annual vegetables

Vegetables that go through their life cycle within a year.

arbor care

Referring to the care and maintenance of trees.

bay-friendly

Bay Area regional landscaping program that employs ecologically sound practices such as water conservation, organic soil fertility methods, mulching, etc.

biological diversity

Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire Earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems.

cover crop

A plant or group of plants that enhance the soil quality but may not produce a crop for humans. We can plant cover crops to repair damaged soil.

drip irrigation

A water-saving, low-pressure irrigation system designed to distribure water as the base of the plants.

greenscaping

EPA program for reducing waste from landscape management.

greywater

Water from showers, baths, laundry, etc. that is used to water a landscape.

habitat garden

A garden that provides food, water, and an environment for wildlife to reproduce.

integrated pest management (IPM)

A system that addresses pests control in the least toxic ways.

matched precipitation

Expressed in inches per hour, matched precipitation rate is the rate at which sprinklers apply water. All of the sprinklers in a particular zone are placing about the same amount of water on a given area.

mixed production

The use of both annual and perennial food crops.

mulch

Any material that covers and protects the soil.

native plants

Plants that have evolved relationships with the plant and animal communities around them.

organic

Without the use of toxic chemicals.

permaculture

A whole systems design practice that sensitively uses all ecological systems together for the benefit of all living things.

perennial polyculture

Using many kinds of multi-season plant species.

rain water catchment

Capturing and storing rain water for later use in the landscape.

sheet-mulching

A technique that suppresses weed growth with a compostable barrier such as cardboard covered by esthetically pleasing mulch.

sprinkler system

An irrigation system using spray heads that distribute water over large areas.

urbanite

Recycled concrete aesthetically reused in the landscape as pavers, retaining walls and raised beds.