Permaculture, Homesteading, and Community Building // How to Make a Keyhole Garden
Hi everyone! Today I want to share the magic of a keyhole garden. I first learned about keyhole gardens through my permaculture design certification course with Geoff Lawton. In this course we learned that:
Keyhole beds have a one-meter wide circle footpath with a half-meter wide entry path, and the planting beds are one to two meters across with a windbreak around the outside. A tomato polyculture keyhole can be inter-planted with marigolds and dwarf nasturtiums, with chives at the entrance and basil surrounding the inner circle. Fava beans can be planted as a winter harvest or green manure between the tomatoes. The area should be wind-sheltered and covered in thick mulch.
First, we began by selecting and measuring our space. I spent some time observing and selected a space that I would often see for visual appeal. I also observed the four directions and planned the keyhole garden so that the opening faced south in order to maximize sunlight on the plants.
We then prepared the area by pulling any weeds with a hoe and raking up the residues.
We found our center point and drove a stake into the ground. From that stake we used a string to measure a one-meter wide circle footpath and a one-meter wide planting bed.
We used that pre-measured string to lay out the bricks for the outline of the keyhole garden. Once the bricks were placed, we filled the outline in with delicious compost and worked that compost into the soil.
I decided to plant a traditional Native American Three Sisters Garden - which is companion planting corn, beans, and squash together. The beans are able to climb up the corn stalks and the squash fills in the empty spaces on the ground.
I first planted the corn, because beans are fast growers and I didn't want the beans to outgrow the corn and have nowhere to run up.
I like to take a portable chair out to my keyhole garden and read or write while emcompassed by the corn.
I also built a bamboo arbor with bamboo from the land. The photo below is of me training some beans up the bamboo arbor.
Such a cool and beautiful idea. I'll be trying this when we move house in 2 months.
wow! You did an awesome job with your garden! I never thought about placement of plants, but that totally makes sense. Gotta protect the little guys on the inside. I'm still trying to learn how to not kill my succulents. Baby steps :)
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STOPDo you become the key when you enter the keyhole? I vote yes.
Great work! Keep spreadin' that gospel of permaculture...
i think i wanna do that too
I am truly speechless with this! It is a great keyhole garden. I have never heard of it before but am intrigued with the design. The bamboo arbor is a perfect final touch to the garden. Great for growing vines and pole vegetables, etc.
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You've really made that look great.
making garden is awesome. maintaining the garden is joy of life.
Wow, such a great idea! It looks wonderful and I can see you really enjoy it, and that's what matters :)
This is awesome. I like the idea of taking a chair into the center to read or write.