Basal pruning. Removal of the lower branches of a tree, to create a stem for easier cutting and handling. Often used on tall wild trees to produce a salable tree high up on a stem.
Cast. Hue or color, referring to the tree’s foliage.
Caliper. Diameter of the stump of a tree.
Cambium. The green layer between the bark and the sapwood of a tree where growth takes place.
Cover crop. A crop, usually grass or a grain such as winter rye, buckwheat, or oats, raised to build up organic matter and fertility in the soil and to choke out weeds.
Cull. An inferior tree.
Foliar. Pertaining to a tree’s leaves or needles.
Grade. Quality (Premium, Number One, Number Two, or Cull) assigned to a tree for marketing purposes, based on its health and appearance.
Handle. The base of a Christmas tree’s trunk.
Hardened off. Become woody in preparation for winter.
Humus. Partly decayed organic matter.
Late-breaking. Describes species whose new spring growth doesn’t break out of the protective bud until after the major frost danger has passed.
Leach. Drain away plant nutrients or salts by water percolation.
Leader. The top branch of a tree that grows straight up.
Offshoot. A sprout growing from the main trunk near or just under the ground.
Peat. Organic material found in bogs, partially decayed, used to add humus and acidity to the soil.
pH. Method of measuring the acidity-alkalinity ratio in the soil. A pH of 7 is neutral. Most tree species do best on soils between 5.5 and 6.5.
Pruning. Cutting off woody portions of a tree.
Shearing. Removing the tips of branches to encourage a tree to grow into more compact shape.
Sod. Grass-covered soil.
Sprout. New growth on a plant.
Sucker. Shoot coming from the roots or lower stem of a plant.
Taproot. The main root of a tree.
Topping. Removing the top of a plant, either to control the height or to encourage side branching.
Transplant. A tree that has been grown for an additional year or more in a bed, before planting into the field.
Transpiration. Losing water through the leaves and bark of a plant.
Tubeling. A seedling that has been grown in a small container.
Variety. A subcategory within a species, in which seedlings inherit the unique traits of the parent plant, distinct from other varieties.