Keyhole shaped raised bed – the latest trend in gardening

Experienced hobby gardeners know: once spring has arrived and the sunny weather has started, the new gardening season begins. For everyone, this means a lot of outdoor work that is also fun. However, gardening is also associated with unpleasant back pain. But that’s the end of it now. A new keyhole-shaped raised bed conquers cottage gardens and backyards and causes a sensation. The special thing about it is not only the unique shape of these raised beds but also the numerous plus points that they bring with them for all gardening enthusiasts. Today we focus on this news in the garden and report worth knowing facts about it. Stay tuned in if we’ve piqued your interest.

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What is a keyhole raised bed?

The so-called keyhole gardening may be a new trend in Europe and USA, but this easy version of tedious gardening has actually existed since 1990. Raised beds in a non-traditional form were designed in Africa.

This offered the population in drought areas with poor soil a new opportunity to grow fresh vegetables and kitchen herbs. That was a brilliant idea! Because the African raised beds have a U-shaped basic shape, but in the middle, there is an entrance to the built-in container. This way you never step on the bed and have easy access to both the container and the cultivated vegetables or herbs. The container in the middle is used as a compost heap. It’s very simple, you throw kitchen or garden waste there and you pour water on it. The compost formation takes place in the container so that the raised bed is constantly well fertilized.

Because the compost basket resembles a hole (seen from above), that’s where the name keyhole raised bed comes from! The actual garden bed around the hole is filled with garden soil and other compostable materials. Then you can plant something immediately.

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What are the advantages of a keyhole-shaped raised bed for you?

In principle, this is a real raised bed in a special form. Like all other raised beds, no digging or plowing is required. That means you save yourself a lot of effort and work! You don’t have to constantly bend down while gardening, so you save your back and avoid back pain. These are important plus points for your health. You can read detailed information about the advantages of raised beds here. In addition, a keyhole-shaped raised bed is ecological and budget-friendly. You can create one or a few such raised beds yourself without spending a lot of money. In addition, the compost basket provides an unobtrusive way to provide plants with much-needed nutrients. In this case, you do not need a separate compost bin. Laying layers of garden soil and organic matter in the raised bed will help retain moisture. This in turn leads to less watering.

What can you grow in a keyhole-shaped raised bed?

After you have created your new raised bed, you are ready to plant it. Maybe you want some of your favorite flowers there. Leafy greens and smaller root vegetables like carrots, spring onions, turnips, and radishes also thrive in raised beds. However, it is not suitable for larger garden plants such as beans and squashes. Our advice is: choose those garden plants that have attractive leaves and flowers. This turns your keyhole-shaped raised bed into a great eye-catcher in the garden.

Conclusion: A keyhole-shaped raised bed is a novelty in our gardens. It scores with its special shape, is easy to care for, and is ecological. But it is very good for older hobby gardeners because it protects their backs and avoids pain.