The question “What is a Vegan Garden?” is one which I am asked as a Gardening Teacher and sometimes in general conversation when people know what I do. I haven’t yet been asked to design a vegan kitchen garden – but I’m happy to oblige if someone would like one!
Given that November is World Vegan Month and World Vegan Day occurred yesterday, ie Friday, November 1st it seemed an opportune time to answer the question.
Firstly, for the benefit of those who may not be sure, lets consider a definition of vegan. This will help explain some of the options and arguments we’ll look at below.
Definition of Veganism
The Vegan Society’s definition of veganism is that it is –
“A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
This commitment can have an affect not only the food which is bought in to be eaten but also what is grown in a vegan’s garden and on general gardening practices. These are the aspects I want to look at in order to answer that question.
What is a Vegan Garden?
Many of the fundamental principles of vegan gardening are similar to vegetarian gardening and organic gardening. But there are differences, some of which may surprise you. (You may have been surprised on reading the phrase “vegetarian gardening“!)
Naturally not all vegans have the time, space, inclination or knowledge to grow all their own food. But an understanding of what is involved is useful for vegans and non-vegans to know.
Manure and Compost
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – healthy soil is the food your plants need in order to feed you.
Making your own compost is obviously the easiest way to ensure the contents meet the criteria. But there are times when you need extra compost, or you may not have room for compost bins.
Unfortunately, finding vegan compost to purchase is not a simple case of visiting your local garden centre.
Help is at hand. FertileFibre Vegro composts offer an excellent range of composts which are approved by both the Soil Association and the Vegan Society. Aconbury Sprouts multi-purpose compost is approved by the Vegan Society. Both these are peat free composts which I have used. West Riding Organics produce Moorland Gold Natural Peat Alternative which is Vegan friendly.
The peat is strained from reservoirs etc not extracted from the ground. I’ve used it where a low pH is required for blueberries and rhododendrons.
There are some others which are peat free, organic and vegan friendly, but I haven’t used them so don’t wish to recommend. It is very important to check that the compost you buy is peat free and does not include blood, fish & bone, animal manure. These issues are shared with vegetarian. Organic gardeners are generally happy using blood, fish & bone, animal manure.
Green waste is one of those difficult ones. The main issue is that unless you have guarantees on the source of the green waste, you don’t know what has gone in it.
For making your own compost, have a read of our ‘how to’ blogs and just omit items such as eggshells! The basic method is the same. NB: – Vegans wouldn’t use wormeries, but can use some Bokashi systems.
Bees, Pollinators and Honey
Whilst vegans do not eat honey as they consider this food to be an exploitation of the bees, they do still need bees coming in to the garden. Now therein lies a potential conundrum!
Many necessary food crops require pollination by insects. For example, the pea and bean family, which provide the main source of protein for most vegans.
There are vegans who have gardens and allotments full of flowers, herbs and edible plants. Bees will find their way to these and pollinate the crops as well the flowers.
Of course I’m saying ‘bees’ but isn’t just the honey bee who is a pollinator. Wild bees, wasps, hoverflies and so on also perform this function. The critical factor is the keeping of bees as a farmed animal in an unnatural manner.
Then there are those who keep bees to pollinate their food crops. Who grow a wide range of flowering plants to ensure a varied diet for their bees. But who don’t eat the honey, and treat the bees as family, ensuring their health.
To my mind, its more honest to keep bees in this way than to purchase fruit and vegetables that were pollinated by migratory beekeeping.
Relying solely on wild pollinators may be the moral high ground but I’m not convinced that it’s a good enough method to currently feed the world. (Which is a whole new discussion!)
Bees and Mass Production
You may or may not be aware of the commercial practice of pollinating crops by transporting bees across country to areas where they’re needed but do not live in sufficient numbers.
This is called migratory beekeeping and has been one of the causes of cross contamination and hive collapse. It is a serious issue and one that affects not just vegans. The bees are gathering pollen and nectar from fields of monoculture crops so their diet is less diverse and their health suffers. Beekeepers can lose between 30% and 60% of their hives annually. It is to all intents and purposes, factory farming.
And it doesn’t just affect vegans. There may have been an outcry over whether vegans can eat certain fruit – avocado is one of the recent headliners. But this pollination methods is so widespread that any ‘cheap’ mass-produced supermarket fruit plus flowering vegetables and salads is probably pollinated this way.
What is a Vegan Garden? – Cultivation and Growing Methods
Many of the basic gardening practices are the same whether you’re gardening organically or as a vegan. I’ll suggest you have a read through the relevant blogs for growing methods to get more details and ‘how to’ tips. But here are a few thoughts to get you started: –
- Green Manures are an effective way to improve your soil using plants.
- Lasagne Gardening works well as a no-dig method.
- Straw bale gardening does require you to check the source / history of the straw. Animal matter, antibiotics containing lactose etc may be present.
- Vegan version of Bio-dynamic Gardening are possible. If you wanted to be certified Bio-dynamic that is a bit trickier.
- Vegan permaculture, aka veganic permaculture, veganiculture, or vegaculture, is Permaculture without domesticated animals, but with wild animals.
- Forest Gardening is different to permaculture and relatively easy to have as a vegan version.
- Veganic Gardening is essentially vegetable organic gardening.
Initially clearing an overgrown allotment or garden is carried out with cultural and barrier methods. For example, digging out or hoeing off weeds; covering the soil surface to block out light to weaken weeds.
Garden Pests and Pest Control
Using barrier methods, such as netting and encouraging predators are common to most gardeners.
However, vegan gardeners aim not to kill anything, and as far as possible leave garden wildlife alone.
This can mean not feeding the birds as dropped seed may encourage rodents that would then eat your crops. But with so many bird species under threat, my inclination would be to continue feeding them for their benefit. If they happen to eat some unwanted larvae as pudding I won’t complain…
The jury seems to be out on using creatures such as nematodes. Some vegan gardeners will, as there are naturally occurring nematodes within the soil anyway. Other consider them to be factory farmed (see Nematode Factory Visit blog).
Companion planting is encouraged. This might be to dissuade pests or as a sacrificial offering. Plant based sprays such as those from Grazers are generally considered okay to use.
And finally…
The spade breaks the soil on World Vegan Day, November 1st, for World Vegan Month. A global celebration of veganism, first begun in 1994 on the Vegan Society’s 50th anniversary. 2019 sees the society’s 75th birthday.
I hope I’ve given you a flavour of vegan gardening in this article. If you’d like to know more, through a gardening course or consultancy visit, do please get in touch.
Well I mean, we haven’t considered the worm cast conundrum yet. And how to use wood ash sustainably. Or whether the seeds you sow have to be vegan or is organic sufficient when there aren’t any vegan ones available?
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
Peat free compost – are you still confused?
What are Green Manures?
Wood ash – uses in your Garden
Compost Bins – Pest Problems and Prevention
Crop Rotation – Growing Methods for Gardeners
Three Sisters History of Growing Methods for Gardeners
Go Wild for Worms in Your Garden
Bees Needs, National Pollinator Week and Your Garden
Could You Grow Your Own Coffee?
Your Own Tea Garden – Camellia Sinensis, the Tea Plant
Growing Hops in Your Garden
And check out our other blogs and blog categories for more gardening tips and ideas
