thekeyhole garden, also calledkeyhole garden, is aancestral cultivation systemdedicated to food crops, used around African huts in arid areas.

 

It allows you to cultivate aintensive vegetable garden, above ground, exposed effectively, on a reduced surface and naturally fertilized, in particular thanks to thepresence of a composterin its center.

 

The watering is also done in the center of the column so as to diffuse the water and the nutrients towards the periphery of the vegetable garden.

 

This system can be transposed to our temperate climates and provides the following advantages in specific circumstances :

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• Aesthetic,functional, it allows you to grow all kinds of edible, aromatic, condiment plants, etc. separating the growing area and the composting area ;

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• Easy to maintain,water efficientand stayconstantly fertilethanks to thedecomposition of organic matterat its center ;

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• Frees itself from the ground and recreates asubstrate rich in organic matterfrom waste on a small surface (useful in the specific context ofcrops in the city).

 

On the workshop program :

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• Explanations ofhow living soil worksand its benefits for plant production ;

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• Presentation oftraditional composting methods(cold compost, vermicompost, Berkeley compost, etc.) ;

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• Explanation ofconstruction of the keyhole gardenand circulation of organic matter ;

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• Explanation ofimportance of design(sun exposure, choice of varieties, position in the field, etc.) ;

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• Construction of the keyhole garden(installation of support materials, central composting chimney, filling of the various organic materials, etc.).