Permaculture is a term created by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren and is short for “permanent agriculture”. Permaculture is a holistic approach that allows us to create natural “mini ecosystems” right in our backyards. Permaculture is all about designing systems that work in synergy with nature rather than against it. Implementing the principles of permaculture into your garden will give every element a purpose, from plants and animals to buildings and energy sources. Each element will be working together to create a balanced and regenerative ecosystem providing you with a flourishing garden.
The 12 Principles of Permaculture
- Observe and Interact
- Catch and Store Energy
- Obtain a Yield
- Apply Self regulation and Accept Feedback
- Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services
- Produce no Waste
- Design from Patterns to Details
- Integrate Rather than Segregate
- Use Small and Slow Solutions
- Use and Value Diversity
- Use Edges and Value the Marginal
- Creatively Use and Respond to Change
What steps should I take to integrate permaculture into my Garden?
1. Observation is key. If you don’t already have a garden, go ahead and decide where on your property you would like for it to be. Once you know exactly where your garden will lay, start spending some time observing the space. Some things that you will want to note include: sunlight patterns, water drainage, and existing plant and animal life. You should also identify areas of shade, any areas which are prone to wind or erosion as well as any microclimates.
2. Designing your garden is going to be the next step. Think about what you are going to be harvesting and spending time maintaining the most and place these crops closer to your home.
3.Embrace plant diversity by planting a variety of native and edible plants. You should also consider companion planting to enhance the health and productivity of your garden.
4. Use vertical space to make the most of your garden space. This is especially important if you do not have a big garden area. Trellis‘ are a great way to use vertical space for climbing plants such as cucumbers or pole beans.
5. Water management will allow you to collect rain water to use on your garden. Anything you have on hand will work but having a barrel with a spout on the end will be super helpful.
6. Composting and mulching will provide so many nutrients to your soil to really help your plants to thrive. Check out my beginner’s composting guide here to learn more on how to compost.
7. Wildlife Integration is going to be your next step. By providing habitats or planting flowers to attract beneficial insects and birds you can bring this wildlife into your garden to aid in pest control and pollination. Placing bird feeders or bug hotels are a great way to welcome this wildlife into our garden. By recycling things you have around your home such as sticks and broken terracotta pots you can easily create your own bug hotel. If you do not have anything to create one yourself, you could also opt to buy one like the one linked here. Alyssum, Catmint, and roses are a few options you may want to consider planting in or around your garden. These are great for attracting ladybugs and lacewigs.
9. Recycle and Reuse as much as you can. Everything has a purpose, you just have to get creative. I love reusing old plastic mushrooms containers to start seeds in. If you sell your produce, you can also save these throughout the year to sell produce in. Old egg cartons or plastic take out containers are also great for seed starting. Have an old chicken or dog food bag? Fold it down, poke a couple holes in the bottom and fill it with dirt and you have yourself a planter. The options are limitless! Always keep check Facebook Marketplace periodically as well as many people will give away old wood, tin, and other building materials for free!
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Having native plants in your garden will greatly improve your garden's health by attracting beneficial insects and wildlife. Native plants are already accustomed to your local environment and therefore are often more hardy. With my FREE foraging guide, you'll gain invaluable knowledge about the incredible world of foraging and be able to find native plants that not only benefit your garden but also provide you with a nutritious sustainable food source. When you sign up for my newsletter, you will automatically receive an email with a link to my FREE foraging guide!
Click Here to DownloadFurther your Knowledge
There are so many aspects to Permaculture that I just can not touch on in one article. If you would like to learn more about permaculture and learn how to effectively implement it in your space, I highly recommend taking a course to further your knowledge. If you’re like me and learn best from watching videos versus reading, “The Permaculture Design Course” put together by instructors Tim Barker, Paul Wheaton, Thomas J. Elpel, Helen Atthowe, Erica Wisner, Jaqueline Freeman, Zachary Weiss, and David Hoyt is one of the most informative courses I have ever taken and I can not say enough good things about it. Not only will you get their “Permaculture Design Course” but also the “Appropriate Technology Course” which will teach you everything you need to know about solar power, heating temperate shelters, cooling tropical shelters, water, sustainability, biochar, and compost toilets. You may purchase the entire 133 hour long video course for just $65 by clicking the link below. If you take this course and love it, let me know in the comments below and what your key take aways were. I wish you all the best!
The Permaculture Design and Appropriate Technology Course
If you are interested and visiting the 2024 Permaculture Technology Jamboree, you may purchase your tickets below. This is a great event which you can learn more about by visiting the link below.
Permaculture Techonology Jamboree
And lastly, if you prefer a physical product the “Building a Better World” book is a great read. It is also available for purchase as an ebook as well as audiobook.
“Building a Better World” Book
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