[LotuSeed]

I've seen and heard a lot about animal biproduct based ferts like blood, fish and bonemeal, but what about vegan friendly options. The only thing that comes to mind is seaweed. Anyone have any experience or knowledge they could share??

[Salmo]

What about farmyard manure, or, if that is not acceptable as it is a by product of producing meat or milk, horse manure.

[LotuSeed]

I dug in a considerable amount of well-rotted horse manure this past Autumn, but I'm wondering what I can use as feed throughout the growing season.

[fatcat1955]

Nettle tea.

[Audy70]

Comfrey tea

[surbie100]

green manures?

[moose]

You might find some info here:- http://veganorganic.net/

[Snoop]

Wood ash for P and K and calcium.

[LotuSeed]

No idea where I'd source nettles or comfrey, apart from growing them myself which would take up valuable growing space. Isn't green manure usually planted at the end of the season and dug in several weeks before the space is set to be used? Is wood ash just as the name implies? 

Thanks for all the input. I'm surprised there isn't more info or products out there that are vegan friendly. Looks like I'll really have to do some digging on this one.

[Snoop]

Here's a useful piece on wood ash:

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/wood-ash-can-be-useful-yard-if-used-caution

You could of course use 'chemical' granular or liquid feeds. Just consider them the gardening equivalent of cheese or other dairy substitutes for vegans. Might not seem totally natural, but they do the job.

[Kristen]

No idea where I'd source nettles or comfrey, apart from growing them myself which would take up valuable growing space

The Comfrey I have doesn't take up much space (relatively to the whole plot).  Its very vigorous, produces a lot of leaves, which I chop down to the ground two or three times a season (to make Comfrey Tea).

(Can you get Bocking 14 (sterile) variety over your way?  Definitely worth getting half a dozen roots IMHO, happy to send you some if the USPO won't chuck you in jail if they happen to open the parcel!)

Nettles I get from areas of scrub which are not in productive use - I'm not growing them specifically as a crop!! so if you don't have a spot like that I can see its not viable for you.

Isn't green manure usually planted at the end of the season and dug in several weeks before the space is set to be used?

Yes - although some folk here plant it "between" crops - depends how long you have between one harvest and the replanting of that part of the plot.  Might be your seasons are different to ours such that you don't have any such gaps in planting - other than over winter.

Is wood ash just as the name implies? 

I think its good and bad. It contains some Potash, but also (rather more) Lime, so will increase the pH of soil.  It can help break up clay soil though ...

[fatbelly]

comfrey doesn't take up a lot of space, get the Bocking 14 variety its easily the best and doesn't self seed.

[Nobbie]

I've seen and heard a lot about animal biproduct based ferts like blood, fish and bonemeal, but what about vegan friendly options. The only thing that comes to mind is seaweed. Anyone have any experience or knowledge they could share??

Growmore? Not aware of any animal products in it.

[crh75]

Have a look at Organic Gardening Catalogue.  They do a range of animal free fertilisers, eg: chase animal free fertiliser

[ptarmigan]

I use seaweed a lot on the plot, as its free apart from the time to collect, and it seems to really help on clay soil.   I also feel all warm and eco friendly when I collect it (with permission from the right part of the beach).  It's also a great mulch.

I do have a comfrey bed, though in retrospect I would have been better to have just planted some in spare spaces, e.g. next to the shed and the compost bins where there's gaps I'm not going to use for crops.  I did plant one next to the compost and it's loving it there.  (Bocking 14 so doesn't spread).  Then I would have an extra bed, once comfrey is planted and grown it's not going anywhere.   Also make nettle tea just collecting nettles from the wasteland near the plots.   

What you can use as an alternative to Blood Fish and Bone is more problematic - as that's quite slow release - but maybe just lots of organic matter and also some concentrated seaweed powder.