Animal free compost for herbs/salad veg?

[feral]

I was just wondering if anyone could recommend a home made compost for herbs and salad veg? I managed to get a green manure compost from B&Q last year but can't get it anywhere this year :( . I don't want organic (ready to buy) manure as if it has chicken poo in it it'll be too acidic. The ready to buy composts don't have the ingredients list on them so I can't see which ones have bone meal etc in them. I was thinking of mixing some peat & sand and feeding it weekley with organic sea weed liquid. Any keen growers out there with any ideas? Thanks for reading this :)

[Mr Flibble]

What do you call a stone aged man?

How much of the stuff do you need?

[feral]

Just enough for a 2" window box, two hanging baskets & about 6 small pots.

I don't know what do you call a stone age man?

[terrace max]

Here's one you could try...

http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2221

Haven't tried it myself (producing home-made vegan compost is my day job) -but the folk at HDRA/garden organic are very helpful if you need any more details...

Seaweed feeds and fertilisers are the business when it comes to window boxes/container growing IMO.

[herbwormwood]

If you want peat please read this first and then decide if you still want it:)

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6124

Do you know anyone with a compost bin if so you could ask them to give you some
;)
It's probably the most environmentally friendly and usually home made compost only has vegetable matter in.

[Mr Flibble]

I don't know what do you call a stone age man?

peat

[feral]

peat *sighs & shakes head sadly*

Thanks for the info guys, herbwormwood I was trying to avoid peat as I know it's bad but unfortunately I couldn't find any peat free compost without chemicals/possible animal bits this year. I have a compost bin but was unable to look after it properly during the winter so it hasn't rotted enough yet.
Thanks terrace but unfortunately they only deliver that to the UK mainland which won't do me. I needed something today as I need to pot the herbs on before I go on holiday on monday. I'm afraid all I could find was a bag of peat so I'll just feed it myself for now. Terrace I was using organic tomato plant food for everything last year and decided to switch to the seaweed this year after reading good things about it :)

[paulvegan]

if u live near brighton u r welcome to some of mine (compost full of compost)
how about making ur own

[terrace max]

sorry feral - forgot to check where you were in the world :o - maybe there's a local alternative??

you should find the seaweed stuff more kinda 'all-purpose' than tomato food, but they both smell pretty bad if you splash them around a lot and it doesn't rain for a few days....


peat

:rolleyes:

[feral]

Aaaww thanks paul, but Belfast is a lil bit too far to travel from for compost ;) . I did have a stab at it but was very ill this winter so didn't get to tend to it (keep it warm etc)... hopefully I'll do better this winter.

Thanks terrace, I was using the tomato food for my edibles & house plants... all the planters etc were done in my dad's special & potent mix he makes for his nursery so happily only need watered the rest of the summer :D

[paulvegan]

do it all year round , it heats it self up keep it warm, urine:o:eek: is a good to get it started , just bung in ur veg peelings etc theres some good sites on the web for info.good luck i'll help if i can:)