Whether or not your garden or landscape is maintained by a landscape maintenance service, all certified landscape property owners must agree to implement the ecological maintenance practices on the Monterey Bay Friendly Landscaping Maintenance Agreement. The agreement is available in Spanish.
Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape Maintenance Agreement Requirements
- Plants shall be pruned to retain their natural form. Boxing, topping, and shearing of shrubs and trees is prohibited.
- All soil on site shall be protected with a minimum of 2-4 inches of recycled, green-waste mulch.
- Leaves and/or plant debris less than 4 inches falling into planted areas (natural leaf drop) shall be left as mulch unless otherwise directed by Owner or Owner’s Representative. Sidewalk and parking lot leaves may be swept into mulched areas or picked up.
- Plant debris and green waste not used for mulch shall be separated from other refuse and taken to a facility where it will be used to produce compost or mulch.
- Use of gas-powered leaf blowers is prohibited unless otherwise specified by the Owner or Owner’s Representative.
- Grasscycling shall be practiced in turf areas.
- Aerification and top dressing with finely screened compost shall be performed in turf areas at least once/year.
- Ongoing maintenance shall include integrated pest management methods including cultural, physical, biological, and less-toxic chemical controls that reduce risk to human health and the environment.
- Ongoing maintenance uses compost in all landscape areas. Applications of synthetic, petroleum-based fertilizers are prohibited.
- An irrigation zone map shall be located at the irrigation controller.
- A weather-based irrigation schedule shall be located at the irrigation controller. Monthly reprogramming of irrigation valve run times shall be based upon ET (evapotranspiration) and/or soil moisture data (applies only to sites where a weather-based irrigation controller is not installed).
- Ongoing irrigation system maintenance shall include:
- Regular activation and observation of all irrigation valves to ensure optimum system performance and that irrigation run-off and water waste does not occur.
- Immediate replacement of broken equipment with equal or superior materials.
Download the Template Monterey Bay Friendly Landscaping Maintenance Contract if you work with a landscape maintenance professional and want to implement a more detailed scope of work to ensure your Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape is maintained to look and perform at its best.
