Hardiness zone
The plant hardiness zone refers to the range of climate conditions in which a plant can thrive. You can calculate it from the average annual minimum temperature of your area. But even these are projected to be changing as a result of the climate crisis. With warmer temperatures moving northward, that means that by 2050, your home could be in a slightly more temperate climate. And while you may not see drastic temperature shifts over the next 20 years, it could affect what varieties of plants you will be able to grow.
Your permaculture designer will have a plan for that and will select plants that can survive the long-term transition. They can guide you through the locations for different varieties of fruit, nut, and supporting tree species that meet your unique region. They can also recommend different vegetable plant varieties, both annual and perennial, making the most of every space.
With each hardiness zone also comes unique seasonal risks. Is your zone prone to blizzards? The permaculture designer can look at your property and give ways to mitigate the harsh, chilling winds. Maybe you’re in a zone 9 where wildfires are becoming more prominent. Depending on the site, the designer can recommend ponds, fire-resistant plants, and some common ways to improve your property’s preparedness.
Bioregional Analysis
The bioregional analysis is an investigation into factors that affect your site. They can range from socioeconomic to environmental. The permaculture designer you select will likely be living within your bioregion and have plenty of experience dealing with the factors affecting your site.
What’s your native forest? Today, we have lawns around our houses and fields between our towns for food, but 300 hundred years ago, North America looked very different. Perhaps your region is meant to be a grassland instead of a forest. These differences could ultimately change what you grow and how you grow it.
With a knowledge of the local food chain, the designer can help plant various beneficial species around your property, which helps increase the natural habitat for native wildlife. Increasing habitat for insects and animals is important for a site, as it creates diversity, and diversity creates stability.
One thing many people may not think about is their watershed and what is happening in it. A well-known trait about water is that anything in it will flow downstream. As such, it’s essential to know about your placement in a watershed; such as, where it originates, and what will come up against it before it gets to you.
A combination of conditions upstream aided by nutrient runoff, warmth, and sunlight could produce ideal conditions for toxic blue-green algal blooms. Or maybe you live in a coastal region where saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers is a current or projected problem. Understanding your placement in the system will prepare you in the event of a local issue.
Now, every designer is going to be different, and that is what makes their work unique. One designer may focus on planting trees at a mature size, while another may place them closer together so you can thin them out as time goes on. Ultimately, the best way to guarantee you’re getting what you want is to talk with your designer about your concerns and see what they recommend.
Stay tuned for the next permaculture article, where we will take a closer look at designing the site.
