The biggest difference between vegan farming and traditional gardening is fertilization and pest control.
In vegan farming, everything aims to ensure that animals are not exploited or abused. Ideology is not necessarily visible, because a vegan yard can really represent any style.
In general, gardens are quite close to nature, as such environments appeal to insects, small birds, frogs and other animals that live in or visit the garden.
Veganism is most visible in farming methods, as animal-based fertilizers are completely replaced by plant-based fertilizers. All actual pesticides are banned, because all life forms are considered valuable.
The easiest way to get vegan seeds is to grow them yourself. Parsley seeds get old quickly, so it’s best to sow them right away the following spring. © Teija Tuisku
Garlic needs a lot of growth power. Fertilize the garlic bed with humus compost in the spring and serve as an additional fertilizer throughout the summer with golden water or nettle application. © Teija Tuisku
Vegan farming uses plant fertilizers
Fertilizers and soil improvers of animal origin, such as horse manure, chicken droppings or bone meal, are usually linked to the keeping of farm animals. For example, chicken manure products originate from the side streams of large chickens. For this reason, animal fertilizers are not used at all in vegan farming.
Instead, the plants are offered, for example, nutrient-rich compost made from plant waste or bokashi compost made by fermentation. You have to be careful when choosing Bokashi grits, because not all of them are vegan.
Fresh grass clippings spread over the surface of the mulch also have a mild fertilizing effect. In addition, the cover reduces the need for watering and prevents the spread of weeds. The finer the shred, the more and faster it dissolves nutrients for plants to use.
Nitrogen-rich nettle water is suitable as an irrigation fertilizer to be used throughout the summer season. For that, collect a bucket of chopped nettles and fill the container with water. Let it sit for about a week. Dilute the prepared nettle water with water 1:10.
The liquid separated from the bokashi does not contain much nitrogen, but otherwise the nutrient-rich bokashi liquid is good for the plants. The broth must be diluted with water before use. A good dilution ratio is 1:200.
Foreign vegan farmers swear by alfalfa pellets when fertilizing tomatoes. A small handful of them are added to each seedling’s planting hole. We sell pellets as horse feed. © Teija Tuisku
Nutrient-rich bokashi compost has been mixed into the soil of the eggplants that thrive in the warmth of the greenhouse. © Teija Tuisku
Vegan farming utilizes the waste from the husks
In addition to plant waste, many vegan farmers also use their own toilet waste to fertilize the garden, because the waste of a vegan dieter is also vegan.
Urine, or gold water, diluted 1:9 with water is suitable as an irrigation fertilizer. An even thinner mixture is safe to use for fertilizing seedlings. Spray golden water on the base of the plant, not on the leaves.
Potted plants and summer flowers can be given golden water with every watering, the need for fertilizing edible crops varies. Pumpkins, garlic, tomatoes, cabbages and leeks that need a lot of nitrogen can be fertilized with golden water once a week, for other species two to three times in the summer is sufficient. Golden water fertilization of edible plants should be stopped about a month before harvest time.
Undiluted pee is suitable for starting compost in the spring.
Huussicompost, i.e. completely burned human manure, is used to fertilize all kinds of plants. It must be post-composted longer than usual, at least over two winters. About two buckets of Huussi compost are enough for a square.
The vegan farm’s hummus compost is a vegan fertilizer. It must be post-composted for at least two winters, so that all possible pathogens are surely destroyed. Check the rules for composting toilet waste in your municipality. © Teija Tuisku
Plant waste can be left to compost directly in the vegetable garden. At the same time, they act like a cover, retaining moisture and preventing weeds. © Teija Tuisku
Animals and insects are gently repelled
Pests are effectively prevented by the fact that the plants are in the best possible shape and health, i.e. they have received enough water, light and nutrients.
Fruity seedlings often survive without human help, even if an insect occasionally nibbles on their leaves. Only gentle extracts are used for animals that may tax the crop.
A tight and dense cabbage net or gauze strung around the seedlings physically prevents, for example, fleas from getting to the cabbage plants.
The protection is kept over the seedlings at least during the early summer, when insects are most active. In the summer, the protections can be removed, but they can also be left in place for the entire growing season.
The shelters of fruit-bearing plants must be cut during the flowering period, so that the pollinating insects can reach the flowers, and the plants produce a crop.
Stronger nets are used to protect, for example, fruit tree seedlings from the teeth of bunnies and deer. Some vegan gardeners bag their crops, make trees and bushes inside gauze to protect them from birds.
Under the cabbage net, the seedlings are protected from pests, as long as the net is fastened in place tightly. © Teija Tuisku
Bokashi fermented from vegan kitchen waste is a good fertilizer. © Teija Tuisku
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The story was published in Maalla magazine 3/2023.
Source: kotiliesi.fi
