Petal A specialized leaf that surrounds the reproductive parts of a flower. Often colored to attract pollinating insects. A symbol for the acid-alkaline balance of the soil. The balance is expressed as a number from 1 to 14, with 7 considered neutral. Thus a pH of 6 is acidic while a pH of 8 is alkaline.
Higher numbers are more alkaline, lower numbers more acidic.
Phosphorus Major plant nutrient especially important for plants where flowering is the main interest. The process by which the chloroplasts in plant cells use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide from the air with water vapor to form carbohydrates that are used as the basic food stuff for the growth of the plant. Pinching The removal of a growing tip from a stem, thus causing any axillary shoots or buds of the stem to develop. Plug A type of seedling tray in which each seedling grows in an individual, tapered cell, thus reducing root competition with adjacent seedlings and minimizing transplant shock. The transfer of pollen to the stigma of a receptive flower.