Techniques used in permaculture farming include guilds, rotational grazing, and Keyline design.
This technique relies on certain placement and composition of various different species, in a manner that makes it possible for them to gain benefits from each other. Species interact by providing soil nutrients and shelter for each other. Other benefits include pollination, root competition reduction, and prevention of pests.
Guild technique helps in the determination of plant layering. For instance, you could add layers of support species to an ‘anchor species’ (e.g. canopy and sub-canopy) to help with land fertilization and irrigation. There are plant species that help with extracting nitrogen from the air and changing it into a form that can be used by other species. Because lower-level plant species grow faster, they can be used as nitrogen-fixing plants. Such species could also be pruned to form compost or mulch.
Livestock grazing is of two basic types: rational and continuous grazing. Since animals are the main driver of soil rebuilding, grazing utilizes animals. In rotational grazing, pasture is divided into multiple cells known as “paddocks.” As the name suggests, rotational grazing involves rotating livestock in the paddocks – the animals are allowed to graze in one paddock at a time before they are moved to another. This allows time for the livestock manure to trample the soil. Manure is rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, which boost soil fertility and productivity.
This technique is meant to maximize the use of water resources. One of Keyline design’s primary goals is to control water run-off and facilitate fast flood irrigation. It is possible to utilize ditches or swales to fill up ponds or contours with rainwater, which can be used for other purposes.