Greenhouse, or a green house

1. 1
   greenhouse/ˈɡriːnˌhaʊs/

   noun

   A building made of glass where plants are grown.
2. 2
   seedling/ˈsiːdlɪŋ/

   noun

   A young plant that has just come up from a seed.
3. 3
   humidity/hjuːˈmɪdəti/

   noun

   How much water is in the air.
4. 4
   trowel/ˈtraʊwel/

   noun

   A small hand tool with a handle and a flat blade, used for scooping or spreading.
5. 5
   herb/ɜːrb/iAlso said hɜːrb.

   noun

   A leafy plant used in cooking to add flavor.
6. 6
   compost/ˈkɑːmpoʊst/

   noun

   Rotted plant matter and manure mixed in to feed the soil.
7. 7
   vent/vent/

   noun

   An opening that lets air or gas escape.
8. 8
   water/ˈwɔːtər/

   verb

   To give water to a plant.
9. 9
   pot/pɑːt/

   verb

   To put a plant into a container of soil.
10. 10
    sprout/spraʊt/

    verb

    To start growing, pushing out buds or shoots.

The sentences

1. The greenhouse gets warm by eight in the morning.

2. Every seedling by the door looks a little dry.

3. Keep the humidity up or the leaves will curl.

4. Use the trowel to dig a hole for the seedling.

5. Which herb should I pick for the soup tonight?

6. Mix some compost into the soil before you plant.

7. Could you open the vent to let some air out?

8. I need to water the trays before it gets hot.

9. Should I pot these into bigger containers today?

10. These seeds should sprout in about a week.

Pronunciation

• humidity/hjuːˈmɪdəti/

  Stress the middle: hyoo-MID-i-ty.

• trowel/ˈtraʊwel/

  First syllable rhymes with how, not with toe.

• herb/ɜːrb/

  In American English the h is dropped — say 'erb'.

• compost/ˈkɑːmpoʊst/

  Stress the first syllable; the second sounds like post.

Questions

What do you say if the leaves start to curl?

You say 'Keep the humidity up or the leaves will curl' — humidity is how much water is in the air.

What does 'pot' mean in the greenhouse?

To pot means to put a plant into a container of soil, as in 'Should I pot these into bigger containers today?'

What's a trowel used for?

A trowel is a small hand tool with a handle and a flat blade, used for scooping or spreading, as in 'Use the trowel to dig a hole for the seedling.'