Page 112 - Vegan Food & Living (February 2020)

How to Viva!’s Dr Justine

be a vegan Butler reveals the

gardener secrets to being

animal-friendly

in the garden

chemicals and sprays, livestock
chemicals and sprays, livestock
chemicals and sprays, livestock
manures and animal remains from
manures and animal remains from
manures and animal remains from
slaughter houses. Fertility is
slaughter houses. Fertility is
slaughter houses. Fertility is
maintained by vegetable compost,
maintained by vegetable compost,
maintained by vegetable compost,
green manures, crop rotation,
green manures, crop rotation,
green manures, crop rotation,
mulches and any other method that
mulches and any other method that
mulches and any other method that
is sustainable, ecologically viable
is sustainable, ecologically viable
is sustainable, ecologically viable
and not dependent upon animal
and not dependent upon animal
and not dependent upon animal
exploitation. This will ensure long term
exploitation. This will ensure long term
exploitation. This will ensure long term
fertility, and wholesome food for this
fertility, and wholesome food for this
fertility, and wholesome food for this
and future generations”.
and future generations”.
and future generations”.
I Improving soil quality
Improving soil quality
n
p
m
i
v
o
r
q
u
l

a
t
y
l
i

s
o
i
g
There are several ways to improve the
T h e e r r e e a a r r e e s s e e v e e r r a a l l w a a y y s s t t o i i m p r r o v v e e t t h e
h
h
e
here are several ways to improve the
o
w
v
o
p
m
soil in your garden or allotment that
soil in your garden or allotment that
soil in your garden or allotment that
avoid using animal products. You can
avoid using animal products. You can
avoid using animal products. You can
make your own compost by collecting
make your own compost by collecting
make your own compost by collecting
uncooked food waste (fruit and vegetable
uncooked food waste (fruit and vegetable
uncooked food waste (fruit and vegetable
a A s a vegan, you avoid using animal l a l l peel etc) in a compost bin in the garden.

v

v
v

a
a
a
n
n
s
i
g

n
a
i
s s s a ve
o
m

u
d
i
a
u
gan

g
y
o
you avoid using animal
peel etc) in a compost bin in the garden.

e
,
,
e
a
peel etc) in a compost bin in the garden.
a
g
i
l

m
n
r
t
o
n
Over time, depending on the weather and
depending on the weather and
Over time, depending on the weather and
a

i
s
l
i
s
o
o

x
r
n
products or exploiting animals in all
Over time,
i
d
p
t
e
products or exploiting animals in all
p products or exploiting animals in all

u
c
,
m
s
c
c
o
i
t
temperature, you will have lovely, crumbly,
Aareas of life – food, clothes, cosmetics, areas of life – food, clothes, cosmetics, , temperature, you will have lovely, crumbly,

temperature,
s
e
f
s

o
r
areas of life – food, clothes, cosmetics,
a
e
o
l
i

f
you will have lovely, crumbly,

–
f
e
l
s
c
o
h
t
e
,
o
d

entertainment.
nutrient-rich soil. A bonus is that you may
,
nutrient-rich soil. A bonus is that you may
household goods
household goods, entertainment. So what
household goods entertainment. So what nutrient-rich soil. A bonus is that you may
So what
ve

get some self-seeding surprises – I had fi
ve

get some self-seeding surprises – I had fi
should be diff
should be diff erent about the garden? Vegan get some self-seeding surprises – I had five
erent about the garden?
should be different about the garden? Vegan
egan
V
or ‘stockfree’ gardening avoids animal
or ‘stockfree’ gardening avoids animal squashes this year!
squashes this year!
or ‘stockfree’ gardening avoids animal
squashes this year!
t
a
a
n
i
l
y
manure, fertilisers made with blood and bone You can improve the soil quality by growing
c
u

n

manure, fertilisers made with blood and bone
manure,
b
s
fertilisers made with blood and bone

h
e

q
l
o
i
t
p
u
m

i
e

v
r
o
o
w
ou can improve the soil quality by growing
ou can improve the soil quality by growing
i
Y
g
g
r
o
y

sh remains.
meal, slaughterhouse waste and fi sh remains. green manure plants. They absorb nutrients
meal, slaughterhouse waste and fish remains.
meal,
slaughterhouse waste and fi
green manure plants. They absorb nutrients
They absorb nutrients
green manure plants.
that would otherwise be lost through leaching,
It’ s a safer, healthier and more sustainable that would otherwise be lost through leaching,
It’s a safer, healthier and more sustainable
that would otherwise be lost through leaching,
It’s a safer, healthier and more sustainable
ou don’t need animal
o
then return them to the soil when they are
Y
then return them to the soil when they are
a
way to grow food. You don’t need animal l then return them to the soil when they are
way to grow food.
way to grow food. ou don’t need animal
u
e
e
n
t

n
i
a
d

o
n
d
m

’
It takes just a few weeks and plants
dug in.
manure to grow fruit, vegetables
manure to grow fruit, vegetables dug in. It takes just a few weeks and plants
vegetables
dug in. It takes just a few weeks and plants
manure to grow fruit,
such as clov
and crops and a number of
such as clover can add nitrogen. It’s easy, you
and crops and a number of such as clover can add nitrogen. It’s easy, you
and crops and a number of
er can add nitrogen. It’s easy,
you
let
sow fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing plants, let
sow fast-growing, nitrogen-fi
xing plants,
organisations hav e been sow fast-growing, nitrogen-fi xing plants, let
organisations have been
organisations have been
The
proving it for years. The them grow, then dig them back into the soil
proving it for years.
them grow, then dig them back into the soil
proving it for years. The
them grow, then dig them back into the soil
V
Vegan Organic Network to enrich it. This improves soil fertility, adds
Vegan Organic Network
adds
egan Organic Network
to enrich it. This improves soil fertility, adds
to enrich it. This improves soil fertility,
is one of them and nitrogen, improves soil structure, gives better
is one of them and
is one of them and
nitrogen, improves soil structure, gives better
nitrogen, improves soil structure, gives better
encourage gardeners
encourage gardeners drainage or water retention, suppresses weeds
encourage gardeners
drainage or water retention, suppresses weeds
drainage or water retention, suppresses weeds
and attracts benefi
cial insects.

and attracts beneficial insects.
and commercial
and commercial
and commercial and attracts benefi cial insects.
L
growers to go stockfree.
iquid feed for seedlings can be made from
iquid feed for seedlings can be made from
growers to go stockfree. Liquid feed for seedlings can be made from
growers to go stockfree.
comfrey and nettle leaves. Fill a container with
egan-
“V
comfrey and nettle leaves. Fill a container with
They say: “Vegan-
They say:
They say: “Vegan- comfrey and nettle leaves. Fill a container with
cuttings of comfrey and/or nettles,
organics is any
organics is any
organics is any cuttings of comfrey and/or nettles, cover with
cover with
cuttings of comfrey and/or nettles, cover with
water and leave for 2-4 weeks. The resulting
water and leav
The resulting
e for 2-4 weeks.
system of cultivation water and leave for 2-4 weeks. The resulting
system of cultivation
system of cultivation
that avoids artifi
cial
that avoids artificial rich dark liquid is packed with nutrients and
that avoids artifi

cial

rich dark liquid is packed with nutrients and
rich dark liquid is packed with nutrients and
112 VEGANFOODANDLIVING.COM