Permaculture Zone 0: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re learning about permaculture, you probably know about the permaculture zones by now. The permaculture zones are an awesome system of organization that permaculture designers use to organize the landscape. Even though all permaculture designers use the permaculture zones, almost everyone neglects one zone: permaculture zone 0.

In this article, I’m going to teach you about how bountiful permaculture zone 0 can be. I’m going to briefly outline what the permaculture zones are and why they’re important and then get into the basics of zone 0. I’m going to tell you about the required maintenance of the elements in zone 0, the plants and crops you can grow in this zone, the animals you can raise, the products you can create, the structures you can build, and the water sources you can use.

This article is one of many in a series about permaculture design. If you want to learn more about permaculture design, click the highlighted link. In this article, I give you all the info you need to understand the basics of permaculture design. I break down the design process into 5 simple steps and give you workbooks and other resources to help you on your journey of permaculture design.

The Permaculture Zones

This system exists so we don’t end up putting a high-maintenance element (like tomatoes) so far away from the house we end up neglecting them. If I want an herb spiral with some of my favorite herbs I love to harvest fresh, I don’t want to have to walk to the other side of my property to get to it. Instead, I want that herb spiral right outside my door so I don’t even have to change out of my slippers to harvest fresh herbs for my tea in the morning. The permaculture zone system creates efficiency, order, and ease.

Permaculture Zone 0

Permaculture zone 0 is within the home. In this zone, we don’t have to put on shoes or go outside whatsoever to access the elements within it. Here, we place elements that may require extreme protection from weather and temperature, we need or want immediate access to without stepping outside, may only thrive indoors, need to be indoors for our own health or safety, or that we just want to have in the house.

Remember, elements aren’t just crops, barns, and compost bins. Elements are whatever requires our attention and that provides a yield or a service to us. Some elements that may live in zone 0 include indoor herb gardens and house plants, but also include wood stoves, root cellars, and solar systems. Let’s get into more detail about what this zone looks like and the kinds of elements we place in this zone.

Zone 0 Needed Care

In permaculture zone 0, we place all of the elements that need extreme attention, protection, and maintenance. We also place the elements we want to have around so that we interact with them daily. Here’s a list of the kinds of care you may need to provide to the elements in zone 0:

• Turning on and off grow lights
• Daily watering, possibly with filtered water
• Maintaining a particular moisture or humidity level
• Providing shade and darkness
• Daily harvesting
• Daily check-ins and maintenance like pruning brown leaves
• Frequent feeding
• Shaking, stirring, or feeding things like kombucha mothers, infused vinegars, etc.
• Frequent cleaning

Zone 0 Crops & Plants

There are lots of crops and plants who love growing inside the home. You may be surprised by how abundant your home can be. Here’s a list of some pants and crop elements you may consider experimenting with in permaculture zone 0:

• Indoor/window salad or herb garden
• Microgreens and sprouts
• Edible, medicinal, or functional houseplants like aloe vera and shampoo ginger
• Decorative or exotic houseplants
• Storage crops from a root cellar or pantry
• Plants that need an indoor grow room and grow lights
• Countertop mushrooms
• Moss bath mat

Zone 0 Animals

Just like there are crops you can grow indoors, there are also some animals you can raise indoors, too. I don’t recommend bringing your dairy cows inside (although the kids may think it’s a fun idea) but here are some examples of animals who can thrive in zone 0:

• All pets who live indoors
• Some farmed animals like rabbits and crickets
• Window bird and wildlife feeders
• Vermiculture bins
• The indoor microbiome

I want to talk about the indoor microbiome for a moment. Yes, I understand there are no actual animals in the microbiome. But they are little critters that live in your home whether you want them to or not. A part of maintaining a healthy and thriving zone 0 is managing its microbiome. From making sure there’s good airflow to prevent mold to disinfecting surfaces. Even if you have no actual animals living in your home but people, you will always be managing this zone’s microbiome.

Zone 0 Products

In permaculture zone 0, there are many products we can work to create. Here’s a short list of some examples:

• Fermented foods and beverages like homemade vinegar, sauerkraut, and wine
• Herbal preparations like tinctures and infusions
• Canned and preserved goods
• Frozen foods
• Dry storage goods like rice, beans, and honey

Zone 0 Structures

There are a variety of structural elements that belong in the home. Some of these elements may or may not be intuitive. Here’s a list of some examples of the structures that can reside in zone 0:

• Typical indoor structures like a kitchen and a bathroom
• Fireplace, woodstove, masonry heater, or rocket mass stove
• Indoor solar system, thermoelectrical system, and/or other electrical structures
• Composting toilets or a black water system
• Greywater systems
• Root cellar, pantry, or other cool, dry storage rooms
• Drying racks for herbs
• Grow room

Zone 0 Water Sources

The water sources in permaculture zone 0 are all of the water sources found within the home. These include:

• Tap water
• Bathtub and showers
• Watering cans
• Water bowls

You can get really creative with the water sources in your home. For example, if you have houseplants, you could use your shower to water them. That way you clean their leaves and strengthen their stems by mimicking rainfall while watering them in a way they expect to be watered.

More About Permaculture and Permaculture Zones

There are five more permaculture zones to explore, each one with an exciting variety of options. If you are interested in learning about these other zones, read this article on the permaculture zones. In this article, I go over the rest of the zones and which elements to place where.

If you are interested in learning more about the permaculture design process, you can click the highlighted link. In this article, I break down permaculture design into 5 simple steps. Plus, I give you some workbooks and resources to help you on your journey of permaculture design.

There are also an abundance of permaculture books and resources available. If you are looking for more of these resources, check out my Bookshop. On my Bookshop. you’ll find all of my favorite books available to you at a discount. This includes a list of permaculture and regenerative farming books.

Summary

It’s so important not to neglect permaculture zone 0. This zone can be full of life and abundance and can provide more meaning and depth to your overall permaculture design.

In this article, we went over what the permaculture zones are and why they’re important. Then, we discussed all of the elements and maintenance you can experiment with in your own home. And finally, we went over more permaculture resources you can look into and explore.

What do you include in your zone 0? What do you wish or plan to include? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading and happy designing!

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