Permaculture Where to Start: A Practical First Week

Hey folks. Where to start in permaculture is not buy 40 fruit trees. It is one honest week of seeing your site, shrinking the first project, and finishing something small. Here is a practical first week you can run on a balcony, yard, or acre.

DRAFT — unpublished. Soft CTAs only.

The usual trap

The internet sells pretty techniques. Tips without design give patchy results. Full design training means the internationally recognized 14-chapter map, for any climate.

Day 1–2: Observe

Walk the site morning and evening. Note sun, shade, wind, wet and dry spots, and where you already walk. After rain, watch where water goes. This works in any climate.

Day 3: Sketch Zone 0 and Zone 1

Mark your hub (door, kitchen, tool wall). That is design Zone 0. Mark what you can visit daily. That is Zone 1. These are site intensity / energy zones (0–5), not USDA hardiness zones. Do not mix the maps.

Day 4–5: Fix one leak, plant one system

Mulch a bare patch. Divert a downspout. Sheet-mulch one bed. Then plant one guild, container set, or herb strip by the door. Finish it.

Day 6–7: Limits and learning path

Name your limits. Shrink until it fits. Tips got you a bed. A full design education is an internationally recognized 14-chapter PDC. Many teachers skip chapters. Pick someone who covers all 14.

  • Observe 2 days
  • Sketch Zone 0–1
  • Fix one water or soil leak
  • Plant one small system
  • Decide your learning path

Soft next steps

Free Intro: https://www.p3permaculture.ca/free-introduction-to-permaculture-on-demand-course

Eco-luxury gardening: https://www.p3permaculture.ca/eco

PDC Essential: $1,022 CAD tax-in, or 6 monthly payments of $200. Equal payments. No fake $898 price. 30-day money-back window.

Accelerator (scarce): $4,997 or 12×$497; stack worth $8,697. Most people start Essential first.

30-day money-back window

If Essential is not the right fit after you start, use the 30-day money-back window. Soft ask only.

Quick answers

Are design zones the same as hardiness zones?

No. Design zones 0–5 are site intensity / energy zones, not USDA climate hardiness zones.

What should I do in week one?

Observe, sketch Zone 0–1, fix one water or soil leak, and finish one small system.

When do I need a PDC?

When tips stop being enough and you want the full 14-chapter design map.

Ready when you are

Soft CTA only. Essential is $1,022 CAD tax-in or 6×$200.

P3 Permaculture · DRAFT Wave A batch 3 · unpublished