28/05/2021
What is Permaculture is not
By Billi Thomason
I spent a year planting at least 1000 seeds a day.
I got to know a lot about plants in that year. I learn’t that the way humans have been coaxed into doing things for many years is wrong. I learnt that the world isn’t coming to a dismal end and that there is hope for those who want it. That hope is called permaculture.
In a nutshell permaculture is a cost-effective, natural microcosm that thrives on symbiosis between humans, plants and insects.
Unlike mainstream farming, Permaculture revolves around natural soil nourishment and pest control via companion plants, chop and drop mulching and rainwater retention. This prevents nutrient depletion in the soil and the constant need for chemical soil amendments.
I hear the term permaculture being thrown around as if it is a trend. I visit gardens of people who claim they practice permaculture, and then see that the principles of permaculture are not being followed bar a few steps. Sometimes not at all. I see people buying plants and planting them in sterile, lifeless soil, wondering why their crops, bare measure yields if the plants even make it to harvest. And then let’s not talk about the taste.
I am not a “know it all”. I merely want to share what I have learnt over years of forming a close relationship with the microcosm that is the garden. I have taken a love for nurturing and nature with me on my journeys and have been privileged enough to see first hand what many people call permaculture in many shapes and forms.
For me, Permaculture is all about learning how to look after your home, so your home can look after you. It involves making the absolute most of what you have and nurturing the life that is around you. It is about understanding natural systems so that you can instill and support them