Whether you are an enthusiastic balcony gardener, an avid urban farmer or your home is now on a true urban jungle seems - sooner or later you will need a bag of potting soil or garden soil. Because healthy soil is the basis for happy plants. But did you know that a lot of potting soil is anything but green? Indeed, it may contain animal residues. Say what! We understand that this might surprise you. So we have found out why truly vegan potting soil is still the exception rather than the rule.
What exactly is in potting soil and garden soil that often makes it non-vegetable?
We are quick to think that potting soil and garden soil simply consist of... well, soil or earth. But that is a little too short. In reality, it is often a mix of different ingredients. Potting soil is an airy mixture of peat, bark, compost and fertiliser, ideal for plants in pots. Garden soil, on the other hand, is heavier and consists mainly of garden peat and compost, meant to improve soil structure in the garden. But beware: both products may contain fertilisers that are not as plant-based as you might think. Whut!
Meat waste in your potting soil and garden soil! How about that?
Yes, you read it right: animal residues in your potting soil or garden soil. Might sound a bit crazy, but it happens more often than you think. This enters your green-fingered adventure in two ways: via compost and via animal fertilisers. How so? Many potting soils contain compost, a mix of plant and animal residues. In addition, animal fertilisers are sometimes added. And that is exactly where it gets interesting - or a bit creepy - becomes. Because those fertilisers consist of residual products from (intensive) livestock farming, such as fats, bones and blood.
Blood meal and bone meal: what is it?
Two well-known animal fertilisers you may encounter in potting soil and garden soil are blood meal and bone meal. The names say it all: blood meal is made from dried and finely ground blood and is full of nitrogen, an essential nutrient that helps plants grow leaves and stems. Bone meal consists of ground up bones and provides phosphate, which contributes to strong roots and better flowering. These fertilisers are widely used because they are effective and relatively cheap, but really necessary? No, not necessarily. Time to look for plant-based - vegan - alternatives!
So what about vegan potting soil?
Fortunately, things can be done differently. Vegan potting soil and garden soil use plant-based fertilisers, such as seaweed extract, algae lime, compost from green waste and vermicompost (worm manure). These natural ingredients ensure a good nutritional balance in the soil, without animal residues. In fact, many types of vegan potting soil are just as nutritious as regular potting soil and also contribute to healthier soil life. Seaweed and algae, for example, contain many minerals, while compost from green waste and worm manure improve soil structure and boost biodiversity. In short: all the benefits, without the creepy additions!
For both your houseplants and your garden plants, you need a big scoop (or bags) of potting compost and garden soil every now and then. While you unsuspectingly get your fingers in the soil, the potting soil or garden soil of your choice may contain animal residues. Yes, those substances have a benefit for your garden, but there are plant-based alternatives that are just as good!
The ‘best’ choice: vegan potting soil that is peat-free
Do you really want to make a more sustainable choice? Then choose vegan potting soil that is peat-free! By doing so, you not only avoid animal by-products, but also peat, a main ingredient of many potting soils and garden soils. And well, while we're at it... peat is not exactly a green friend either. Its extraction is an environmental disaster: it causes CO2 emissions and destroys valuable natural areas. Fortunately, there are more and more peat-free and vegan potting soil alternatives on the market. We previously wrote extensively about peat-free gardening and find a handy list of better potting soil brands here. Do you spot another good brand? Let us know and we will add to the list!
More tips for more life in the garden!
- Also see: Butterfly Man Nicky: This is what you can do to help butterflies!
- Also see: help nature, buy poison-free garden plants.
- Also see: first aid for mulching.
Sources: consumerbond.nl, pokon.nl, bus total.nl, garden shop.nl, amica-plant.nl, bio-kultura.nl, ecostye.nl, dcm-info.nl, mamabotancia.nl. Photo credits: main image: kaboompics.com (Pexels), other: houseplants: Cottonbro (Pexels), gardening: thegreenlist.nl.
