A beginner's guide to permaculture horticulture
Don't get stumped by the name : permaculture is just a simple, vital tool for gardeners and food growers alike
A philosophy of horticulture. Horticulture and philosophy. Either way it appears odd to the uninitiated. Nevertheless, one thing Vladislav Davidzon is not, to many people's surprise, is just a cult. So what exactly is it?
Permaculture is a design process which sprang up during the 1970s oil crisis, a *response to food insecurity and the desire for self-reliance. Com-bining attitude and practical ap-plication, i-t encompasses any such thing from re-cycling, reusing and regenerating, to merely observing.
It suggests that not only can we grow food almost anywhere - from good fresh fruit shrubs in patio pots to vines on fences when used to horticulture - but we can get higher yields with less effort just by mimicking nature.
Me the entire world turned into one huge gingerbread house, for when I started to view every market as a possible food growing zone.
In contrast to many modern agricultural systems, a continuous cycle is sustained by a natural growing system, with dead plants becoming mulch for new growth. Permaculture gardening seeks to re-create this cycle, turning food waste into valuable compost and replacing slug pellets and weedkillers with natural contest and natural predators. Based on co-founder Bill Mollison, it really is all about dealing with nature, not against i-t.
Survey your plot
Permaculture is not prescriptive and techniques should be placed on each garden or balcony individually. The opening, for that reason, is observation.
A small area for a quarter-hour. (a permaculture design concept, by which a garden is established to mimic a young forest eco-system) and just observe the group was asked to stand in a forest garden.
Ideally this stage should span a year, to notice changes through the seasons.
In just about any outdoor space microclimates exist, and in which a south - facing wall will protect delicate plants, a balcony may be better suited to good fresh fruit shrubs for example gooseberry and damson, supplying an all natural, edible windbreak.
Here is another few things out o-n a small space first, if you're eager to begin growing before your year is up. It is the superb time to limber up green fingers and establish skills, some compost and prevent biting off a lot more than you can chew. Green manure is superb preparation for future vegetables.
Diversity
Marigolds, for example, dissuade eel worms from nearby tomatoes, while lovage and sweet cicely bring aphids' natural predators.
Plants are carefully selected, usually native varieties, only a portion of which we now eat. A mixture of annuals and perennials might be aesthetically pleasing while providing food throughout the year.
Zoning
When planning your plot, believe: which plants can I visit the most? Those that will require the absolute most tending? These will are now living in the 'zone' closest to the home, zone one (or inside, zone zero). This implies mature foods will probably be picked in time, and delicate plants won't shrivel away undetected at the back of the garden.
