What Ethical Guidelines Does Permaculture Follow?

“I’m starting a small-scale garden on my property here in southern Ontario and want to follow permaculture principles as closely as possible. However, I’m having a hard time understanding what kind of ethical guidelines I should be following. I know permaculture is about being eco-friendly, but beyond that, I’m a bit lost. I’ve already planted a vegetable garden, but it feels like I’m missing a key piece of the puzzle in doing this right. Can you explain what these ethical guidelines involve and how they fit into the bigger picture of what I’m trying to do?” Thanks, Jason, London, Canada.

Understanding the Core Ethical Guidelines of Permaculture

Permaculture isn’t just another gardening trend; it’s more of a lifestyle that’s closely tied to ethics. When you’re setting up your small-scale garden in London, Ontario, thinking with these ethical guidelines in mind can really shift the way you approach the entire gardening process. Let’s break them down and see how they can guide you.

1. Earth Care: Love Your Earth, and It Will Love You Back

Earth care is exactly what it sounds like—caring for the planet. The principle stems from the idea that we must nurture the land, water, and all its creatures so that we can create harmonious and sustainable environments. This isn’t just about avoiding pesticides or planting wildflowers for bees, although those are good practices! It’s about every decision we make in our garden being mindful of the environmental impact.

Let’s look at an example. Maybe your vegetable garden is thriving, but are you replenishing the soil with organic matter each season? How are you keeping your soil healthy and nutrient-rich? By composting kitchen scraps, using organic mulches, and practicing crop rotation, you’re caring for the Earth’s ecosystems. It’s like feeding the Earth the things it needs so it can keep feeding you. Healthy soil, happy veggies!

2. People Care: Cater to Your Needs and the Community’s

People Care is all about ensuring that your practices benefit you, your family, and your community. Permaculture encourages us not only to provide for our biological needs like food and water but also our social and emotional well-being. Your garden can be a place of solace, a point of connection with neighbors, or even an educational tool.

For instance, imagine sharing some of your homegrown veggies or herbs with friends or neighbors. Or perhaps you host a small planting day with others in your community. These activities don’t just feed the body, they nourish the spirit and build stronger bonds in your community.

Don’t forget your own well-being either! Set up areas of your garden to be calming and inviting. Creating a small sitting area with a bench and some flowers can create an oasis for you to unwind and appreciate the beauty of what you’ve grown.

3. Fair Share: There’s Enough for Everyone (Including the Bugs!)

The third principle, Fair Share, is all about finding balance. We need to share resources fairly with other organisms and people so that nobody takes more than their fair share. In your garden, this could mean simply planting enough vegetables so that there’s some leftover for the insects and animals who will inevitably help themselves to a snack.

If you’ve ever had a raccoon steal a ripe tomato or birds peck at your berries, it might be frustrating, but it’s also a reminder that we are sharing this space with other living things. Design your garden in a way that there’s abundance—enough for you, your family, and the critters who also call your garden home. You can also consider growing some plants specifically for pollinators or other local wildlife.

Why Ethical Guidelines Matter in Permaculture

So, Jason, these three core ethics—Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share—act as the backbone of any permaculture system. They aren’t just nice ideas to keep in mind; they’re absolutely central to achieving a balanced, self-sustaining environment.

Think about it this way: when you follow these guidelines, each decision you make in your garden contributes to a healthier planet, stronger community ties, and an abundant environment. You’re essentially laying a foundation that will allow your garden to thrive year after year, while also encouraging others around you to think and act sustainably. It’s like creating a ripple effect, where your small actions lead to bigger, positive changes.

Applying Earth Care in Your Garden

Prioritize Soil Health

Your soil is the heart of your garden. Without healthy soil, it doesn’t matter how much you water, plant, or weed—you won’t have a thriving garden. Earth Care begins with ensuring your soil is teeming with beneficial organisms like earthworms, fungi, and bacteria.

• Composting: Start a compost pile where you can throw your kitchen scraps, yard waste, and other organic material. Once the compost is ready, mix it into your garden beds to build up organic matter in the soil.
• Cover Crops: Plant cover crops like clover or rye during the off-season. These plants improve soil structure, add nutrients, and prevent erosion.
• No-Till Gardening: Instead of turning over the soil every season, leave it as is. This method reduces soil disruption and helps maintain its natural structure. Over time, it leads to more robust plant growth and less work for you!

Implement Water-Saving Techniques

Water is a precious resource, especially in the garden. In permaculture, efficient water management is key to reducing waste and ensuring plants get what they need without depleting local resources.

• Rainwater Harvesting: If you haven’t already, consider setting up rain barrels to catch water from your roof. This collected water can be used during times of drought.
• Mulching: A thick layer of mulch around your plants helps retain soil moisture and protects the soil from direct sunlight, reducing the need for frequent watering.
• Swales: These are shallow trenches dug along the contour of sloping land to catch, slow, and spread water. Swales help recharge groundwater, prevent erosion, and ensure that rainwater benefits the soil where it’s most needed.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—In the Garden

Like I mentioned earlier, thriving gardens are built from healthy soil, which means using natural resources mindfully is a part of Earth Care. This principle also extends to reducing waste and reusing as much as possible.

• Upcycling Materials: You can use old containers, pallets, or even broken clay pots as planters or garden decorations. Not only does this reduce waste, but it also gives your space a unique, personal touch.
• Natural Fertilizers: Instead of buying chemical-based fertilizers, use composted manure, bone meal, or fish emulsion to feed your plants naturally.
• Minimize Pesticide Use: Promote natural pest control by planting companion plants that deter bugs, or introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs that help keep pest populations in check.

Living the People Care Ethic in Everyday Gardening

Building a Social Garden Space

Your garden can be more than just a plant paradise—it can be a social hub! Invite neighbors or friends over to join in the planting, enjoy the harvest together, or simply relax among the greenery. It brings people closer, promotes shared knowledge, and turns gardening into a community affair.

Let’s think of this in a practical way, Jason. Maybe you set up a potluck after harvest season where everyone brings a dish made from the garden. Or you create a small workshop for local kids to learn about planting seeds. These kinds of activities bring people together, introduce them to sustainable practices, and make the work you do in your garden a gateway to something larger.

Health and Well-being Through Gardening

Gardening isn’t just good for the planet—it’s good for you too! Spending time outdoors, among your plants, can reduce stress, improve mood, and even give you a light workout.

• Meditative Gardening: Dedicate specific areas for relaxation or meditation. Incorporate elements like a small water feature, a bench, and aromatic herbs like lavender or chamomile, which can make your garden a peaceful retreat.
• Grow Nutritious Foods: Focus on planting fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are high in nutrients, ensuring your meals are as healthy as possible. Freshly picked produce often means more flavor, and more nutrients, and less reliance on grocery store supply chains.

Educate and Share Knowledge

Permaculture emphasizes learning—both for yourself and within your community. Share your successes, and more importantly, your failures. Let others learn from your experiences, and vice versa.

Maybe you’ve discovered a trick to keeping the rabbits out of your garden beds, or you’ve finally figured out a watering schedule that keeps your plants happy. Passing that wisdom on to others not only helps them but reinforces your role in a larger movement towards sustainability.

Balancing Fair Share with Nature in Mind

Designing Your Garden for Abundance

Fair Share is about striking a balance. You can use companion planting strategies to create more productive ecosystems that naturally support diversity and abundance. This way, everyone (including wildlife) can enjoy a portion without one group dominating the others.

Consider companion planting as a way of multiplying your efforts naturally. For instance, planting marigolds near tomatoes not only gives you beautiful flowers to enjoy but also helps repel pests that would otherwise munch on your precious tomatoes. In this way, you’re creating a space where the plants work together, leading to greater yields and healthier ecosystems.

Remember the Wildlife (Yes, Even the Pests)

No one loves having their tomatoes stolen by scavengers, but a permaculture garden is all about sharing. To find that balance, create areas where wildlife can thrive away from your primary crops.

• Wild Zones: Dedicate a section of your garden to wild, native plants. This area can serve as a habitat for local wildlife, keeping them away from your main garden beds.
• Birdhouses and Bee Hotels: Encourage beneficial species by providing them with shelter. Birds and bees are important pollinators and natural pest controllers, making them valuable allies in your garden.

Redistributing Surplus

Finally, don’t let any excess from your garden go to waste. Whether it’s sharing with neighbors, donating to a local food bank, or starting a small community share, spread the joy (and the zucchini) around.

If you’ve ever planted zucchini, you know how they can grow like nobody’s business, often leaving you with more than you could possibly eat. Instead of letting them rot on the vine, you might share your surplus with a neighbor, or better yet, leave a box by the street with a sign inviting folks to take what they need.

Applying These Ethics to Troubleshooting in Permaculture

When Things Go Wrong: Embracing the Teachable Moments

Permaculture is full of trial and error, and trust me, Jason, you’re not alone if something doesn’t go according to plan. The ethical guidelines can guide you to find solutions while keeping the broader goals of sustainability and balance in mind.

For instance, if your soil becomes compacted, and your plants start to struggle, rethink how Earth Care applies here. Perhaps switching to no-till practices or introducing new organic matter will help restore soil health. Fair Share might pop up if you notice certain pests taking more than their share—adding wildlife-friendly zones or practicing companion planting could help naturally balance things out.

People Care often means taking care of yourself too. Gardening can be physically demanding, so listen to your body and ask for help when you need it. Maybe you have a neighbor who’s willing to trade a few hours of their time for a share of the harvest.

Applying Permaculture Ethics Beyond the Garden

Extending Earth Care Around Your Home

The permaculture ethics don’t have to stop at the garden gate. You can carry these principles into other areas of your life. For example, think about water and energy conservation in your daily activities. Installing energy-efficient appliances, using sustainable packaging, and reducing waste in your household are ways you can practice Earth Care at home.

Building a Sustainable Community

Permaculture ethics encourage us to think beyond the individual, and this translates into building a sustainable community. Participating in or starting a local garden club, volunteering for environmental causes, or even supporting local businesses are ways to extend People Care and Fair Share in your life.

Think of the impact you could have if you shared your permaculture practices with others in your local area. One garden at a time, we begin to create communities that are more resilient, connected, and capable of facing the challenges that lie ahead.

Supporting Local and Ethical Businesses

Fair Share and People Care don’t just mean taking care of your microcosm; it also means supporting others who are working towards similar goals. This might mean shopping at a local farmer’s market, supporting eco-friendly businesses, or even just talking about the importance of environmental ethics with those around you.

Final Thoughts…

Jason, these guidelines—Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share—aren’t just concepts; they’re practical tools to help you on your permaculture journey. By weaving these principles into every part of your garden, you’ll not only create a thriving ecosystem but also nourish yourself, your community, and the Earth. Thanks for reaching out and asking the right questions. Keep cultivating that garden with these ethics in mind, and watch how it transforms, not just physically, but as a reflection of care, abundance, and balance.