As veganic growers we sometimes find ourselves in need of seed starting soils, potting mixes and composts. It is not always evident as to which are 100% plant based. Making your own mixes and composts is the best way to ensure that there are no animal derived products within. However, when we are first beginning or in need of larger quantities sometimes a purchased option is the most efficient.
Here is the NAVCS-Certified Veganic vetted list of researched mixes. All other inputs that NAVCS approves can be found in the Veganic Standard: Permitted and Prohibited Practices and Inputs List
*Note to ensure a 100% plant-based mix, contact the company directly as mixtures are subject to change without warning by producers.
| Brand (Seed-starting and Potting Mixes-bagged) | Product | Where to buy? |
| Espoma www.espoma.com | Organic Seed Starter Premium Potting Mix | Throughout US- Select Garden Centers/Online |
| Fafard www.fafard.ca | Agro-Mix G-6, G-7, G-9, G-10 | US and Canada-Selected Garden Centers |
| Jiffy | Natural & Organic Seed Starting Mix | US and Canada-Selected Garden Centers/Online |
| Premier Tech-Golfgreen www.canadiantire.ca | Organic potting mix | Canada-Canadian Tire |
| Pro-Mix www.pthorticulture.com | HPO-Biostimulant + Mychorrizae | US and Canada-Selected Garden Centers/Online |
| Sungro www.sungro.com | Black Gold Seedling Mix | US and Canada-Selected Garden Centers/Online |
| Sungro www.sungro.com | Black Gold Just Coir | US |
| Sungro www.sungro.com | Sunshine Mix #1 | US |
| Brand (Composts-bagged) | Product | Where to buy? |
| Biocanna www.canna.ca www.canna.com | Bioterra Plus | US and Canada-Online |
| Peaceful Valley www.groworganic.com | Organic Compost | US-Online |
| Purple Cow www.purplecoworganics.com | Indicanja | US/Midwest selected Garden Centers and online |
| Wakefield www.wakefieldbiochar.com | Premium Compost | US-Online Lowe’s/Home Depot/Amazon |
United States State-by-State
| Brand (Composts-bulk) | Product | Where to buy? |
| St. Isidore Farm www.stisidorefarmak.com | Fairbanks Organic Compost | Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Colville Compost www.colvillecompost.com | Leaf Compost | Arkansas |
| Bee Green Recycling www.beegreen.green | Compost | SF Bay Area, California |
| NoCal Ag Service www.nocalagservice.com | Organic Green Waste Compost | Central and Northern, California |
| San Pasqual Valley Soils www.spvsoils.com | Planter’s Blend Compost | San Diego County, California |
| Sloat Garden Center www.sloatgardens.com | No-Poo Compost | California |
| Big Earth www.bigearthsupply.com | Compost Soil | Colorado |
| Madison Earth Care www.madisonearthcare.com | Organic Leaf Compost | Connecticut |
| Meadows Farms Nurseries www.meadowsfarms.com | Leaf compost | DC, Maryland, Virginia |
| Hawaiian Earth Recycling www.hawaiianearth.com | Organic Soil + Compost | Big Island, Oahu, Hawaii |
| Kihei Compost LLC kiheicompost@gmail.com | Plant-based Compost | Kihei, Maui, Hawaii |
| Southern Idaho Landscape Center www.southernidaholandscapecenter.com | Organic Soil Builder Compost | Southern Idaho |
| Midwest Compost www.midwestcompostllc.com | Leaf Mulch | Chicago, Elgin, Illinois |
| Schmelly’s Dirt Farm www.schmellys.com | Basic Brown mulch, sugarcane begasse, rice hulls, coffee chaf | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Patuxent Nursery www.patuxentnursery.com | Organic Leaf Compost | Bowie, Maryland |
| Minnesota Mulch & Soil www.mnmulchandsoil.com | Yard Waste Compost | Minnesota |
| Specialized Environmental Technologies www.setmn.com | STA Tested Organic Compost | Minnesota |
| Kurtz Nursery www.kurtztopsoilandmulch.com | Leaf Compost | St. Louis, Missouri |
| St. Louis Composting www.stlcompost.com | Leaf Mulch | Missouri |
| Mountain West Products www.mountainwestbark.com | Forest Compost, Soil Pep | Montana, Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington |
| Agresource www.agresourceinc.com | Leaf and yard waste compost | New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) |
| C.J Krantz Organics www.cjkrantztopsoil.com | Organic Leaf Compost | Western New York |
| Town of Southold, New York www.southoldtownny.com | Screened leaf compost, shredded leaves | Southold, New York |
| Area Mulch and Soils www.areamulchandsoils.com | Certified Organic Compost, Leaf Mulch (aged) | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| H. Hafner & Sons www.hafners.com | Aged Leaf Mold | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Rogue Compost www.roguecompost.com | Composts and Grower’s Blend | Oregon |
| Shadybrook Farm www.shadybrookfarm.com | Compost (leaf compost) soil ammendment | Yardley, Pennsylvania |
| Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. www.rirrc.org | Earthlife Organic Compost | Rhode Island |
| Seaside Mulch www.seasidemulch.com | NuLeaf Organic Compost | South Carolina |
| Texas Organics www.texasorganicsoil.com | Vegetative Compost | Texas |
| Texas Pure Products www.texaspureproducts.com | Texas Pure Compost | Texas |
| Freestate Farms www.freestatefarmsva.ca | Nutrient Blend Mulch | Virginia |
| Terra Firma www.rvarecycling.com | Plant-based Compost | Virginia |
| Eagle Rock www.eaglerockandbark.com | Plant Compost | Tri-cities area, Washington |
| H&H Wood Recyclers www.hhwoodrecyclers.com | Leaf Compost | Clark County, Washington |
Canada Province-by-Province
| Brand (Composts-bulk) | Product | Where to buy? |
| City of Edmonton www.edmonton.ca | Horticultural Compost | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Columbia Shuswap Regional District www.csrd.bc.ca | Kickin’ Compost | Salmon Arm, British Columbia |
| Earthco Premium Soils www.earthcoresources.ca | Blueberry and Leaf Compost | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Earthco Premium Soils www.earthcoresources.ca | Blueberry and Leaf Compost | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Marcel Coté Excavation www.excavationmarcelcote.com | Plant-based Compost, De-composed forest mulch | Québec, Québec |
| Multi vrac Econo www.multivracecono.com | Plant-based compost, forest mulch | Québec, Québec |
| The Classic Landscape Company www.classiclandscapeco.com | Compost Soil | Regina Area, Saskatchewan |
**If your region is not listed, you can do an internet search and look for companies that deliver topsoils, mulches and composts. You may need to confirm that the compost ingredients do not contain products of animals if the description is not detailed.
Over the course of our research, we have found that there are a few, especially municipal composting sites, that have a 99% plant-based compost, but allow eggshells. Contacting the compost company and asking them to eliminate that product from curbside pick-up will create a 100% plant-based compost for all.