In Part 1 I gave a synopsis of the current backyard space. This was done to give you an understanding of what the current situation is and in order for us to effectively plan the transformation which is to occur.
Permaculture design relies on effective planning such that the actual upkeep and maintenance of the space is kept to a minimum. Because of this, much time and effort will be spent carrying out observations, planning and executing said plan so that less time will be spent with actual upkeep.
In Part 2 of this series I will go through some principles of permaculture design. Design can often be overly theoretical, I seek to address this by applying principles of permacutlure design directly to my backyard space.
What is Permaculture?
Before we get into permaculture design principles, it’ll be useful to describe what permaculture actually is. However, if you’d like, can skip this section and jump right into the meat of this blog post.
Permaculture, is a portmanteau (or combination) of the words permanent (something that lasts a very long time) and agriculture (science and art of cultivating plants and livestock). Permaculture was further expanded to mean permanent culture, where culture is defined as the set of beliefs, customs and practices of a particular nation or people. Permaculture was first developed by David Holmgren and Bill Mollison in the 1970s and was based on observations of natural systems, how they functioned and how those principles could be applied to agriculture.
“The aim is to create systems that are ecologically-sound and economically viable, which provide for their own needs, do not exploit or pollute, and are therefore sustainable in the long term.” “Permaculture uses the inherent qualities of plants and animals combined with the natural characteristics of landscapes and structures to produce a life-supporting system for city and country, using the smallest practical area.”
- Bill Mollison, Introduction to Permaculture
If you think about it, nature is able to produce all the food that all organisms in the ecosystem require and it does this without the need for man-made chemicals (pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers). Nature achieves this through the intricate links established between the organisms in an ecosystem and their physical environment over millions of years. The theory goes that if you are able to set up an agricultural system similar to that seen in nature, then nature will do the rest. There would be little to no need for added chemicals and a reduced need for active management of the system.
I could write an entire blog post (or two) discussing permaculture and only just scratch the surface. If you’re interested to learn more, please visit this link.
The Interview
In order to best utilize this space for my needs, permaculturalist, Bryan (@inphihd on IG) provided an in-depth consultation. The first part of this process involved a grueling and tiring interviewing process😰. Not really, the interview actually consisted of a few questions which established what I want out of this space taking into account personal needs and abilities, as well as site specific considerations. These questions were done in order to add constraints which aid in moving from a concept to a tangible and functional design. The interview was split into three sections:
- Client(s) Profile: Who is/are the person(s) that will be utilising the space?
- Client(s) Wants and Needs: What does the client want and need out of the permaculture space?
- Site Overview: What is the site like in terms of space available, topography and other physical features?
The results of the interview are summarised below.
Client Profile
In order to know what setup to create, we must establish who exactly will be utilising the space. Insights determined from this will dictate what will be planted, where they will be planted and what other non-living structures will be present on the property.
Two persons live on the property with two very different routines, interests and physical capabilities. I (obviously) am interested in and have some knowledge about agriculture, whereas my mum very rarely ventures into the backyard to pick a few herbs to cook with. Given this information, the best location to plant herbs would be as near to the kitchen as possible.
On average I spend about 7hrs-9hrs per week gardening, which means that a low maintenance setup would be a priority. The budget will also be kept small, so there will be an emphasis on recycling and utilising low cost or free resources; for example, utilising spare concrete block to build garden beds. I have a background in research, experimentation and development , so naturally a specific space dedicated to experimentation will be factored in.
In terms of fruit/veg. specific likes and dislikes:
| Likes | Dislikes |
|---|---|
| Pineapple | Melons |
| Guava | Cucumber |
| Spinach | |
| Mushrooms |
Both occupants have no plant allergies 🙌.
Client Wants and Needs
This section deals with specific wants and needs of the client 😲.
In this section we defined the overall vision for the site as follows:
To create a visually appealing, yet high yielding garden. This space will be comfortable enough to draw persons from inside of the house. Additionally, through De Plantuh Man site and social media, this space will aid in educating the general public about small scale agriculture. Finally this space will act as an area for agricultural experimentation whereby results obtained will guide larger projects.
That’s quite the mouthful, but a well thought vision acts as a further constraint which helps to crystalise what you actually want out of your space.
Below are the short, medium and long term priorities for the space
| Short Term | Medium Term | Long Term |
|---|---|---|
| Document process of creating the space | Conserve and collect water | Maximise land usage (whole property) |
| Obtain a yield | Increase crop diversity | Encourage going outside |
| Maximise output (50% reduced veg. food bill) |
More specific wants and needs include:
- Growing plants with medicinal uses
- A bird bath
- Roast pit
- All organically grown crops
Site Overview
The final constraints to consider are related to the actual physical properties of the itself. This briefly covered in the first post in this series.
Schematic of the Backyard
The soils on the property are generally quite rocky and calcareous (contains lots of calcium carbonate or limestone); Barbados is a coral island after all. Given this fact, beds of soil may have to created for certain crops.
The position of the sun is also an important consideration in determining what to plant where. In order to better identify the sun’s position, pictures were taken of the property at approx. one hour intervals and a GIF created:
From the GIF it can be noted that the southern end of the backyard receives the most sun, so heliophytic or sun loving plants will be best suited to this area. The rest of the garden receives ample amounts of shade throughout the day, with the most shaded areas being beneath the trees on the eastern edge and adjacent to the house on the western edge. This shade and the slope also creates an area which is prone to waterlogging (colored blue). These different microclimates are best suited to different types of plants.
Winds tend to be accelerated through this space due to a funneling effect, and thus plants that form a windbreak (e.g. pigeon peas) should be planted on the northern and southern.
Other site specific considerations include:
- Presence of a tap to the northern side of the property
- Space underneath the staircase which receives little to no sun; ideal for seedlings or plants that enjoy the shade.
- Presence of a wall with fence on the eastern side of the property which can be used as a trellis for vines.
- Ample access to cut grass from adjacent properties which can be used as mulch.
- “Free range chickens” aka yard fowls who frequently forage on the property
Next Steps
Part 3 of this series will use the information in this post along with permaculture design principles, to draw up a plan, such that the overall vision outlined in the Client Needs and Section can be achieved.