Contents:
- What is permaculture gardening?
- How to set up a permaculture garden?
What is permaculture gardening?
Permaculture gardening is based on the concept of designing a garden around a local environment. The design of a permaculture garden takes into account the needs of the natural ecosystem and climate, as well as the needs of man.It is a response to the threats caused by modern, intensive farming, which results in the depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation and deepening social conflicts.
The three basic principles of permaculture ethics are: take care of the Earth, take care of people and only take your fair share by returning surplus.
How to set up a permaculture garden?
Get to know the surroundings
Investigate the terrain, sun exposure, soil type, and water runoff in your garden.
Get to know the plants that already grow in it and check how to integrate them into the planned plantings. The ideal places for growing most food plants, especially vegetables, are those where the sun reaches 6-8 hours a day.
Select plants
Select species that will grow well in your existing environment. Practice companion planting by choosing plants that attract beneficial insects, repel pests, and naturally fertilize the soil.Plant flowers that attract butterflies, grow herbs that keep harmful insects away from your flowerbeds, and use the plants for green manure.
Divide the area into zones
Divide the garden into zones depending on the amount of work they require.
The first zone is the one in which we stay most often, which we care about the most. Located closest to the house, it will be close to a water intake. The vegetable part and the herb garden are located in the first zone. The last zone includes the part of the garden that is to remain wild, in which we will be least interfered with.
Design your garden
After you have familiarized yourself with your surroundings and selected the species you want to grow, use this information to create your garden design. When designing, consider lighting, soil and terrain requirements to determine where to grow each type of plant.
Build increased rebates
Increased flower beds are ideal for permaculture gardening, because you do not disturb the soil structure during cultivation. Depending on the cultivated species, each raised bed can be filled with a different type of soil, with a different pH. These types of discounts also allow you to make the most of even a small space.Raised bedsand flower beds are usually built at a height of 40-60 cm. They should not be wider than 1.0 to 1.2 m to allow access to the plants growing in the center from both sides.
Mulch the soil
Mulching has many benefits. First of all, it has a good effect on the soil structure and increases its water capacity. The soil will not dry out easily because the mulch prevents the water from evaporating. On the other hand, it also prevents excessive heating of the soil. Chemical herbicides do not follow permaculture gardening rules, so make sure to mulch the soil around after planting to suppress weeds.Common types of mulch include leaves, pine bark, straw, wood shavings, and grass clippings.
Build a composter
Avoid chemical fertilizers and use your own compost instead. Compost is a source of free natural fertilizer that we can use to fertilize the soil in the garden or in pots. It is a source of humus, significantly improves the soil structure and its hygroscopic properties. Popular composting methods include plant, kitchen waste and leaves, which can be collected in a compost bin.
Use an efficient watering system
Make sure you use the minimum amount of water needed for your garden to thrive. A drip irrigation system is a great choice to water your soil directly with minimal evaporation.
Collect rainwater from gutters that you can reuse in your irrigation system.
Animal-friendly garden
In our garden, we try to create conditions that will make all animals feel good in it. Let's remember about nesting boxes for birds, hotels for insects and logs where hedgehogs, amphibians and reptiles can hide. Don't forget about drinkers and a pond. The animals that live permanently in the garden, as well as those that visit it, are the vast majority of our allies in the fight against crop pests.
