms. Flower parts.

A liquid sprayed onto plants to kill a fungus. An example of a fungus is mould.

A liquid or powder that is used to kill fungus. An example of a fungus is mould.

A fungus is a non-flowering plant. It does not have chlorophyll.

For example: mould.

Any strange growth or swelling on plants. It can be caused by insects, fungi , or other living and non-living things.

One way to help people to learn about plants is to put related plants together and give them a special name.

For example: gum trees all belong to the same genus - Eucalyptus

A seed has germinated when it starts to grow roots and leaves.

This is one of our most important plants. Here are some ways we use grasses:

• Food - wheat, oats, rice, corn, sugar cane, etc.

• Feeding animals - hay

• Industry - paper

• Building - bamboo

• Gardens - lawn

A mixture of broken up rock or stones.

These are plants that grow close to the ground. They can cover the ground like a mat.

For example: lawn, strawberries.

This is how a plant grows, or what it will look like without pruning.

For example: Jarrah is a tall tree while lawn is a spreading groundcover.

These are plants that don't grow flowers. Their seeds grow inside cones. You can call gymnosperms cone-bearing plants.

For example: Rottnest Island pine, Norfolk Island pine.

The place where a plant grows. There are so many different types of plants that a plant's habitat could be a:

• rainforest

• swamp

• desert

A hazard is anything that could possibly cause injury or an accident.

For example: any of the moving parts on a tractor can cause injury and must be regarded as hazards.

How tall a plant will grow.

A soft, green, non-woody plant.

Soft green or non-woody plant. These plants die back each year. They can be a clumping plant that survives from year to year using underground parts, such as a bulb.

For example: Iris, daffodil, tulip, couch grass, yam and kangaroo paw.

Chemicals found in plants and animals that control development.

For example: rooting powder is a hormone used to encourage cuttings to grow roots.

This is a living plant or animal that pests, diseases or other things feed off.

For example: the West Australian Christmas tree uses nearby plants to feed off. These are the hosts for the Christmas tree.

A system which uses oil under pressure to lift a load.

For example: hydraulics provide the power to lift and lower towed equipment on tractors.

Plants which live in or near water.

For example: water lilies, duckweed and mangrove trees.

Hygiene is all about cleanliness and good health. Keeping clean will cut down the amount of diseases that can be spread around.

The ovary is a female part of a flower. If it is inferior, then it is found below the main parts of the flower. The flower is said to be epigynous (epi - above; gynous - gynocium).

For example: apple, iris.

This is the flowering part of a plant. There are different ways the flowers can be arranged on the same stalk. Here are three examples of different inflorescences:

Information is something you know.

For example: you know that Nut Grass is a weed and you can provide this information to customers.

Taking food or drink into the body through the mouth.

For example: Food or water is ingested.

Any damage that is caused to a plant.

Inorganic fertilisers are not natural fertilisers like cow or sheep manure. They have been manufactured to suit certain plants and conditions. There are slow-release or quick-release fertilisers.

For example: superphosphate is used to encourage flowering.

When something is easily understood or easy to read.

Living agents are any living thing that cause plants to be damaged by either an injury or disease. Examples include:

Soil made up of a mixture of sand, clay, silt, and organic matter.

Letters written like this: a b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.

For example: to write the word CAPITAL all in lower case, it would look like capital.

Macro means very large.

Nutrients are certain chemicals needed by living things so they can keep healthy.

Macro nutrients are sometimes required in large amounts by plants. They include:

Something that is wrong with a plant.

The edge of the leaf.

This usually describes potting mix. 'Media' is the word used when talking about many different types of potting mix.

Micro means very small.

Nutrients are certain chemicals needed by living things so they can keep healthy.

Micro nutrients are also known as 'trace elements' and are required in smaller amounts by plants. They include:

Please note: Cobalt is sometimes called a micro nutrient because bacteria growing in plants, like clover, find it useful. However, to be correct, it isn't.

It is a flowering plant with one seed leaf or cotyledon.

For example: corn is a monocotyledon.

Other things to look for include:

parallel leaf veins

narrow leaves

floral parts in threes

a leaf sheath rather than a petiole.

fibrous root system.

For example: lillies, kangaroo paws, wheat, daffodils, palms.

No this is not a small but strong species of horse.

A mule, in horticulture, is a fuel powered, ride on vehicle used for all sorts of jobs around the worksite.

Some nurseries have a garden bed planted out with a variety of plants that are used for producing new plants.

For example: the garden might be used to grow grevilleas. Cuttings are taken from these.

A nutrient is like a food for a plant. Deficiency means not enough. Nutrient deficiency happens because not enough fertiliser has been given to a plant. The plant does not get enough nutrients. It will not to grow as well as it should.

A nutrient is like a food for a plant. Toxicity means poisonous.

Nutrient toxicity happens because too much fertiliser has been given to a plant. The plant gets more nutrients than it needs. It will not grow well and can even die.

A booklet supplied with a vehicle or piece of machinery which gives important information to the user on:

• safe operation

• pre-start checks

• service and maintenance requirements

• controls and attachments

• storage

Where something starts from.

Organic fertilisers contain carbon and can be natural or manufactured. For example: manures made from animal excrement, and "blood and bone" made from waste products from abattoirs.

This is a flowering plant that does not grow branches.

Original plant from which new plants grow, or are used to make new plants.

This is when something is treated with steam so that only harmful organisms, such as fungi and bacteria, are killed.

Veins that run in parallel lines on the leaf.

Any living thing that can cause a disease.

The cargo or load being carried by a vehicle.

The flower stalk.

A plant that lives for three years or more.

The wall of a ripened ovary. It changes into the fruit wall.

A harmful living thing that can cause damage to a plant.

Polarity refers to planting a cutting the right way up. The top part of the cutting should be the part that was highest when the stem was still attached to the parent plant. If you don't ensure the correct polarity when planting the cutting, it will not grow new roots.

A shaft between the tractor and a towed implement that uses the tractor engine to drive it.

Checks done on vehicles and machinery before they are used to make sure they are operating safely and reliably.

Removing a seedling from soil so you can re-pot or re-plant it.

This is a gadget used to make holes in soil mix ready for seed sowing.

Round, even-sized bit of fertiliser, coated with a environmental friendly plastic.

The way you say a word.

This is when you grow new plants from cuttings or seeds.

Small container used for growing seeds and cuttings in.

Garden tool for collecting weeds or other garden rubbish into a pile.

Some leaves are made up of even smaller leaves. These smaller leaves are called leaflets. The rachis joins each leaflet together. This type of leaf is called a compound leaf.

This is a way of watering plants using sprinklers, sprays and drip feeders.

The chance that a hazard could cause an injury or accident.

For example: there is little risk of overhead power lines causing an accident when operating a tractor if they are a long way from where the tractor is working. However, if the tractor is working close to powerlines the risk that this hazard may cause an accident is much greater.

The usually underground part of a plant. Roots hold up the plant, take in minerals and water from the soil, and sometimes store food.

Sand comes from broken down rocks. The grains of sand range in size, from 0.06 to 2.0 millimeters in diameter.

These are plants that have tough leaves. Having these type of leaves help the plant cut down the amount of water it loses. This is very important in places that get very little rain. Many Australian plants are Sclerophytes.

For example: banksias and eucalypts.

A tool used for cutting very thin or soft material. Strong scissors are the safest way to cut material such as shade cloth.

A tool used for cutting very small or soft plant material. It is used to prune plants.

The first letter of the word is in capitals and the rest are lower case

For example: 'Sentence' rather than 'sentence'.

When a leaf or flower does not have a stalk.

For example: some eucalyptus leaves are sessile.

A tool used for digging and lifting.

This is a woody plant that is smaller than a tree. It has a lot of stems branching from and near the ground.

For example: hibiscus, bottlebrush and lavender.

When we look for insect, pest or disease damage on a plant we may find a sign such as droppings, markings, hair, feathers, and so on.

A tool used for breaking rocks or hammering stakes.

Always refer to manufacturer's instructions when using a soil pH kit.

Underneath a fern leaf you will often see brown spots or dots. This is the way ferns reproduce. The spots or dots contain spores, which are like seeds. The container that holds the spores is called the sorus. When you have a more than one sorus, you would say that there are a lot of sori.

To plant seed in soil or a potting soil.

Garden tool for digging, cutting and removal of soil. Select one with a long handle and a flat area on the blade where you can put your foot.

When you look at Eucalyptus trees you will see that many have different looking flowers, fruit, leaves and bark. This also shows you that there can be different species of Eucalyptus trees.

An example of a plant, animal, soil, etc.

For example: what if someone wanted you to tell them the name of a tree they had growing in their back yard. They wouldn't bring you the whole tree. Instead, they would bring a small branch with some leaves, flowers and fruit. This is a specimen of the tree.

A type of knife with a blade that can slide back into the handle.

A shrub trained as a tree with a strong upright trunk and a round top. Side shoots are pruned from the trunk to maintain the upright growth.

This is a way of letting people know how things should be done. It is done to make sure every one follows the same quality, reliability and safety guidelines for materials, products, methods or services.

To kill all living things with steam or chemicals, even if these organisms are harmful or useful.

For example: before taking cuttings, you would wipe the tool you are going to use with methylated spirits.

This is when a cutting starts to grow new roots.

This is when growth slows down. The plant or animal is then smaller than it should be.

These are plants with fleshy or juicy leaves and stems.

For example: aloe, agave, and all cacti plants.

The ovary is a female part of a flower. If it is superior, then it is above the flower parts. The flower is said to be hypogynous (hypo - below; gynous - gynocium).

For example: cherry, tulip, peas

This is when one thing is likely to be affected by another thing.

For example: some plants are not suited to the cold. They would be damaged by frosts. You would say that they were susceptible to frosts.

This is something you see that tells you that a certain disease or illness is affecting a plant.

To pack down firmly. This usually applies to packing down the soil mix around a plant when it is first potted or moved from one place to another.

The main root with many smaller branched or side roots.

Clipping and trimming living shrubs into decorative shapes.

There are certain chemicals needed by plants for good health. These are known as chemical nutrients. Trace elements are one group of chemical nutrients. Trace elements are sometimes called 'micro nutrients' and are needed in smaller amounts by plants. They include:

Please note: Cobalt is sometimes called a micro nutrient because bacteria growing in plants, like clover, find it useful. However, to be correct, it isn't.

The name given to a plant or product to make it more attractive to customers.

For example: Butterfly Bush and Mozzie Buster.

A tall growing, woody plant with a single main stem/trunk with a high top. More than 3-5 metres tall.

For example: willows, gums and wattles.

A horticultural building with a curved-shaped roof that is also known as an igloo.

The only one of its kind.

For example: you are unique.

A mineral which, when heated, forms a spongy, lightweight material ideal for growing new plants.

When plants don't get enough water they show that they need watering. This includes:

• loss of shine and slight colour change in the leaves

• curling leaves

• drooping leaves - also called wilting

• losing leaves - also called defoliation.

A weed is a plant that grows where it is not wanted. See the Botany File for examples of various weeds with a brief description of their main characteristics and how to control them. The two main types are:

Annual weed

Annual means once a year. An annual weed lives for more than three months but less than 12 months. Over this time it will - grow from a seed, flower, produce fruit and seeds, and then die off.

Perennial weed

Any weed that will - grow from a seed, flower, produce fruit and seeds and then continue to grow. A perennial weed keeps doing this for more that two years.

How far a plant will spread out.

The plant's leaves are limp and drooping. This is one of the telltale signs of water stress.

Wire cutters are suitable for cutting wire and shade cloth clips.

A perennial plant lives for more than two years.

A woody perennial has very tough stems and branches.

For example: trees and shrubs.