"I Decided To Persevere"
Valentin's initial experience of permaculture was not very encouraging: "I had a lot of spoilage and very little in the way of yield. It was hard to take, especially when I saw my friends harvesting so much more than I did with traditional gardening methods [editor's note: such as digging, mono-culture etc.] When they saw my allotment covered in straw with half-eaten plants everywhere, people assumed I was a misguided idealist, and were quick to say so."
It took Valentin three years of work to obtain good results. "Many friends who initially intended to practice permaculture finally gave in and bought chemical anti-slug pellets," he explains. "And they had copious harvests when I had hardly anything at all. It wasn't easy, but i decided to persevere. I achieved a balance two years ago, notably thanks to auxiliaries favored by biodiversity: ladybugs, chickadees, lizards and hedgehogs."
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"I No Longer Bother Pulling Up Weeds And My Back Feels So Much Better"
Sylvie, aged 63, took up permaculture immediately after she retired. Having grown up in the country with a father who was an expert gardener, the young pensioner already had plenty of experience. When she was planning to take up gardening herself, she discovered the world of permaculture while browsing through search results on Google and Facebook. As a staunch environmentalist, she didn't think twice about taking the plunge.
She began by preparing an area of what used to be her lawn using her own personal technique: "clay soil with ink-free cardboard, straw that was a gift from a kindly farmer, a bit of ash from a wood-burning stove, and a layer of humus on top of that." She adds: "I sewed the seeds in boxes indoors, and then replanted in the garden in mid-May. I made a few mistakes, which will amount to a useful experience when I start over next year."
What particularly attracts Sylvie is the permacultural principle of encouraging all the aspects of the natural environment to work together. "I don't see unwanted plants as an enemy, but as a natural indicator of improvements that I need to make. I no longer bother pulling up weeds and my back feels so much better."
She also feels that gardening is not only good for the body but also for the soul: "It is a new departure for me, because the garden is my therapist. I don't need to lie down on a couch in an office somewhere or to write checks, I only have to pick up a pitchfork or a pruner and everything's fine with me."
"Youtube Is A Good Source Of Information"
A 41-year-old fireman, Vincent appears to enjoy the same aspects of permaculture as Sylvie: "What I find interesting is getting the plants to work together, and to see how small creatures also contribute to the ecosystem." He is also hopeful that the technique can save both time and money, although he is not absolutely sure that is the case.
For Clément, permaculture mainly consists of allowing nature to do its work, and just giving it a little help here and there, for example by using straw and wood chips. "I didn't take a course because the internet and YouTube are good sources of information. You just have to sort through it a little," he says.
Having recently taken up the technique, Clément is determined to cultivate his garden without using chemical products. In his view, one of the main advantages of permaculture is that it saves on water. "Permacultural methods reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation, and given that I live in southern France, this is a key benefit," he explains.
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