propagation and fertilizers

7/31/2019 Propagation and Fertilizers

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Vegan-Organic Information Sheet #1 (60p)

Propagation and Fertilisers

Growing with concern for people, ani-

mals and the environment

Organic growing involves treating the

soil, the growing environment and the

world environment as a resource to be

preserved for future generations, rather

than exploited in the short term. Vegan-

organics means doing this without any

animal products at all, which is not dif-

ficult when you know how. All soil fertil-

ity ultimately depends on plants and min-

erals - these do not have to be passed through

an animal in order to work. Fertility can

be maintained by plant-based composts,green manures, mulches, chipped branch

wood, crop rotations and any other

method that is sustainable, ecologically

benign and not dependent upon animal

exploitation.

The guidelines below do not attempt

to be fully comprehensive. The extent to

which you adhere to any system really de-

pends on you, your conscience and circum-

stances. We can only do our best with ouravailable time and money. The Vegan-

Organic Network has now published

comprehensive Stockfree Organic Stan-

dards, which are available to commer-

cial growers and can also be used as a

reference for home growers. Of course,

no one person or organisation knows ev-

erything about the subject, so constant

co-operation and updating of ideas and

information is needed.

Whilst conventional cultivation relies

on synthetic chemicals and animal prod-

ucts, traditional organic production also

generally relies on animal wastes and by-

products. Both involve the exploitation

of living creatures, and the inefficient use

of land, water and energy resources. Ve-

gan-organic methods minimise these

drawbacks. Many people who are not

themselves vegan or vegetarian are com-ing to appreciate that animal-free grow-

ing is the most sustainable system: it is

the future of organics.

Make your own seed mixtures

Mixtures for seed raising and potting can

be time-consuming but are worth the

effort. Seed mixtures need to drain freely,

allow for aeration so that they can warm

up quickly and have the ability to retainmoisture. They need to be free from weed

seeds, pests and diseases. A fine texture

ensures that they make good contact with

the seeds. They do not need high levels

of nutrients, just enough to sustain the

seedlings for four to seven weeks.



• 2 •

With home-made mixes it is impos-sible to be sure of the suitability of each

batch, as the ingredients will vary from

one season to the next. The following

mixes should be suitable for raising seed-

lings but have not been rigorously tested:

1. Basic soil-free mix for seedling mod-

ules:

• Two units plant-based compost.

• Two units peat or peat alternative (seebelow).

• One unit sharp sand or vermiculite

or perlite.

2. Tolhurst Organic Produce has had

success with:

• Two units sieved green waste compost(at least 12 months old).

• One unit perlite.

• They experimented with adding bark

as a peat alternative but found that it di-

luted the mix.

3. Basic mix for free-standing transplant

‘blocks’:

• Two units plant-based compost.

• Three units peat.• Two units coarse sand or vermiculite

or perlite.

To the above three mixes you can add

the supplements of:

• 1/8 unit base fertiliser (see below).

P h o t o gr a ph

b y

S t é ph an e Gr ol e a u

Potting shed at Hardwicke




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• 1/8 unit seaweed meal.

• 1/8 unit lime.

• 1/8 unit colloidal phosphate.

However, seedlings will still grow with-

out these supplements.

The ingredients must be mixed well to

form a uniform end product. First weigh

out the units in buckets. It will be neces-

sary to sieve coarse materials. Spread the

contents on a clean, hard surface and mix

in the same way that you would with

cement using a spade or shovel, piling

them up in a heap and turning it in. For

larger quantities, it is worth using a ce-

ment mixer. Seed mixtures are better if

they are six months old.

Make your own potting mixtures

Potting mixtures are generally for plants

growing for a longer period (severalmonths before trans-

planting e.g. aspara-

gus) or permanently in

pots. They can have a

coarser texture and

need short-term and

long-term nutrient

supplies.

Basic recipe:• Two units mature

plant-based compost

or leaf mould.

• Two units garden

topsoil.

• Two units coarse

sand.

To the above mix you can add the supple-

ments of:

• 1/8 unit base fertiliser (see below).

• 1/8 unit seaweed meal.

• 1/8 unit lime.

• 1/8 unit colloidal phosphate.

However, plants will still grow without

these supplements.

Animal-Free Base Fertilisers

Base fertilisers are very different from

supplementary fertilisers in that the nu-

trients need to be released slowly so that

they are available to the plant through-

out its development. Supplementary

fertilisers provide more readily available

nutrients, e.g. potash boost from com-

frey extract.

The bean-based fertilisers listed in

N P K Release

Alfalfa (lucerne) meal 2.5 0.5 2.0 Slow

Soya bean meal 6.5 1.5 2.4 Slow to medium

Lupin seed meal 2.8 NT NT NT

Castorbean meal 3.0 NT NT NT

Faba bean meal 1.7 NT NT NT

Field peas meal 1.0 NT NT NT

Wood ash 0.0 1.5 5.0 Fast

Sugar beet extract 5.0 2.5 NT NT

Seaweed meal 1.0 0.5 8.0 Slow

Colloidal phosphate 0.0 6.0 0.0 Slow

Rock phosphate 0.0 8.0 0.0 Very slow

Table 1. Bean-based fertilisers (NT = not tested)



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Name of Product

(Supplier)Product descriptions Use

Additionalinfo.

Contact info

Maxicrop Maxicrop original –liquid seaweed extractMaxicrop concentrate- concentrated liquidseaweed extractMaxicrop Viva –liquid seaweed extractfor seed dressings

Maxicrop seaweedmeal – soilconditioner andcompost activator

Applying to thesoil for traceelements andadditions topropagatingmedia

Liquids arefoliar spray and rootdrench

Meal – soilconditioning

Maxicrop (UK) Ltd– contact MGarner, P.O. Box6027, Corby,NN17 1ZH. www.maxicrop.co.uk T 01405 762777

Marinure &maerit(Glenside)

Marinure - liquidseaweed extractMaerit – concentratedseaweed extract

As above Foliar spray and rootdrench

Glenside OrganicsLtd – contact J.Robertson, Block 2,Unit 4, BandeathIndustrial Estate,Throsk, FK7 7XY.T 01786 816655

Seagreens Seagreens agriculturalpuréeSeagreens agriculturalgranules

As above Foliarspray/seedsoak

Granules –soilconditioning, compostactivator

Seagreens Ltd –contact S. Ranger,1 The Warren,Handcross, WestSussex, RH176DX.

Table 2. Seaweed fertilisers

Name of Product

(Supplier)

Productdescriptions

Use Additional info Contact info

Cumulus(W.L.Dingley)

Cumulus K Applying to thesoil for mineraldeficiency andadditions topropagatingmedia

Kali vinasse,sugar beetindustry by-product

WL Dingley –contact B.Urbanski, BuckleSt, Honeybourne,Evesham, Worc. WR11 7QE. T /F 01386 830242.

Table 3. Potash fertilisers



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table 1 can be made at home by grinding

them into a fine dust. The process of

making alfalfa meal is described in peat

alternatives.

The base fertilisers in tables 2-4 are

available commercially and the manufac-turers have signed declarations that they

are animal-free.

Peat Alternatives

Peat is to be avoided on ecological

grounds. The journal New Scientist re-

ported that 455 billion tons of carbon is

sequestered in peat bogs worldwide. That

is equivalent to about 70-75 years of in-

dustrial emissions, making conservationof peat bogs as important an issue as sav-

ing the rainforests. Coir dust, a mixture

of short and powder fibres, is a by-prod-

uct of the coconut fibre industry. Most

coir (sold usually as blocks) comes from

India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indo-

nesia and Central America and is not

encouraged because it is felt that this

valuable source of organic material

should stay within these countries.

Plant-based compost with additives Plant-based compost is rarely used as the

sole potting medium since it is too po-

rous and has too high levels of soluble

salts. Therefore it is prudent to add ei-

ther perlite, vermiculite or sand (see the

Iain Tolhurst recipe above). You can make

the compost element yourself. Best

composting practice involves:

• using select ingredients, includingcrop wastes, grass clippings, legume-rich

hays and straw;

• mixing plant-based ingredients: 2

part ‘greens’ to one part ‘browns’;

• composting plant-based materials and

leaf mould separately;

Name of Product(Supplier)

Productdescriptions

Use Contact

Cumulus W.L.Dingley

Cumulus 5-5-5Cumulus 5-1-10Cumulus 5–1-4

Applying to thesoil andadditions topropagatingmedia

WL Dingley – contact B.Urbanski, Buckle St,Honeybourne, Evesham, Worc. WR11 7QE. T / F01386 830242.

5F’sFertiliserFertileFibre

Pelleted fertiliser5-5-5

Applying to thesoil andadditions topropagatingmedia

Fertile Fibre- contactMatthew Dent, Fertile FibreLtd, Withington Court, Withington, Hereford, HR13RJ.

Table 4. NPK base fertilisers



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• building a heap of sufficient volume;

at least one cubic metre;

• turning the heap to assist with aera-

tion;

• monitoring temperature rises;

• covering the heap or windrow to pre-

vent it from becoming waterlogged;

• allowing for the compost to mature

(approximately one year).

You can also

buy J. Bower’s

New Horizon

Peat Free Or-

ganic Com-

post as this is

available from

most garden

centres and the

manufacturer

has signed ananimal-free

declaration.

The product is

made from

green waste

and has been

described as a soil conditioner as the

quality cannot be guaranteed. However,

the sieved product has been used success-

fully by commercial stockfree-organicgrowers in propagation.

Composted pine bark

Composted pine bark has high lignin

content, making it slow to degrade. Bark

lightens the mix, increases bulk density,

increases air space, and decreases the

water-holding capacity of a mix making

it a suitable alternative to peat. Its pH is

generally 5.0 to 6.5, it is low in soluble

salts, and it will probably require more

nitrogen base fertilisers if used in a mix.

The product is available in B&Q’s ani-

mal-free multipurpose organic compost,

which is also GM-free.

A l f a l f a

( l u c e r n e )

meal

Alfalfa meal

provides nutri-

ents, which are

released slowly.

Alfalfa must be

processed be-

fore being

used in grow-ing media.

Dried alfalfa

hay is ground

and passed

through a 2

cm screen.

Water is added and the alfalfa is allowed

to decompose for twenty days. It is then

air-dried for another twenty days before

use.

Comfrey leaf mould

Compost breaks down through a largely

bacterial process, whereas autumn leaves

break down through a fungal process.

The compost heap is covered to provide

Salad tray, Growing with Grace




• 7 •

the ideal aeration and moisture condi-

tions for the bacteria, but the leaf mould

bin is left open to the elements. Autumn

leaves consist mainly of hemi-celluloses

and lignins which, when broken down,

provide an excellent alternative to peat. Leaf

m o u l d

takes about

three years

to break

down.

L e a f

m o u l d

contains

little in

the way of

nutrients,

but fine-

grade leaf

m o u l d

that hasd e c o m -

posed for

three years can be mixed to make com-

frey leaf mould, which is a useful ingre-

dient in seed composts. Fill a dustbin

with alternative layers of 10 cm of leaf

mould and chopped comfrey leaves.

Leave until the comfrey leaves have dis-

appeared, which can take up to five

months. If the mixture turns soggy, turnout the mix and build it up again, add-

ing further dry leaf mould. If it is too

dry, add water.

Filtered run-off peat

Peat filtered from reservoirs is acceptable

and is available from West Riding Or-

ganics in the product Moorland Gold.

Unit 3, Near Bank, Shelley,

Huddersfield, HD8 8LS. T 01484

609171.

Plant feeds

I d e a l l y ,

p l a n t s

should ob-

tain all

their re-

q u i r e -

m e n t s

from well-

nourished

soil fed

with plant-

b a s e d

composts,

turning ingreen ma-

n u r e s ,

mulching and/or chipped branch wood.

However, you may find that your green

house crops, vegetables and pot plants

may benefit from supplementary liquid

feeding. We suggest various dosage rates

but you may wish to experiment - re-

member that you can apply too much

and this will damage plants, e.g. addingcomfrey juice to seedlings can cause mag-

nesium lock-up in older plants.

Seaweed feeds

It is possible to make a liquid feed using

seaweed meal.

Salad in soil cube, Growing with Grace

S t é ph an e Gr o

l e a u



• 8 •

• Put three

flat table-

spoons of

s e a w e e d

meal into

two litres of

water, prefer-

ably in a glass

bottle.

• Leave to

marinate for

two to three

weeks or

more.

• E v e r y

month in the

growing sea-

son feed

plants with

one mugful

of this brew in two litres

of water,

shake the

bottle well before use.

Seaweed meal contains all trace elements

but some authorities believe the amount

of available nitrogen and/or potash is low.

A richer feed can be made using green

leaves, but for indoor plants the prob-lem is it stinks.

Plant tonics, e.g. comfrey liquid

• Take any size of container (e.g. a wa-

ter butt with a tap) and fill with any or

all of the following: grass cuttings, nettles,

Making planting cubes with compostat Growing with Nature

S t é ph an e G

r ol e a u

weed leaves

or comfrey

leaves.

• Nettles

give the best

multipur-

pose feed

and comfrey

alone will

give a feed

rich in pot-

ash, which

will be excel-

lent for to-

matoes, cu-

cumbers and

courgettes.

• Cover

with water,

cover the

container,and leave

for two to

four weeks.

Try a dilution rate of about one part brew

to three parts water and use it monthly

on house and bedding plants.

• Strain through a sieve or old stock-

ing to keep back weed seeds and bits of

plant material, which will block your

watering can.• This feed, used fortnightly, is of

course also excellent for vegetables but

needs to be diluted more: about ten parts

water to one part leaves. VON members

have found conclusively that liquid nettle

feed brings on vegetables at least as well



• 9 •

as chemical-based liquids when used at

the same rate.

The pong problem is not too hard to

Deficiency Indicator Preferred remedy Last resort

Phosphorus

Very dark greenleaves with atendency todevelop purplecolours, stunted.

Tunisian rock phosphate.Calcined aluminiumphosphate rock (Redzlaag).

Potassium

Yellow streaks in

the leaves.

Wood ashes in the

compost heap. Sulphate of potash.

Magnesium –calcium

Yellow dryingand reddening of older leaves whileveins remaingreen.

Limestone.Dolomite limestone.Gypsum /calciumsulphate.Foliar feed epsom salts(for acute magnesiumdeficiency).Magnesium rock (including Kierite).

Sulphur

Younger leavesturn yellow andthen all the leaves

turn yellow.

Gypsum. Sulphur.

BoronSoil test -canker/curdbrowning.

More compost less lime.Seaweed meal.

Direct applicationat 3g per m2 forextreme cases only.

CopperTop leaves wiltand do notrecover.

Seaweed meal.Direct applicationfor extreme casesonly.

Iron &Manganese

Pale green leaves.More compost less lime.Seaweed meal.

Direct applicationfor extreme casesonly.

Molybdenum Soil test. Seaweed meal.Direct applicationfor extreme casesonly.

Cobalt Soil test. Seaweed meal.Direct applicationfor extreme casesonly.

Selenium Soil test. Seaweed meal.Direct applicationfor extreme casesonly.

ZincSame as copper,may have a bitterafter taste.

Seaweed meal.Direct applicationfor extreme casesonly.

Table 5. Mineral deficiencies

work around, since once the brew is di-

luted and applied to the soil, the smell

disappears after a few days. So it is pos-



• 10 •

Readily available handbooks, which are not wholly vegan but provide good vegan alterna-

tives are: The Organic Bible by Bob Flowerdew (ISBN 1856265951) and The New Organic Grower by Elliot Coleman (ISBN 093003175X).

Weeds by John Walker is an earth-friendly guide to tackling weeds and making good use of

them. Published by Cassel (ISBN 1 84403 061 X).

The following books are available from The Vegan Society, Donald Watson House, 7 Battle

Rd. St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN37 7AA. Tel: 01424 427393. www.vegansociety.com/

shop:

Abundant Living in the Coming Age of the Tree by Kathleen Jannaway (ISBN 0951732803) –

towards a vegan, self-sustaining tree-based culture.

Forest Gardening by Robert A de J Hart (ISBN 1900322021) – turn your garden or allot-

ment into a vegan-organic, permaculture-based mini-forest.

Permaculture: A Beginner’s Guide by Graham Burnett – apply the principles of sustainability

and working with nature to your land, your community and your life.

Plants for a Future by Ken Fern (ISBN 1856230112) – pioneering book that takes garden-

Books

sible to feed pot plants outdoors and

bring them in the next day but ensure

that they will not be harmed by any

change in temperature.

Adding minerals

Mineral deficiencies (table 5) can be con-

fused with plant diseases. The use of

mineral amendments is not sustainable,

because mining and the transportation

is fossil-fuel intensive and opencast min-

ing destroys local environments. At the

same time, occasionally growers have to

make compromises to avoid crop failures,

which may justify one-off applications.

However, if other recommended prac-

tices are followed for improving soil fer-

tility (plant-based composts, green ma-

nuring, mulching and chipped branch

wood), vegan-organic systems should not

rely on mineral amendments.

Good luck! Let us have any feedback or

ideas of your own.

Remember to use appropriate protective

clothing by the way; lime and comfrey,

for example, can irritate eyes and skin.



• 11 •

Seeds and Supplies

The Organic Gardening Catalogue, Riverdene Business Park, Molsey Rd, Hersham, Surrey

KT12 4RG, UK. Tel: 01932 25366. www.organiccatalog.com. Seeds and products such as

fertilisers and compost listed as organic and animal-free.

Suffolk Herbs, Monks Farm, Coggeshall Rd, Kelvedon, Essex CO5 9PG. Tel: 01376 572456.

www.suffolkherbs.com

Chiltern Seeds, Bortree Stile, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 7PB. Tel: 01229 581137.

www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds. Wide range of seeds including uncommon and unusual

vegetable varieties.

Tamar Organics, Unit 5A, Westbridge Trading Estate, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8DE. Tel:

01822 834887. www.tamarorganics.co.uk. Excellent organic seed supplier.

HDRA , Ryton Organic Gardens, Coventry CV8 3LG. Tel: 024 7630 3517. www.hdra.org.uk

Demonstration gardens and education centre at Ryton, which is presently being expanded.

Some of their advice is based on animal products but this can be adapted. Members receive

a quarterly magazine, Organic Way .

Movement for Compassionate Living, 105 Cyfyng Rd, Ystalyfera, Swansea SA9 2BT. Tel:

0845 4584717. www.mclveganway.org.uk. MCL produces a quarterly magazine, informa-

tion and books on cultivation, cooking, etc., emphasising locally grown food and cruelty-

free sustainable methods, especially the growing and use of trees.

Plants for a Future, Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon EX21 5DF. Tel: 01208872963. www.pfaf.org. Researching ecologically sustainable vegan-organic horticulture; an

excellent resource and information centre. The website contains much useful information.

Spiral Seed, 35 Rayleigh Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7DS. www.spiralseed.co.uk.

Have publications, vegan-organic information and ideas including lots on vegan permaculture,

very useful as most ‘permaculture’ involves animal exploitation. The website is a mine of

information.

Organisations

ing, conservation and ecology into a new dimension. Information about growing edible and

other useful plants.

The Animal Free Shopper (ISBN 0907337252) – The Vegan Society’s guide to all things

vegan includes a section on garden products.



• 12 •

The Vegan-Organic Network The Vegan Organic Network is a registered charity (registered charity number1080847), providing education and research in vegan-organic principles and has aninternational network of supporters. VON supporters enjoy a wide variety of con-tacts and can obtain advice on cultivation techniques. The magazine Growing Green

International is sent to supporters twice a year. For more information and details of how to join, please contact:

VON, 58 High Lane, Chorlton, Manchester M21 9DZEmail: [email protected]

General enquiries and advice on growing:Phone: 0845 223 5232

Email: [email protected] Website: www.veganorganic.net

Vegan-Organic information sheets

This is one of several sheets produced on various topics by the Vegan-Organic Net- work. These are aimed mainly at those with allotments, kitchen gardens or othersmall growing areas, although many of the techniques will also apply to larger-scalesituations. We welcome feedback on this information sheet and any other relatedtopics. The information sheets currently available are: #1 Propagation and Fertilisers;#2 Growing Beans for Drying; #3 Growing on Clay Soils; #4 Vegan-Organic Growing- The Basics; #5 Fungi - FAQ: #6 Gardening for Wildlife; #7 Growers' Guide toBeetles; #8 Green Manures; #9 Chipped Branch-Wood; #10 Composting.

These are available on request. Please send £5.00 per set, or 60p each (£6 and75p respectively if outside the UK). The sheets are also available free on our website.

Issued March 2005. This advice is given as guidance only, with no responsibility for

any results, due to the nature of the processes involved!

propagation and fertilizers

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