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Permaculture Design

Design with the zone system, create plant guilds (predefined and custom), plan food forest layers, track water harvesting, and apply the 12 permaculture principles.

🎯Zone System Design

  1. In the Library tab, tap "Permaculture" and then "Zone Map."
  2. Overlay permaculture zones onto your property map.
    Zone 0: Home. Zone 1: Intensive garden (herbs, salad, frequently visited). Zone 2: Orchard, main garden, composting. Zone 3: Farm crops, large animals. Zone 4: Semi-wild, timber, foraging. Zone 5: Wilderness, observation, no intervention.
  3. Assign existing plants and features to their zones.
  4. Use the zone planner to suggest what to plant where based on your visit frequency and the plant's care needs.
    High-maintenance plants (herbs, lettuce) go in Zone 1 near the kitchen. Low-maintenance trees go in Zone 2-3.
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The most common permaculture mistake is planting Zone 2 plants in Zone 1 (or vice versa). Match plant maintenance needs to how often you visit that area of your property.
Permaculture - zone diagram with concentric circles
Permaculture - zone diagram with concentric circles
Permaculture - zone details (zones 0-5)
Permaculture - zone details (zones 0-5)

🌿Plant Guilds

  1. In the Permaculture section, tap "Plant Guilds."
  2. Browse predefined guilds.
    Verdix includes classic guilds: Apple Tree Guild (apple + comfrey + nasturtium + clover + daffodil), Three Sisters (corn + beans + squash), Berry Guild (blueberry + clover + thyme), and more.
  3. Tap a predefined guild to see the plant roles: canopy, understory, ground cover, nitrogen fixer, accumulator, pest deterrent, pollinator attractor.
  4. Create custom guilds by selecting your own plant combinations.
    Verdix checks your custom guild for companion planting compatibility and warns about antagonistic pairings.
  5. Add guilds to your garden planner to see them integrated with your garden layout.
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Start with one guild and observe it for a full season before expanding. The Apple Tree Guild is an excellent first guild — it's well-documented and works in a wide range of climates.
Permaculture - Apple Guild detail with companions
Permaculture - Apple Guild detail with companions
Permaculture - Guilds list, My Guilds, and Water Harvesting
Permaculture - Guilds list, My Guilds, and Water Harvesting

🌳Food Forest Layers

  1. In the Permaculture section, tap "Food Forest."
  2. Design your food forest using the 7 layers.
    Layer 1: Canopy (fruit/nut trees). Layer 2: Understory (dwarf trees). Layer 3: Shrub (berries). Layer 4: Herbaceous (herbs, perennials). Layer 5: Ground cover (strawberries, clover). Layer 6: Root (potatoes, carrots). Layer 7: Vine (grapes, kiwi, hops).
  3. Select plants for each layer from the Verdix encyclopedia, filtered by your zone.
  4. View the cross-section diagram showing how your layers stack vertically.
  5. Plan establishment phases — food forests are typically planted over 2-5 years, starting with canopy and understory.
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Food forests take 3-7 years to reach full production but require almost no maintenance once established. Start with fast-producing understory plants (berries, herbs) for early harvests while canopy trees mature.
Permaculture - Food Forest layers and principles
Permaculture - Food Forest layers and principles
Permaculture - 12 Principles
Permaculture - 12 Principles

💧Water Harvesting

  1. In the Permaculture section, tap "Water Harvesting."
  2. Map your property's topography and water flow patterns.
    Identify high points, low points, and natural drainage paths. Verdix helps you plan water features to capture and distribute rainwater.
  3. Plan water harvesting features: swales, rain gardens, rain barrels, cisterns, and hugelkultur beds.
  4. Calculate catchment potential based on your roof area and average rainfall.
    A 1,000 sq ft roof in an area receiving 30 inches of rain annually captures roughly 18,700 gallons per year.
  5. Track actual water harvested over time and compare to estimates.
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Swales on contour are the most cost-effective water harvesting technique for larger properties. They slow water flow, allow infiltration, and irrigate downslope plantings passively.
Permaculture - Water Harvesting and guild management
Permaculture - Water Harvesting and guild management

📖The 12 Principles

Verdix integrates the 12 permaculture principles throughout the app. This reference section explains each principle and shows how Verdix features help you apply them in practice.
  • 1. Observe and Interact — Weather intelligence, grow journal photo timelines
  • 2. Catch and Store Energy — Water harvesting calculator, solar exposure mapping
  • 3. Obtain a Yield — Harvest tracking, self-sufficiency dashboard
  • 4. Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback — Health scores, yield analytics, soil test trends
  • 5. Use and Value Renewable Resources — Composting tracker, cover crop planner
  • 6. Produce No Waste — Food preservation tools, compost tracking, seed saving
  • 7. Design from Patterns to Details — Zone system, food forest layers, guild templates
  • 8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate — Companion planting, guild builder, polyculture design
  • 9. Use Small and Slow Solutions — Succession planting, phased food forest establishment
  • 10. Use and Value Diversity — Plant encyclopedia with diversity scoring per garden
  • 11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal — Microclimate mapping, edge zone planting
  • 12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change — Season extension tools, climate adaptation planning
Permaculture - 12 Principles reference
Permaculture - 12 Principles reference
Permaculture - Food Forest layers and principles application
Permaculture - Food Forest layers and principles application
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