Sustainable, Low Maintenance Keyhole Gardening

Increase garden productivity while decreasing water and fertilizer needs with keyhole gardening.

This intensive technique allows you to grow produce and compost plant-based kitchen scraps in one circular garden plot. Keyhole gardening is a sustainable technique that allows people to raise food in hot, dry locations with poor soil. Started in Africa, the idea has spread around the world.

Plants are grown in the outer ring of the circular raised bed. The smaller inner circle is used for composting kitchen scraps and watering the garden. A small pie shape notch is made in the circular bed to allow easy access to the inner composting circle.

The sides of the raised bed garden can be made from stones, cement blocks, bamboo or any available materials. The height varies depending on the gardener, but should make planting, tending and harvesting easy.

A bit more information: A look from above reveals the source of the name. The notch creates the keyhole shape and inspiration for the name. The notch cut into the circular garden creates the keyhole shape. Prefabbed keyhole gardening kits are available from Gardener's Supply.