🌱 What is Permaculture?
Permaculture is the art of combining plants so that they strengthen each other — like in a natural forest. Instead of single rows of monoculture you work with small plant communities, in which each plant fulfils a function.
Inspired by Sepp Holzer (Tyrol, permaculture pioneer), Bill Mollison (Tasmania, inventor of the term "Permaculture"), and Toby Hemenway (USA, "Gaia's Garden").
The 7 Functions
Nitrogen Fixer
Legumes (bean, pea, clover) draw nitrogen from the air and fertilise the soil for free.
Pest Repellent
Aromatic plants like marigold, garlic and basil deter pest insects.
Ground Cover
Squash and nasturtium shade the soil, keep it moist and suppress weeds.
Pollinator Magnet
Borage, lavender and calendula attract bees and bumblebees for better harvests.
Dynamic Accumulator
Comfrey and nettle draw nutrients from 1.5 m depth to the surface — the best mulch fertiliser.
High Layer
Tall (maize, sunflower), mid (tomato), low (lettuce) — all use the same bed optimally.
Microclimate Creator
Stones store warmth, tall plants give wind protection — creates comfort zones for sensitive species.
3 Sepp-Holzer Principles
- 1.
Diversity over rows
Polyculture is more stable than monoculture.
- 2.
Think multifunctionally
Each plant should fulfil 2-3 functions.
- 3.
Observe before intervening
Nature usually knows what it is doing.