What is permaculture and does it help for growing CBD ?

Principle and definition of permaculture

Permaculture is being talked about more and more, but do we know what it is exactly? Is it a new ecological trend or a benefit for nature and the planet, as well as for the CBD culture? In this article, we'll explain it all to you!

So what is permaculture, where does it come from? The concept was 'created' by Australians Bill Molison and David Holgrem in the 1970s, based on Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka's model of natural agriculture. The word comes from "permanent culture", a cultivation of soils and plants that seeks to use the "tools" that nature provides rather than polluting and expensive chemicals and machinery. Over time, the term permaculture has evolved to mean a more sustainable and viable culture, also in a social sense.  It is a philosophy that aims to take care of nature and people and to share equally between these different actors. There are other types of permaculture outside of agriculture, such as recycling, local currencies and education. Permaculture is a philosophy of life to be put into practice in everyday life by insisting on mutual aid, sharing and exchange between all.
 

This type of agriculture seeks to copy the natural ecosystems found all around us. The forest is an excellent example. There are no pesticides or mechanical movements by humans and yet plants have no trouble growing there. Why do they do this? Simply because they live in harmony with their surroundings. Different types of plants grow in the same places, not consuming the same nutrients, and not attracting the same insects. Therefore, a plant that tends to attract pests will be better protected if there is another plant nearby that attracts natural predators of those pests. Trees, by their density, limit the effects of the sun on the soil and allow it to retain more moisture. Cannabis plants can be naturally found in the wild, thriving without the need for human intervention, which highlights their self-sufficiency in growth.

Animals also have their role to play, for example by eating some of these plants, they will indirectly plant seeds of these plants when they defecate, which can then continue to proliferate. In short, this system means that everything that comes from the earth must at some point return to the earth. It is an infinite loop, the cycle of life. It is therefore very important to observe your environment and the characteristics of the place before starting permaculture, including when you want to grow CBD.

Permaculture in CBD / Cannabidiol fields

We've talked about permaculture as a whole, but what about growing CBD in permaculture, as we do at B-Chill? The principle is as follows: first you have to prepare the soil, preferably 1 year before starting your crop. To do this, you have to spread dead leaves, weeds or straw on the soil for example. The aim is not to leave the soil bare and to encourage the development of good bacteria and fungi. This will also attract many insects and earthworms, which will allow the soil to become full of nutrients. It is also possible to use compost and food waste, although it is best to avoid industrial food waste as much as possible, which will most likely have many chemical additives. This will prevent the cannabis plant from absorbing them, which will allow it to maintain a better quality and efficiency of the cannabidiol.
 

Once the soils are full of nutrients, it's time to plant your CBD cuttings, leaving enough space between them so they don't steal their nutrients. This is also where another permaculture principle comes in: companionship. Not only should you plant cannabis plants in your field, but also several other compatible plants that will give a kind of entourage effect similar to that found in CBD oils. The plants will interact with each other and attract different kinds of insects that will either be pests or predators. So you have to improvise yourself as a designer to choose where to place which plant or flower to allow this little world to protect itself and to give a good harmony to your hemp plantation. For example, for cannabis, it is important to attract wasps that will chase away the plant's predators, as well as ladybirds that will eat the aphids, and earthworms that will bring nutrients to the soil and aerate it. As for the fertilizer to bring more nutrients to the plants and allow them to develop well, we use 100% natural nettle manure. So no chemical fertilizers or pesticides!

With all this, you should have a better understanding of what permaculture is all about. The cannabis plant absorbs everything around it in order to grow, so it is very important to give it as healthy and pure an environment as possible in order to have the best quality plant possible, like our CBD strains, which come from permaculture plantations in the Valaisan Alps in southern Switzerland. So don't hesitate to visit our website or our Chill Shop to test our different CBD flowers and Full Spectrum CBD oils!

Do you like our blog posts? So don't hesitate to show them to your friends and if you want to read more, just click on the links below:

- The entourage effect of cannabis: myth or scientific fact?

- Some interesting questions about CBD / Cannabidiol