vita Keyhole 3x5 User manual

3’ x 5’
(0.9 m x 1.52 m)
Instruction Manual
The world needs vegetables.
Rev 1.2 Feb 8-2017

Congratulations!
We’re thrilled that you chose to purchase a Vita Keyhole Garden. We’re sure that you’ll not
only grow healthy foods but you’ll have fun too.
Keyhole Gardening is a gardening technique native to many communities in Africa. It’s
used particulary in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. The design is such that it requires
considerably less water than traditional gardens making perfect in drought prone areas. In
addition to using less water, it also allows you to compost and grow in the same garden.
This reduces your daily household waste and in turn reduces greenhouse gases.
With your Keyhole Garden purchase you are also supporting a great cause - helping us build
Keyhole Gardens in Rwanda through the Kageyo Garden Project.
Our goal is to build 500 Keyhole Gardens in the village of Kageyo, Rwanda. In 2015 we have
health through the introduction of vegetables.
Follow the journey at www.VitaGardens.com/Rwanda
A Great Investment
Your new Vita Keyhole Garden is a fantastic investment for many reasons:
1. Growing your own healthy organic foods is healthy, cost effective and fun
2. Reduce your kitchen waste and greenhouse gasses
3. Create your own garden soil with easy composting
4. Reduce your water consumption
5. Naturally control weeds
6. Plant earlier (the soil warms faster)
7. Far easier on your back
3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)
2
Kageyo Garden Project

3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2) 3
Box Contents
Before you begin, please check the box for these contents. In the event of missing or defective parts
please call our customer service department at 1.844.880.VITA (8482) Mon. to Fri. 8:00 AM to 4:00
PM EST. (UK Tel: [phone] - Mon. to Fri. 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM GMT).
1. Posts (4) - 60006
2. Side panels - 7/8” x 11” x 32” (2 cm x 28 cm x 81 cm) (4) - 60010
3. Side panels - 7/8” x 11” x 54” (2 cm x 28 cm x 137 cm) (4) - 60011
4. Post caps (4) - 60045
5. Basket side panels (4) - 60008
6. Basket corner brackets (20) - 60009
7. H-Support - 30” (76 cm) (2) - 60012
8. H-Support - 50” (137 cm) (2) -60019
General Info
•Read Instructions through carefully before beginning assembly.
• When assembling components, place on a non-abrasive surface
(i.e. shipping box) to avoid scratching.
• We recommend an area approx 4’x 8’ (1.2 m x 2.4 m) for unobstructed assembling.
•You should not need to use excessive force when assembling components.
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1
4
Not To Scale
5
6
37 8

Dimensions
3’ x 5’ x 22” (0.9 m x 1.52 m x 56 cm) – Keyhole Garden
43x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)
22 3/4 in
58 cm
36 in
91 cm
60 in
152 cm
12 in
30 cm
12 in
30 cm
23 1/8 in
58 cm
22 1/8 in
56 cm

Warranty
We want you to know that your new Keyhole Garden has a 20 year warranty
against:
1. Yellowing
2. Fading
3. Rotting
Maintenance is non-existent as a simple spray with a garden hose will clean the
bed from dirt, so you can spend more time growing food than maintaining your
garden beds.
If you have any questions about your warranty or about Vita products please call
our customer service department at 1.844.880.VITA (8482), Mon. to Fri. 8:00 AM
to 4:00 PM EST. (UK Tel: [phone] - Mon. to Fri. 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM
GMT).
Happy Growing!
5
3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

1
Step 1A
Insert one side panel
between the posts as
shown.
Notice that there is a
groove in the board that
corresponds to the tab on
the post. This locks the
boards in.
Step 1B
Insert one H-Support followed by
another long board as shown.
63x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

2
Step 2A
Repeat previous step 1A
with the other sides as well
as the H-Supports
Step 2B
Insert the post caps as shown.
7
3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

3
Step 3A
Insert a basket corner bracket into each
end of the basket panel as shown.
Make sure they are all facing the same
way. Repeat for 2 other basket panels.
Step 3B
Connect the four basket panels as
shown.
83x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

4
Step 4A
Position your assembled basket in the
center the garden bed, setting it on
the ground.
9
3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

Fill with organic layers
The magic of the Keyhole Garden is it’s composting abilities. The Keyhole uses piles
of common organic household waste and converts it into a rich growing enviroment
for your vegetables to grow.
The diagram below shows the different layers you should plan to start your Keyhole
Garden. This way you can convert all of your yard refuse into nutrient rich soil. This
vegetables right away with this method, but can expect some settling as it composts.
Brown (Cardboard)
Green (Grass clippings, twigs)
Brown (Loose twigs on bottom)
Compost or Soil
Green (Grass clippings, green leaves)
6 in. (15 cm) of Compost
or Garden Soil
2-5 in. (5-13 cm) of Green
- grass clippings
- green leaves
- green twigs
2-5 in. (5-13 cm) of Brown
- lots of twigs
- more cardboard on
bottom
2-5 in. (5-13 cm) of Green
- grass clippings
- green leaves
- green twigs
2-5 in. (5-13 cm) of Brown
-cardboard starting with
the box your Keyhole
came in!
1
Startup Option

Fill with soil mixture
- or about 1 cubic yard (0.77 cubic meter) we recommend following this method:
1. Use the box your Keyhole Garden came in. Lay it on the very bottom of the garden,
compost. We have water based organic inks to print on this box.
2. Fill your garden with organic soil. We usually recommend a mixture of 1/3 Garden
Soil to 1/3 Compost to 1/3 Peat Moss or Coconut Coir.
Your vegetables enjoy
Peace and Harmony
with this recommended soil blend.
2
Startup Option
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3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

The Composting Basket is key to adding nutrients to your garden bed. It’s here you can
continually use up your regular kitchen scraps to nourish your Keyhole Garden. For best
composting success use the same Brown-Green alternating technique as this helps your
compost work the best.
Put some stones or broken pottery at the bottom of the basket. This will help
drainage and encourage nutrients to enter the garden bed.
Using the same alternating technique (6 inch layers of Brown - Green) put in
.draobdrac ro skcits llams ,sevael esu nworB roF .slairetam elbatsopmoc fo sreyal
For Green use green leaves, vegetable clippings and grass.
As the basket begins to compost, it will shrink. Keep adding your kitchen
and egg shells!
.teksaB tsopmoC eht hguorht yliramirp retaw ,dehsilbatse si nedrag ruoy ecnO
This will encourage the nutrients to travel into the Keyhole Garden bed and the
vegetables to grow deep to get the moisture. If the Compost Basket starts to
smell rotten, it likely has too much water. Reduce the water for a few days.
Composting
1
2
3
4
12
Alternating layers
of green & brown
Stones or
broken pottery
Water garden
through the top of
compost basket.
3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

13
CARBON
NITROGEN
CARBON
NITROGEN
- vegetable clippings
- grass clippings
- green leaves
- fruit peels and rinds
(minimal citrus)
- egg shells
- tea bags / tea leaves
- plant trimmings
- apple cores
- green twigs
- lettuce
- house plants
- manure
- seaweed
- cardboard
- shredded paper
- brown leaves
- twigs
- wine corks
- wood ashes
- oatmeal
- cereal grains
- spent grains from
beer making
- sawdust
- torn up cotton clothing
or burlap
Things you can compost
3x5 Keyhole Garden - (0.9 m x 1.52 m) (v1.2)

www.vitagardens.com
The world needs vegetables.