Keyhole Gardens

Besides providing the DES community with fresh produce, the school garden's mission is also to inspire families to begin their own vegetable gardens.  As most of the families of the southwestern United States have small backyards and rocky landscaping, it is inconceivable to some parents HOW to create a large, productive vegetable garden.  Throughout the school year, there will be hands-on workshops in the garden, teaching the students with their families different techniques and methods of veggie gardening.

One fascinating kind of garden that is used in South Africa is called Keyhole Gardens.  Please view the video, "How to Make a Keyhole Garden," to see for yourself how it's done.  (It's really quite fun to watch.)

"A Keyhole Garden is a type of kitchen garden that recycles as it grows. The design - which looks like a keyhole from above - incorporates a central 'basket' where compostable waste is placed and water is poured. They are especially useful in areas where good soil is scarce, often adding nutritious vegetables to diets. Send a Cow uses them as part of our training, and they get fantastic results; families start to grow enough to eat and sell.  Keyhole Gardens are also a great way of introducing children (and adults!), to sustainable principles such as composting and using 'grey water'. They are an excellent project for schools and groups to get involved in – perhaps as part of a bigger African gardening area?"  --excerpt from http://www.sendacow.org.uk/keyhole-gardens

Although the villages in Africa differ from Arizona by their high altitudes, they do have several similarities:

• high temperatures
• low rainfall

This will be one kind of gardening technique that DES families can sign up to learn about in the fall!!  Would you use it?