Drought Gardening: Keyhole Gardening Success - Texas Master Gardeners, Burnet County

1. Drought Gardening:Keyhole Gardening Success
Last summer, everyone with a garden struggled with the heat and drought. Although the drought
may have wrecked havoc on our plants, most of us emerged with a strong resolve to find new
ways to overcome the challenging Central Texas climate. This spring we’ve had great rains and
moderate temperatures, so we’re all anticipating a better gardening season.
We now have the opportunity to hear from a Gardening Guru, Dr. Deb Tolman. Dr. Deb will
present her program, “Drought Gardening: Keyhole Gardening Success” on Wednesday, June
20th at the Marble Falls Helping Center Garden, 1315 Broadway St., Marble Falls, TX 78654.
It’s at the corner of Broadway and N Street, one block south of the HEB on 1431. Registration
will begin at 8 AM, and Dr. Deb’s demonstration of how to construct your own keyhole garden
will begin at 8:30. After viewing the construction process, we’ll move out of the heat across the
street to CrossView Baptist Church for Dr. Deb’s presentation. She will share the sustainable
practices she has used for the past 30 years, and answer any questions. Light snacks will be
served. The program will end about noon. The cost is $10 in advance (mail check to Highland
Lakes Master Gardeners, 1701 E. Polk St., Suite 12, Burnet, TX 78611) or $15.00 on the day of
the program at the Garden.
Dr. Deb has used her background in landscape design, environmental science, and research of
African survival techniques to create the ultimate raised bed garden. Sort of a “one stop shop”
for extraordinary production and nutrition, Dr. Deb’s keyhole garden provides more healthy food
under more challenging conditions than anything that’s come along in quite a while.
Like many successful innovations, Dr. Deb’s concept is surprisingly simple. It starts with a 6-foot
diameter circle which defines the outside perimeter of the 3 foot deep gardening structure. The
center of the garden includes a 1-foot in diameter mesh basket that’s used for continual
composting. The key to the ease of using the structure is the notch (shaped like a piece of pie)
that allows access to the compost basket. The birds-eye view of the structure resembles a
keyhole.
Texas Power Co-op magazine recently published a detailed article about Dr. Deb’s keyhole
gardening concept. You may read it online at http://www.texascooppower.com/texas-
stories/nature-outdoors/keyhole-gardening or visit Dr. Deb’s website at
http://www.debtolman.com .
Dr. Deb’s DVD on Keyhole Gardening will be available for sale. The Highland Lakes Master
Gardeners are sponsoring this program, and will also have information about the projects they
sponsor in this area, including The Helping Center Garden/ Friends of the Garden, the Farmer’s
Market on Wednesdays in Marble Falls, and Saturdays in Burnet, and other projects that
encourage Hill Country gardening.
Send in your check to reserve a spot to learn how “Waste Can Equal Food!” Bring your own
chair, and we look forward to seeing you in the garden. For more information, contact Karen at
karen48.kw@gmail.com or 512 -789 -3955.