The ABC of Semi-permaculture

By Julie Boudreau

Permaculture is a concept that continually comes up in discussions. Whether we talk about mini-forests, food forests, market gardening and even design concepts for urban public spaces, we invariably mention the principles of permaculture.

However, permaculture in itself is a whole and complex concept. Even though I apply many principles from permaculture, it would never occur to me to pretend that my large suburban plot of land is a place entirely dedicated to this practice. It’s because I’m missing a few hectares!

In its most complete embodiment, permaculture invites you to produce your own cereals (wheat, rye, oats) in order to produce your own flour and… make your own bread! You must raise your own livestock, which provides manure to fertilize the production fields. You need forests to collect your own timber… Permaculture therefore aims for food autonomy, which we also call self-sufficiency.

This is why I prefer to approach it from a different angle which I call semi-permaculture. I often describe my yard as a “semi-permacultural” garden!

In the world of permaculture, there are several very interesting concepts that are easy to implement in any garden. Here are some main principles that can be fairly easily applied in a smaller scale garden.  

The Three Pillars of Permaculture

The angles and ways of analyzing the principles of permaculture are numerous, but essentially, we always come back to three essential notions. Respect for the Earth , concern for people and equitable sharing.

Out of respect for the Planet, we of course think about what we will leave to future generations. But it’s also a question of respect for all living beings, from the tiniest microbe living in the soil to the most giant cetacean.

Caring for people is practiced at various scales. There are of course all the local links. It is an invitation to have empathy, to always be kind to the people around us. But it is also to realize that sometimes our quest for the greatest comfort comes at the expense of others.

Finally, permaculture calls for equitable sharing of resources and wealth. For a gardener, this is the most enjoyable and easiest part to apply. It’s simple, instead of watching the thousands of tomatoes rotting in the vegetable garden, we share them! A “To donate” basket at the side of the road or a “Help yourself” poster in front of a packed apple tree and presto! Mission accomplished.

In short, it’s an invitation to realize that all our actions, however banal they may be, can have repercussions outside the limits of our property, outside our city and sometimes outside of our country. Simply with these three notions, we can already make changes and take new actions that will be more in harmony with the principles of permaculture.

Working With Cycles

Permaculture is not limited to these three main principles. It has multiple facets. One of the areas of reflection is the notion of the cycle or loop. In a perfect cycle, there are no inputs or outputs.

Here’s an example: In the forest, leaves fall to the ground in the fall. With the help of earthworms and microscopic soil organisms, these leaves decompose and become compost. This compost feeds the trees which produce leaves. And the cycle begins again!

No one went into the forest to add 20-20-20 fertilizer. No one collected the dead leaves to clean the forest. And yet, everything works! Thinking about cycles also brings us back to our consumption habits. Everything we buy becomes an input. Everything we throw away becomes an output.

In my garden I have many tall trees. The first year I lived there, I put out 60 bags of leaves and thought it was insane. So, gradually, I developed ways to keep these leaves on my property. They have become the mulch for my large flower beds. In the fall I simply push the leaves under the bushes. I store some to line the paths in my vegetable garden. In short, the leaves no longer leave my land and I no longer buy bagged mulch.

And here, we are only talking about one cycle, that of the life of a leaf! But we can also study the cycle of water, mobility, that of plants or animals… The goal is to find ways to reduce what goes in and what goes out.  

Develop Your Garden Into Zones

What we often forget to mention about permaculture is that it is first and foremost a method of planning and development. So, necessarily, you need a plan! From the start, the initiators of this practice proposed planning divided into zones, from zero to five. The further you go from home, the higher the figure. Zone zero (0) is home. And even at home, we can challenge our practices and apply permaculture concepts!

Zone one (1) is the zone for herbs, frequently harvested vegetables (zucchini, peas, beans). It’s located very close to the house and more specifically to the kitchen. Logic! When you cook, you should be able to harvest some fresh basil leaves in no time. If you set up your herb garden at the back of the yard, you will be less inclined to go there. Out of sight out of mind. Pots, on a balcony or patio, will also be part of zone 1. If we have to install a greenhouse, it will be in zone one (1), because production requires constant monitoring.

Zone two (2) is that of small animals (chickens, rabbits, etc.), fruit bushes and extensive vegetable garden. In my case, this area is limited to a few plants of blueberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and my garlic bed! I also include the grape vines that surround my patio!

Zone three (3) will be cereals (wheat, rye, oats, etc.), potatoes, corn, large animals (beef, pork, sheep, etc.) and the pond! We understand that most of us will not have a zone 3 in our garden!

A little further, we will have zone four (4), which will be that of pastures and food forest. At home, my food forest is limited to a walnut tree and an apple tree under which a little wintergreen grows!

Then, if we are so lucky, zone five (5) is the wild zone! “Natural nature”, as they say! Meadows, forests, streams. Sigh of reverie.

As you might guess, it is practically impossible in a small yard to have surfaces large enough for each zone, but there is a notion of common sense in this approach that can be transposed to a residential garden. What requires more attention is grown closer to home. Things that grow quite a bit on their own or vegetables that we only harvest once are placed further away.

Already, with these few main principles, there is plenty of fun to be had. My personal experience with permaculture is one of perpetual questioning. Well fueled by my eco-friendly fiber, I analyze each of my purchases, I look for ways to reuse, reduce my consumption, fertilize better, save water…

Simply by moving all my herbs a few steps from the kitchen, I have gotten into the habit of drying those that I can keep for the winter. I am self-sufficient in thyme, oregano, sage, tarragon and savory. I have my basil pesto for the year, stored away in the freezer (I’m due for a second production, by the way). And every two years, I organize my famous “Apple Party”, where I invite family, neighbors and friends to come and empty my apple tree by cooking pies, compotes, gargantuan strudels (a little thought for Flore) and what not made of apples! One of my favorite moments where I combine sharing abundance and social life with cultivating precious moments with those I love!

Yeah! Life is good when you love plants… and the Earth!