What to do with compost

[MarkHackwell]

So this year I’m trying to be a vegan gardener as much as possible. The problem I have is I have lots of compost from last year that I grew my potatoes in and I had put chicken manure in them then. Does everyone think this would have gone by now?

[rary]

If it was used for growing potatoes I would think most of it will be used up, but there could still be traces of it, as you have said "as much as possible" I think you may have to accept a certain amount of animal waste, after all soil is made up of various things along with vegetative and animal waste but I do wish you well in your efforts

[veggiechicken]

I would think it has broken down into the soil - you won't be able to pick it out bit by bit
If you're on an allotment, you have no idea what went on there beforehand - whether it chemicals or manure.
In my view, the only way forward is to say - "from now on it'll be animal-waste free".

[bikermike]

What Rary said. In some ways, it will be impossible to tell, some nutrients will be identical from animal and plant sources, and there will be other animal elements in the soil in any event.

Bearing in mind that you cannot undo what has been done (that animal pooped and you can't put it back), so it's more ethically sound (I would say) to carry on using it. No compost/fertiliser etc doesn't involve some environmental damage even if it's just taking growing space that could be used by wild things. So in terms of minimising animal cruelty using it won't undo any cruelty that was done (however you define it), and in terms of harm to animals as part of the environment, using new will add to the harm done.


If that doesn't appeal, why not use it to grow plants you won't directly eat, but are helpful to the growing space - comfrey etc for compost and/or flowers for bees/seeds for birds etc.

[Muddy_Boots]

I would think it has broken down into the soil - you won't be able to pick it out bit by bit
If you're on an allotment, you have no idea what went on there beforehand - whether it chemicals or manure.
In my view, the only way forward is to say - "from now on it'll be animal-waste free".

I just wonder how far you can go by trying to go animal waste free on an allotment, I know you can personally stop adding farm type manure to do this but like in my case it would be impossible. I say that mainly because we are surrounded on 3 sides by houses so domestic cats do wander around the allotments, also we are raided by the occupants of 2 local Badger setts during the summer especially and Foxes do frequent the plots as well. I've even dig up a Pidgeon on plot 1 that a fox had caught, killed and cached by burying it on my plot eeeewwww.

These inevitably do have to poop somewhere and I've come across plenty on all 3 of my plots and then there are the birds ...... they poop enough on my car and manage to hit the target with the dexterity of Robin Hood so I wonder how much ends up on the soil. Don't want to sound dismissive of the idea but unless you surround your plot with a wire fence and cover it over the top with a roof you will never completely stop animal waste ingress onto your plot.

Or am I reading too much into the subject and sounding like a complete idiot, it does happen sometimes.

[veggiechicken]

We've already had this discussion at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ers_98580.html

[bario1]

I’d imagine The OP means commercially produced animal waste products? How do you realistically stop a wood lice pooing in your compost?

[mcdood]

Put a nappy on him?

[Snoop Puss]

I would think it has broken down into the soil - you won't be able to pick it out bit by bit
If you're on an allotment, you have no idea what went on there beforehand - whether it chemicals or manure.
In my view, the only way forward is to say - "from now on it'll be animal-waste free".

Ever the voice of reason, VC. (Maybe I should delete the 'ever'? )

[Two_Sheds]

Veganism, for most, is about avoiding the exploitation of animals.
It doesn't mean that you seek to stop animals (cats, woodlice, pigeon) 'using' or entering your garden

[Mark_Riga]

I would have thought that vegans would not want to exploit animals as 2sheds says - so nothing like BFB but animal (and human) wee and poo are very valuable commodities that need to be used and recycled as part of the natural scheme of things. In fact in my books it would be criminal not to use such products that don't exploit anything.
There are plenty of sparrows in our garden so many must have died there. Would you not use this natural fertilizer?

[Two_Sheds]

animal (and human) wee and poo are very valuable commodities that need to be used and recycled

Ah, Humanure. You're right