Glossary of Terms
"Aerate" to "Irrigation Clock"
AERATE: to use a machine that's designed to pull plugs out of the lawn. Aerating creates channels in the soil that fill up with water, allowing a deeper saturation in the root zone. It also reduces soil compaction, which is very common in our clay soils.
ASH WHITEFLY: A pinhead sized, sap sucking, honeydew secreting insect that invaded our county and infested a large variety of host plants such as ash, apple and pear trees.
BARBEQUE: An open air feast that can be enjoyed in the garden with your family and friends.
BASE: The amount of water used before conservation compared to the amount used after conservation methods have been implemented. Also known as control..
BENEFICIAL NEMATODES: Microscopic worms that can't be seen with the naked eye. They hunt down and kill more than 200 kinds of soil dwelling and wood boring insects. They do not affect humans, animals or plants are completely compatible with other beneficial insects. Used for Biological Control.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL: A scientific method used to reduce pest populations without using pesticides. This method is practiced when the bug you are trying to eliminate has become resistant to pesticides. It is the act of releasing beneficial insects or "good bugs" to fight the "bad bugs."
BT: A bacterial spray used to control caterpillar larvae such as the tobacco budworm, which frequently attacks tomatoes and petunias. Also known as a pesticide alternative.
CCWD: Contra Costa Water District.
CLOGGED SPRINKLER: When an obstruction, usually debris or insect, interferes with the sprinkler's normal performance.
CONSERVATION: See Water Management.
CONTROL: See Base.
COOL CLIMATE GRASSES: Grasses that prefer the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. They will tolerate heat.
DATA: Information collected for research.
DEEP ROOT SYSTEM: A plant's root system that searches deeply into the soil for water.
DE-THATCHING: Using a machine to remove, from the surface of the soil, the dead and unwanted grasses that naturally build up over time.
DISEASE: A fungus, bacteria, or virus that can cause damage to a plant.
DOWN-POUR: When water hits the soil faster than it can be saturated.
DRIP IRRIGATION: See underground sprinkler system.
DROUGHT: A condition that occurs when precipitation is less than normal and the water going out of the reservoirs exceeds the flow coming in.
DROUGHT ENVIRONMENT: A term used to describe the environment that plants must adapt to in order to survive in high temperatures.
DRY SEASON: The time of year in which precipitation is not known to happen.
DRY SPOTS: Dried out areas in the lawn and landscape that do not receive adequate water.
EARTHSAVERS: Any natural or biodegradable product containing ingredients that don't leave a negative impact on the environment when used or applied.
EBMUD: East Bay Municipal Utility District.
ENCARCIA WASP: A tiny stingless wasp that lays its eggs into the larvae of the ash white- fly, thereby eliminating whitefly offspring.
FERTILIZATION: The term used to describe applying plant food to your entire growing area.
FUNGICIDE: A pesticide which is used to control fungi and disease in the garden. Largely used as a preventive.
GOPHER: A small burrowing rodent, the size of a large rat, with strong claws, short tail and large cheek pouches. Makes mounds in lawns and ground cover. Feeds on roots, root crops and bulbs. Easier to control than moles.
GRAVITY ACTION: Water pressure forces the sprinkler to pop up and when the water is turned off, gravity brings it back down.
HEAT WAVE: When daytime temperatures exceed their normal average.
HERBICIDE: A pesticide used to control unwanted plants (weeds). Pre-emergent is used to kill the weed seed germination, Post-emergent is used to kill the weed. 2,4-D kills weeds in the lawn.
IMPACT SPRINKLERS: A sprinkler designed to cover large areas. These types are operated by a hammer hitting a stream of water. Can either be pop-up or standard sprinklers.
INSECTICIDE: A pesticide used to control insects. Comes either in a granular form, a liquid or a wettable powder that is mixed with water to form a suspension which is used for spraying.
INDIAN SUMMER: When summer-like temperatures continue into the fall.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: The use of more than one approach to pest and disease control in a sound ecological way.
IRRIGATION SYSTEM: The sum total of sprinklers and valves, working hand-in-hand with your irrigation clock to irrigate the lawn and landscape. Can either be manual or automatic.
IRRIGATION BREAK: A puncture or break within the irrigation system. Locations include, but are not limited to; pipes, valves, fittings, and sprinklers.
IRRIGATION CLOCK: An automatic clock used to turn your water system on and off by programmable commands. Can also be run manually.
Glossary of Terms
"Irrigation system" to "Spring Action"
IRRIGATION SYSTEM: The sum total of sprinklers and valves, working hand-in-hand with your irrigation clock to irrigate the lawn and landscape. Can either be manual or automatic.
IRRIGATION VALVE: The valve at which the water is turned on or off, either automatically or manually.
LANDSCAPE: The trees, shrubberies, gound-cover, and flowers planted around a residence or business in an orderly design.
LAWN: A low growing plant, designed to highlight the landscape and sustain moderate foot traffic. Also known as turf.
LAWN MANAGEMENT: The use of a variety of techniques to maintain the health of a lawn.
LAWN MOWER PATTERNS: The direction in which the lawn is mowed. i.e.; one week north to south, the next week east to west.
LEAF BURN: When the center of the leaf is burnt, usually turning a brownish color with a crepe paper like texture.
MAINTENANCE GARDENER: A person for hire who does gardening tasks around residences or businesses on a regular schedule.
MECHANICAL CONTROL: Removing pests by; pruning, washing, vacuuming or gathering.
MOLE: A small burrowing rodent that that feeds on grubs and other insects found in the soil. Makes unsightly runways in lawns or along benderboards.
MOW, BLOW AND GO: A careless habit that maintenance gardeners can get into by failing to investigate, check and correct obvious problems.
MOONLIGHT: Illuminated by the moon. Not as bright as sunlight.
ORGANIC FERTILIZERS: Natural forms of the three basic fertilizing elements known as nitrogen, phosphorus and potash that provide for the proper growth in plants. Some organic forms of nitrogen are compost, manure and bone meal. Some sources of phosphorus come from rock phosphate and cottonseed meal. Natural mineral and organic fertilizers such as rock powders and wood ashes are an excellent source of potash.
ORGANIC MATTER: Decomposed plant and animal matter that contains micro-organisms. Also known as compost.
OUT OF ADJUSTMENT: A sprinkler that is not hitting its target area
OUTDOOR WATER MANAGEMENT: Stetching the amount of water needed to sustain the health of your plants. Allowing longer dryout periods between irrigations and installing water saving devices into pop-ups and risers are examples of water mgmt.
OVERHEAD SPRINKLER SYSTEM: Any kind of sprinkler system that sprays water over the top of plants
PANIC BUTTON: Reacting to a situation or problem without thinking about it clearly first.
PCD (PRESSURE COMPENSATING DEVICE): a conservation tool put together by Toro and Automatic Rain. See Water Savers.
PEST: Any unwanted plant, insect, or disease.
PESTICIDE: A term that covers chemical products which are used as insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.
PHEROMONES: Chemicals produced by other insects to communicate with other members of the same species. The pheromone traps we use contain a safe, synthetic attractant. Male insects detecting the odor of the pheromone are lured to the location expecting to find a female and are caught in the trap.
POP-UP SPRINKLERS: Ground level sprinklers that are propelled by water and pop-up above the lawn to spray using either spring action or gravity.
PRECIPITATION: Moisture condensed in the form of rain, etc.
PREVENTION: Using a pesticide to stop, control or ward off pests before they become a problem and cause damage to plants.
RAINY SEASON: The time of year in which precipitation is known to happen.
RECYCLING: Taking responsibility for the environmental effects of a product and its packaging. Such things to consider include whether you can reuse the container after you've used the product, whether the product itself was made with recycled content and requesting less packaging when it is an option.
REDUCTION: Using less than the maximum recommendation.
RING IRRIGATION: This term describes taking a weed eater or small pruning tool and cutting the grass around the lawn sprinkler heads to give them a ring shape, usually a 3-4" radius, therefore allowing the water to hit its target areas. The heads on the edge of the lawn should have a half ring and the heads in the lawn should have a full ring.
ROTARY SPRINKLERS: Capable of irrigating a large area. Water is propelled by gears. Can either be pop-up or standard sprinklers.
RUN-OFF: Excess water that is not absorbed by the soil and thereby runs down the gutter.
RUTS: The unsightly patterns in a lawn caused by mowing your lawn in the same pattern all the time.
SET CLOCK: Setting your irrigation clock according to the schedule that we provide in our monthly newsletter.
SHRUB HEAD ADAPTER: The sprinkler part that the sprinkler is attached to.
SOURCE REDUCTION: The conscious act of using less than the maximum strength of a product, such as a pesticide, in a way that still yields desired results. Truly knowing that "using more is not better". The act of seeking out safer alternatives and resisting the purchase of hazardous products. Resistance to disposing materials in an improper way.
SPRING ACTION: A spring found inside of a pop-up that rises with water pressure and recedes when the water is turned off.
Glossary of Terms
"Storm Drain" to "Weed Management"
STORM DRAINS: An inlet covered by a grate which leads to a drainage system used to collect storm water. The system then discharges into creeks or into the Bay Delta System.
STORM DRAIN POLLUTION: Anything other than water that flows into the creeks or Delta through our storm drains. Examples of such pollutants are oil, antifreeze, pesticides and household wastes.
SPRINKLER: A tool that water runs through to water landscape and lawn.
SPRINKLER NOZZLE: The kind of nozzle that screws into either a lawn pop-up or landscape adapter.
SPRINKLER TYPES: Pop-ups, impacts, single and multiple rotaries.
SUNLIGHT: Illuminated by the sun.
TARGET AREA: Any specified area where a specific application or procedure is being performed.
TEMPERATURE CHANGE: A drop or rise in the temperature.
TRANSPIRATION: Water loss through evaporation.
TREE WELL, SHRUBBERY WELL: A basin-shaped well made by stacking the soil around trees and shrubs so it collects water and gives the plant a deep watering.
TURF: Another term for lawn.
UNDERGROUND SPRINKLER SYSTEM: A sprinkler system, such as drip, that carries water directly to the root systems of plants.
UNIT OF WATER: Approximately 750 Gallons.
WARM CLIMATE GRASSES: Grasses that prefer the warmer temperatures of summer.
WATERING HABITS: The manner in which you irrigate your lawn and landscape. Can either be good or bad.
WATER MANAGEMENT: A program that conserves water while maintaining healthy plants.
WATER METER: A machine used by water companies to measure each individual clients water use.
WATER PRESSURE: Pressure that builds up in your water system and forces water through a nozzle.
WATER RATIONING: When households must confine their water consumption according to what their water district says or else pay hefty penalties for overuse.
WATER RESTRICTION: See Water Rationing.
WATER SAVER: A conservation tool that is inserted into the bottom of any shrub head adapter to eliminate waste water and runoff.
WATER WASTE: Using more water than it takes to get the job done. Hosing down sidewalks, using hoses without shutoff valves to wash cars, watering lawns daily are examples of wasting water.
WEED MANAGEMENT: The use of a variety of techniques to control and eliminate unwanted plants.
End of Glossary...
THANK YOU !
Previous Page Project Directory
Glossary Directory Top Home Page