Kakariki Sustainability Conference

2009

Permaculture principles for home gardens

Presentation: Nicole Bührs

Overview

1. Permaculture2. Home gardening - Growing food –3. Pest and disease control

1.Permaculture

What is Permaculture?The term comes from Perma(nent) (Agri)cultureIt was first used by Bill Mollison and David HolmgrenIt is based on ethics and principles

Ethics and principlesEthics – care of the earth, care of people, surplus shareSome of the principles:

Relative locationMultiple functions for each elementEnergy cyclingDiversityAnd more

Some Permaculture principles

Relative location

Principles (cont.)

Multi functions for each element

Principles (cont.)

Energy cycling

Principles (cont.)

Use of biological resources (plants and animals)

Principles (cont.)

Diversity

What permaculture amounts to is Let nature do the workMinimum work for maximum resultSaving people’s time and energyA healthier environment

Bill Mollison’s view of conventional egg production

Bill Mollison’s view of permaculture egg production

One of the best way to reduce the environmental impact of our lifestyle is to produce as much food as possible of our

own food.

2.Home gardening - Growing food –

No garden – no problemGrow sprouts in the kitchen

Growing plants in pots/containers

Use space saving techniques

More space saving techniques

Growing a vegetable garden

Being involved in a community garden/allotment

When growing food you might find that others want to share with you…

3.Pest and disease control

Crop rotationPhysical resources Companion planting

Physical resources

Plants that attract beneficial insects

Daisy familyCarrot familyMint familyBuckwheatPhacelia

Companion planting: plants that help each other

Carrots and tomatoesTomatoes and celeryBroad beans and early potatoesSweet corn and dwarf beansBeetroot and cabbage

Companion planting / Guilds

3 sisters: sweet corn, beans and pumpkinTomatoes and basil

Basil (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants)Chives (carrots, courgettes, cucumbers, gooseberries)Garlic (tomatoes, carrots)

Protection against fungal diseases

Protection against nematodes

Tagetes or French marigold

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a

lifetime.

Chinese proverb

The endSources:

Molly Chalken’s workshop notes (2000)Rodale’s Successful Organic Gardening COMPANION PLANTING

Illustrations:The Permaculture Garden – Graham BellPERMACULTURE A Designer’s Manual - Bill Mollison

Photos:Nicole Bührs