Vegan alternatives

josusa47

As a vegetarian, I prefer to avoid abattoir by-products such as blood, fish and bone.  What's the best alternative for feeding my fruit trees and currant bushes?

GemmaJF

You could use a granular plant feed, in others words an artificial fertilizer. There are many on the market and many recommended for fruit trees and bushes.

Dovefromabove

The problem with the ‘artificial’ fertilisers is that they’re made using by-products of the petrochemical industry and all the pollution etc that causes ... yet more ethical conundrums. 🤔 

Omori

How about Growmore @josusa47?

GemmaJF

Dovefromabove said:

The problem with the ‘artificial’ fertilisers is that they’re made using by-products of the petrochemical industry and all the pollution etc that causes ... yet more ethical conundrums. 🤔 

That is very true Dove. Not sustainable. It's something for vegans and vegetarians to consider, as an organic grower and ecologist, I've yet to find an ecosystem that does not include animals, so it is a really interesting topic.

josusa47

philippa smith2 said:

There is a difference between Vegan and Vegetarian.
In my understanding Veganism is a way of life in which you would avoid using anything remotely connected to animal life - plastic shoes instead of leather, man made fibre instead of wool, etc. Thinking about it, I don't know whether that would/should include animal manure ?
Vegetarianism is usually a dietary regime where consumption of meat is avoided.  Oddly enough many vegetarians will include fish and fish products in their diet and will also use animal by products.
I'm guessing it really depends on whether your are Vegan or Vegetarian and how strict you want to be.
Hopefully someone else may have the answer to your dilemma.

To clarify:  I've been vegetarian for most of my adult life, and I was vegan for a few years.  I gave it up because there aren't many vegetables I like and I got fed up living on rice and beans.  I approve of veganism in principle, and admire those that strive to live it.  But I see the problems with it too, for instance, what are we to do with all those uplands that won't support much besides sheep?  And if we wear synthetic fibres, how do we keep waterways and oceans free of the micro-fibres they shed in every wash?

I don't suppose there is any perfect solution.  But I don't think it's right to do nothing because you can't do everything.  I'd just prefer to cultivate my garden without bits of dead farm animals.  

Pyra

Dovefromabove said:

The problem with the ‘artificial’ fertilisers is that they’re made using by-products of the petrochemical industry and all the pollution etc that causes ... yet more ethical conundrums. 🤔 

This is a problem. Most chemical garden products are owned by just a few companies, who all have shady records, to say the least. 

@josusa47 this might be what you're looking for: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Origins-Organic-Plant-Food-500ml/dp/B0798HZSTR 
It works, it's good. It's not 100% vegan as it's made with bird poo, but since you don't have to kill the birds, you might be fine with that. You can also make your own if you grow comfry. There's always liquid seaweed as well, various places sell it. 

I'd still prefer to use FBB over most chemical ones and I am veggie (always have been, I come from a long line of 'hippies') but I completely understand it's a personal thing. I'll see if I can find anymore decent ones. 

GemmaJF

josusa47 said:

I don't suppose there is any perfect solution.  But I don't think it's right to do nothing because you can't do everything.  I'd just prefer to cultivate my garden without bits of dead farm animals.  

I collect horse poop from local stables, it's my main fertiliser and mulch.

The animals are in superb condition and kept for riding. Could that be a compromise? It would provide both feed and mulch in one hit for fruit trees.

If you want more feed than mulch, I use organic seaweed fertilisers. They are pricey but I'm willing to pay rather than use byproducts of the petrochemical industry for home grown veg.

Bijdezee

Dried seaweed meal?

@GemmaJF.  Yes, poop of all kinds. Chicken, horse, sheep etc but.... Is this breaking the vegan veg thing too? Probably.

Green compost, worm tea? 

FlyDragon

I’m vegan, I don’t add any animal based or artificial feed to my plants, I mulch and encourage insects etc to keep the soil healthy and nutritious, and I compost everything I can. 

josusa47

No offence taken.  I wasn't expecting ideal solutions.  I compost, use homegrown comfrey, forage nettles on wasteground, use seaweed meal and liquid, seaweed off the beach, and "liquid gold".   

It's just that I've been reading about how to prune my cherry tree, and the advice included feeding with BFB.  I wondered which non-animal feed would be the nearest equivalent.  I'll just give it a bit of everything!