keyhole garden

KEYHOLE GARDEN
yesterday a reader wanted me to tell her how to do
the keyhole garden ive written about several times before

whats a keyhole garden
its basically a circular garden thats 8-12 ft in diameter
thats about 3 ft high
with a pie wedge that allows you to step into it to work
the garden
in the center is a 12 in circular composter that goes from
the bottom of the garden to about a foot or so above the
soil level

each keyhole garden looks different
but they all  have that look
of a pie with a piece of pie cut out

the materials for the sides are different based on whats
available
the soil is commonly made by the builder
by greens and browns that are available to the builder

these keyhole gardens were designed for arid conditions
like in third world countries using whatever is available
to grow food

here at the country n i have two of these
one is a large 10 ft water trough that had rusted out the
bottom
i simply placed newspapers and cardboard in the bottom
then filled in with ladybug hill country soil from the
natural gardener
they had already done all the work on the soil

on my other keyhole garden i used a 6 ft water trough
with the bottom cut out
i made my own soil for this one
using first cardboard on the bottom and the sides
then newspapers
then sticks and logs to rot and hold moisture
then leaves those that some of you have given me
then dirt i dug out of the hole where i put the water trough
then my compost i make in my chicken run which is
made of leaves and chicken poop
then more newspapers then more leaves then more dirt
then more compost
then on top i placed my best compost

in the center i put a central composter thats 12 in in diameter
thats  made of chicken wire
i pour water and liquid compost in there
i keep it full of compost and any recycle stuff i have
this feeds the keyhole garden
and waters it

i do supplemental watering with a dripper hose if its needed

i also add a good organic fertilizer when i add the good compost
on top

i then plant it and let nature run its course

this last year i had the best crop of peppers basil and egg plant
that i planted in this keyhole garden ive ever had
the root mat of the plants were the thickest ive ever seen

the other keyhole garden the large one ive turned into my winter garden
this year was the best winter garden crop ive had

to maintain these
you just add composting materials in the composter
keep it moist
supplement water as needed
lightly fertilize it with organic fertilizer at planting
its easy to maintain

here is one a friend named jim
built after reading my blog on keyhole gardening

here is the link to an article on keyhole gardens that is a good one
to read and use as a guide

here is a link to dr deb tolmans field guide ton how to build a
keyhole garden

here is a link to hgtvs blog on the keyhole garden method
it has several pictures of different ones

dr deb tolman lives in clifton texas and actually does seminars
where the group will build one in a day and plant it that day
within a month all the stuff placed in layers has composted
heres the link to her website

go to the right upper part of my blog
use your computer as your smartphone may not show this
type in keyhole garden in the   search this blog   block
you will find multiple blogs on
keyhole gardens

build you own keyhole garden
and
you will find the key to gardening success

the organicgreen doctor