In the context of permaculture, mulching/composting ends up being a natural result to an assembled systemic environment. Mulching and composting is less of a forced procedure, which it tends to be in "traditional" gardening, and more of a result of the whole ecosystem within permaculture.
I, myself, am having to completely rearrange my thought process of gardening for food production. I want to get away from thinking of just gardening, into something more complete, which permaculture is.
I'd like to write an article on what permaculture is, and what it isn't. Bill Mollison, who is widely know as the father of modern permaculture, has some very specific elements that permaculture must contain in order for it to be called permaculture.
Exciting stuff to come!
C
