Small Permaculture Gardens - Short Course

Sneak Peek

Online Course

INTRODUCTORY PERMACULTURE - FOR SMALL GARDENS

• Flexible and self paced - study as fast or slow as suits you. No set finish date, access to course for as long as you need it.
• Course created by an international team of experts bringing together many decades of experience designing and building permaculture gardens across Australia, the UK and elsewhere.
• Principal, John Mason first worked on a permaculture landscape project with Bill Mollison. In 1993 he again worked with Bill to develop and accredit the first permaculture modules with Australian education authorities, as study options in advanced certificates. Over the years since, along with others who worked on this course, John has written many published articles and developed many other courses around the permaculture concept

This short course is designed to empower you and your community! It is practical and an excellent foundation for building your skills in permaculture.

Learn to transform any small space into a sustainable, abundant, food forest.

CONTENTS

LESSON 1 APPLYING PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES IN SMALL SPACES 
Introduction 
Ethical underpinning 
Permaculture principles 
Zones and sectors 
Central Place Theory 
Multi owner developments and urban permaculture 
Lesson 1 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning

LESSON 2 ECOLOGY AND SYSTEMS 
Ecology in the garden 
Designing with systems 
Start with the soil microbiome 
Microclimates & Ecosystems 
Creating microclimates 
Lesson 2 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning

LESSON 3 DESIGNING THE SMALL PERMACULTURE GARDEN 
Design considerations 
Topography, structures, sun and wind 
Formulating ideas 
Circular Designs 
Use of Scale 
Lesson 3 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning

LESSON 4 PLANTS FOR SMALL SPACES
Deciding what to grow 
Prioritise your criteria 
Polycultures 
Interplanting 
Guilds 
Companion Planting 
Lesson 4 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning

LESSON 5 SUSTAINABILITY 
What is meant by sustainability? 
Minimising or eliminating inputs 
Composting 
Worm Farming 
Sheet mulching 
Mulching 
Repurposing 
Water recycling 
Lesson 5 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning 

LESSON 6 OTHER WAYS TO GET MORE FROM LIMITED SPACE 
Value-adding 
Protective structures 
Windbreaks 
Container Growing 
Aquaponics 
Stacking or Layering 
Raised Beds 
Mushroom Cultivation 
Domesticated Animals
Snail Farming
Micro-greens
Lesson 6 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning

LESSON 7 NATURAL CONTROL MEASURES 
Strategies to Reduce Pest and Disease Problems 
Using Plants 
Protecting Plants 
Pruning 
Natural Weed Control 
Lesson 7 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning 

LESSON 8 THE PERMACULTURE COMMUNITY 
Introduction 
Connecting with others
Lesson 8 additional reading 
Review what you have been learning 
Final Assessment 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is this course tailored to a particular climate?

It is relevant to any climate. Of course different plants grow in different climates, and the way you manage climatic conditions and other things need to fit with the climate you are in; but learning to adjust is just as much a part of permaculture as the design of a permaculture landscape. In an age where climate volatility is increasing and adaptation skills are more important than ever; this is a particularly relevant course because of the diverse input it has had from experts across many regions and climates - all working to produce a learning experience that with broaden and strengthen permaculture skills.

How Practical is this Course?

Across every lesson we give you suggested tasks to undertake off the computer, sometimes having discussions or observing something, or getting your hands dirty. Through your observations, interactions and experienced the tasks you are instructed to do will deepen what you read in the course notes, and give context that helps you to apply what you learn in the real world. Beyond this, there are automated self assessment tests you can do across the lessons. They reinforce the key points and help the most important things stick in your long term memory.

Do you care about the environment? Do you want to eat fresh, sustainable, healthy food? Do you want to make a positive change for yourself and your community?

Start:
Growing your own food
Reducing your grocery bill
Becoming more self-reliant
Using sustainable growing methods

Learn about:
Making a difference that will last
Giving back to the environment
Improving your health
Permaculture in Small Spaces is a course for now and into the future. Don’t wait – start growing sustainably today!