Permaculture Gardening

Bill Morrison, an Australian ecologist invented the term "permaculture" in 1978 to refer to "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture". Permaculture encompasses ecological human design and plant production systems. Assimilation of every aspect of the human and the natural environment together as a whole rather than on each individual aspect is important. The goal is to mimic nature. Permaculture encompasses more than food production.

Permaculture focuses on small scale labour efficient intensive systems. The system relies on biological resources and not fossil fuels. A central theme is that each component relates to another component in all things. Principles incorporate sustainable, environmentally sound land use planning.

Apply permaculture anywhere from the city to the wilds. Produce highly productive systems from a small area. Observe natural cycles and specifics of your area. Gradually, optimum methods for edible landscapes along with human and animal develop. Permaculture believes nature can supply our every need sustainably.

Permaculture complements organic gardening by avoiding synthetic pesticides. Permaculture is a land use rather than a production system so techniques will vary from region to region. Techniques from traditional native people complement modern food production methods.

Emphasis is places on perennial crops such as trees. Permaculture retains biological diversity, but monoculture does not. Basic organic gardening techniques of cover crops, green manures, compost and crop rotation apply to permaculture.

Common methods include edible landscaping, companion planting, trellising, chicken tractors, solar greenhouses, spiral herb gardens, mulching and vermicomposting.

Factors for permaculture design include:

One element's location in relationship to another element.

Each element forefills multiple tasks.

Each task is aided by many elements.

Energy savings.

Using natural resources.

Recycling.

Small intensive utilisation.

Natural plant progression.

Many cultural techniques combine with species diversity.

Grow an edible forest with animal paths. Have fun experimenting. Avoid mostly ground hugging crops as they may be weaker and more prone to pest damage.

Retain seed from non-hybridised fruit and vegetables. Utilise spaces between your trees by planting pumpkins, vegetables, tomatoes and strawberries to name a few. Green beans, soy beans and peas can all be supported by allowing them to grow up fruit trees. Consider growing tiny bush tomatoes. They are mostly pest and disease free and do not need staking. Collect seed from many varieties of wild berries, fruits and herbs from surrounding woodland. Plant sunflowers. Many countries have denuded much land of its natural endemic vegetation. Encourage people to replant. Set an example by planting a green oasis of your own. Often endemic vegetation is more drought tolerant than exotic species and so are easier to maintain.

The copyright of the article Permaculture Gardening in Organic Gardens is owned by Geoffrey Ian Miller. Permission to republish Permaculture Gardening in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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