- A-frame level
- A simple tool made of three poles and a weighted string, used to find level lines (contours) on a slope. See Building a Swale.
- agroforestry
- Growing trees and shrubs together with food crops (and sometimes animals) on the same land, so each part supports the others. Regenerative agroforestry aims to leave soil, water and land healthier every year. See What Is Agroforestry?
- berm
- A low mound of soil, usually built on the downhill side of a swale or around a tree, that holds back water and is planted.
- biochar
- Charcoal made for soil. When charged with compost, it holds water and nutrients for years. See Technology.
- canopy
- The tallest layer of a food forest: large trees like breadfruit, mango, and coconut.
- chop-and-drop
- Cutting plants back and leaving the cuttings on the ground as mulch and fertilizer. Pigeon pea and comfrey are classic choices.
- companion planting
- Growing plants together that help each other, for example by fixing nitrogen, deterring pests, or providing shade.
- compost
- Decomposed plant material and manure that feeds soil life.
- contour
- A line across a slope at the same elevation. Planting and mulching on contour slows rainwater and stops erosion.
- coppice
- Cutting a tree or shrub near the ground so it regrows multiple stems. Gliricidia handles this well.
- cover crop
- A plant grown mainly to protect and improve soil rather than to harvest.
- division
- Splitting a clump of plants (like ginger or banana) into pieces that each have roots, then replanting them.
- edge effect
- The extra diversity and productivity found where two environments meet, such as forest and clearing, or land and water.
- first-flush diverter
- A device on a rain catchment system that discards the first, dirtiest runoff from a roof before water enters the tank.
- food forest
- A planting designed like a young forest, with layers of trees, shrubs, herbs, ground covers, vines, and roots that all produce food or other useful yields.
- greywater
- Lightly used water from sinks, showers, and laundry that can irrigate plants. See Technology.
- ground cover
- Low plants that spread over the soil, protecting it from sun and rain and crowding out weeds. See Ground Covers.
- guild
- A group of plants placed together around a central tree that support each other. See Guides.
- hydrozoning
- Grouping plants by how much water they need so each area can be watered appropriately.
- IPM (integrated pest management)
- Managing pests by preventing problems first and using the least harmful control that works. See Organic Pest Control.
- invasive species
- A non-native plant or animal that spreads aggressively and harms ecosystems, farms, or health. See Plants to Avoid.
- leeward
- The side of the island sheltered from the trade winds, generally drier (south and west on Kauaʻi).
- living mulch
- A low-growing ground cover that does the job of mulch while still alive, such as perennial peanut or sweet potato.
- microclimate
- Small-scale local conditions (sun, wind, moisture, temperature) that can differ sharply from the surrounding area.
- mulch
- A layer of organic material (wood chips, leaves, cut plants) spread on soil to hold moisture, block weeds, and feed soil life.
- naturalized
- A non-native plant that now reproduces in the wild on its own. Not all naturalized plants are invasive, but many become so.
- nitrogen fixer
- A plant, usually a legume, that partners with soil bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air and enrich the soil.
- node
- The point on a stem where leaves and buds grow. Roots form at nodes on a cutting.
- nutrient accumulator
- A deep-rooted plant, like comfrey, used to bring minerals up into its leaves, which are then cut for mulch.
- perennial
- A plant that lives for more than two years, producing harvest after harvest without replanting.
- permaculture
- A design approach for growing food and living in ways that work with natural systems. Short for “permanent agriculture.” See Principles.
- pioneer (support) species
- Fast-growing plants such as banana, papaya, and pigeon pea that provide shade, shelter, mulch, and early food while slower trees establish.
- polyculture
- Growing many different crops together, the opposite of a single-crop monoculture.
- pup
- A young offshoot growing from the base of a plant, like a banana or pineapple, that can be separated and replanted.
- rain garden
- A shallow, planted dip that collects runoff from a roof, driveway, or path and lets it soak into the ground.
- regenerative
- Growing in ways that leave soil, water, and ecosystems healthier over time, not just sustained.
- rhizome
- An underground stem that spreads sideways and sprouts new shoots, as in ginger and turmeric.
- sheet mulching
- Smothering grass and weeds under cardboard, compost, and mulch to create a planting bed without digging. See Sheet Mulching.
- spillway
- A low, rock- or plant-lined point at the end of a swale or basin where overflow leaves safely in a big storm.
- succession
- The natural sequence of plant communities over time, from quick pioneers to long-lived trees. Food forests are designed to follow it.
- swale
- A level trench dug along the contour that catches rainwater and lets it soak into the soil. See Water Management.
- understory
- The layers below the canopy: smaller trees, shrubs, and herbs that grow in partial shade.
- vermicompost
- Compost made by worms. Worm castings are a rich soil amendment. See Animals.
- windbreak
- Rows of trees and shrubs planted to slow wind, protecting crops and reducing water loss.
- windward
- The side of the island facing the trade winds, generally wetter (north and east on Kauaʻi).
- zones
- Areas arranged by how often you visit them, with daily-use plants nearest the house. See Guides.
