Asica's keyhole garden

[Asica]

I build this keyhole garden in August. First two months were very hot, but with a little cover the garden grew. I live in zone 9 so everything is still growing very well. The ceramic plate covers the compost.

[rainbowgardener]

Your garden is beautiful! Is that broccoli? It is HUGE! That is enough to convince me to try it, right there!

If I could make one tiny suggestion -- if you are going to cover the compost pile in the center, I think it would be better to do it with something with holes in it or breathable, for air and water circulation. You want it to get rain, so the compostables stay moistened and you want it to be as aerated as possible.

[Asica]

Yes this is broccoli. I also have beets, tomatoes, basil, chives, dill, kale, and spinach in there.
So the compost is made of chicken wire and the brown that you see it is a paper, I had animals coming and trying to get things from it. I did not cover the compost on the beginning but then rats started to crow into it so I grab what I had on hand. We have rain so rare that I even do not count on it. Although, you are right I should have something that can get the water easily in.
This is my temporary keyhole, I will be building more in Spring.

[rainbowgardener]

I understand. Where I recently moved from there were lots of critters and my compost pile always had to be tightly covered. Nonetheless a cover that you could drill some small airholes into would be helpful.

But your garden is looking terrific!

[applestar]

I agree -- it looks great! I really like the look of the loosely stacked bricks -- they work well with your brick edgings.

Make sure to put up secure stakes for the tomato and keep up with tying them up. Once the stems toughen, you will end up breaking them if you try to straighten, and if you have critters like rats, they will go after the fruits so you don't want them hanging down. You'll have better options for protective measures if the tomatoes are neatly staked.

Good luck and enjoy your garden! It's so nice to see that elsewhere in the world, people are still outside playing in the dirt. (last of the tree leaves are falling to frost-browned and mostly stark garden here....)

[imafan26]

Very nice indeed.

[Mr green]

A beautiful bed indeed! I like the design of these keyhole beds with a compost in the middle, must be perfect for growing zucchini and ofc many other things but specially heavy feeders. And maybe even extend the season a bit if you make it go hot at the right time.

[HoneyBerry]

Very nice looking keyhole garden! I'm inspired. :-)