shovel prune

shovel prune
(SHUV.ul proon)
v.
To dig up a garden plant and discard it. Also: shovel-prune.
Example Citation:
Hill and McBride adore roses — each count about 25 bushes in their yards. But Hill emphasizes they are not fanatics. "If they need to be shovel pruned [gardening lingo for given the heave-ho], I'll do it," she said. "I'm not going to be upset about losing a $12 rose bush when it's past its prime."
— Janis D. Froeloch, "Gardening Neighbors Keep Running For Roses," The Tampa Tribune, April 18, 2002
Earliest Citation:
Now, when the earth is soft and the weather is cool, is a good time of the year to consider rejuvenating and enlightening that precious garden space. Shovel-prune those misfits and replant with trees or shrubbery that are more in scale with the size of the garden and house, creating a more pleasant and productive homescape.
— Joyce Smith, "Get rid of plants that don't belong in their garden spots," The Orange County Register, March 4, 1989
Notes:
This phrase is a play on the verb "prune" (from the mid-16th century) which means to cut off superfluous branches from a plant to promote fuller growth.
Related Words: Category:

New words. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • shovel-ready — adj. Relating to a construction site or project that can be used or started right away. Also: shovel ready. Example Citations: Nearly every economist who spoke here agreed that a dollar invested in, say, a new transit system or in bridge repair… …   New words

  • Plants and Gardening — 100 foot diet agrimation assisted migration biopiracy cereologist conscientious neglect crazy tobacco …   New words

  • intentional gardening — pp. Gardening with a specific purpose in mind, such as providing food or improving the environment. Example Citations: As bees and bats disappear from many jurisdictions, the incorporation of trees, shrubs and plants that attract animals and… …   New words

  • patch burning — (PACH bur.ning) pp. The purposeful and controlled burning of a section of an ecosystem. Also: patch burning. patch burn v., n. patch burn adj. Example Citation: Dr. Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, a professor of rangeland ecology at Oklahoma State, and his …   New words

  • French Republican Calendar — History of France series French Revolution Causes Estates General National Assembly Storming of the Bastille National …   Wikipedia

  • List of Johnny Bravo episodes — Johnny Bravo is an American animated television series created by Van Partible for the Cartoon Network. The series premiered July 7, 1997 and ended officially August 27, 2004. The series is a spin off of World Premiere Toons, also known as the… …   Wikipedia

  • delve — Synonyms and related words: backset, beat the bushes, bore, burrow, cavity, cultivate, culture, cut, dig, dig out, dike, dredge, dress, drill, drive, excavate, explore, fallow, fertilize, forage, force, frisk, furrow, go through, gouge, gouge out …   Moby Thesaurus

  • dig — Synonyms and related words: Parthian shot, abide, absorb, abysm, abyss, accept, appreciate, apprehend, assault, assimilate, back answer, backset, bang, bash, bat, be affected, be in tune, be inspired, be involved, be moved, be with one, bear,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • plow — Synonyms and related words: all crop harvester, backset, baler, bank, bean harvester, beet harvester, binder, break, breaker, canal, canalize, carve, cast plow, chamfer, channel, chisel, combine, corrugate, cotton picker, crab, crack, crimp,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • spade — Synonyms and related words: American Indian, Amerind, Australian aborigine, Bushman, Caucasian, Indian, Malayan, Mister Charley, Mongolian, Negrillo, Negrito, Negro, Oriental, Red Indian, WASP, ace, backset, bail, best bower, black, black man,… …   Moby Thesaurus

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”