Minerals in the self-sufficient garden – How to benefit your animals with natural sources from the garden

A guest article by Matthias Jünger, MBA, garden-shop.at | May 28, 2025

I still remember the moment one summer when our tomcat suddenly started eating tufts of grass from the raised bed. At first, I thought it was just a typical cat thing – until I realized: This wasn't a game. It was self-medication. He had deliberately chosen a corner where I had let some mineral-rich wild herbs grow. And suddenly it dawned on me: Animals often instinctively know what they need – and sometimes it's growing right under their noses.

In my self-sufficient garden, I no longer just think about tomatoes and zucchini. I also think about the chickens, the bees, and the hedgehogs sleeping in the compost. Because minerals like silicon, calcium, or magnesium—whether from plants, rock flour, or zeolite in a raised bed —have an impact far beyond the yield. They influence the balance in the soil, in the plants, and in the bodies of our animals. And that's precisely what this article is about.

Why animal health begins in the garden

When I started my self-sufficient garden, I initially only thought about harvesting. Healthy food for us, preferably organic, preferably regional. Only later – when our chickens regularly had bald patches in their feathers and a rabbit seemed constantly tired – did I begin to dig deeper. And by that, I mean literally: into the soil. Because what I didn't understand back then is now my foundation in the garden – healthy soil is the source of all vitality. For plants. For animals. For us.
Animals don't just get their nutrients from the food we give them. They peck, scratch, nibble, and lick—and in doing so, absorb much more from the garden than you might think. If there's a lack of minerals in the soil, then they're also lacking in the plants. And thus also in the hay, herbs, and vegetables—exactly what your animals feed on. I've learned: If you want to promote animal health, you have to start with the soil.
This connection is particularly evident in the natural cycle of the self-sufficient garden. Humus-rich, mineral-rich soil not only promotes healthy plants but also creates a stable microbiome that strengthens the entire food chain. Anyone who views their garden as a habitat for animals—whether chickens, dogs, or wild bees—automatically begins to think differently about healthy soil, compost, and mineral supplements like zeolite. Because that's where your animals' well-being begins: beneath your feet.

Mineral sources from the garden – what really helps

I was skeptical for a long time when I first heard about zeolite as a soil and animal aid. A rock supposed to improve my garden? Sounds esoteric, I thought. But then I started mixing BODENKRAFT from Steinkraft into my garden paths, adding some Cleo mineral soil to the compost, and sprinkling it on the stable floor. And lo and behold: less odor, more life in the soil, more vital plants—and, above all, more relaxed animals. The zeolite not only binds moisture and pollutants, it also enriches silicon, calcium, and magnesium—mineral that your soil otherwise has difficulty providing in a plant-accessible form.

In addition to rock flour and zeolite , there are other quiet helpers hiding in the garden. Microorganisms, for example, and stinging nettle – full of iron, potassium, and silica. Or yarrow, which has antispasmodic properties and is often instinctively eaten by animals. I now deliberately leave these herbs in peripheral areas – for chickens, wild birds, and also for the bees. You don't always have to chew everything up for the animals. But you can ensure that the right things grow.

Another mineral booster is – quite inconspicuously – your own compost. If you enrich it with Cleo Mineral Soil or Leonardite , it becomes a true treasure trove for soil life and everything that grows from it. And when you return the material to the garden, it creates precisely the cycle that a healthy self-sufficient garden needs. What thrives in it not only nourishes you. It also strengthens your animals – in a natural, quiet way.

How to improve your garden for your animals

If you keep animals in your garden—or even if you regularly receive visits from hedgehogs, blackbirds, or cats—you can make a real difference with a few targeted measures. What made the biggest difference for me? I created a small "mineral lick." A mixture of dry zeolite , wood ash, and a few handfuls of dried herbs. My chickens love it—for sand bathing, beak sharpening, or just standing in it. And anyone with pets quickly realizes: animals know what's good for them.

You can also deliberately incorporate mineral-rich plants into your forage plantings. I regularly sprinkle some Cleo Mineral Soil or Leonardite into the potting soil when planting fodder beets, Jerusalem artichokes, or comfrey. This not only increases the mineral content of the plants but also supports soil life. Especially if you regularly feed animals fresh food from the garden—whether it's rabbits, quails, or goats—this is a small change with a big impact. And it saves on expensive supplemental feed.

Take a moment to consciously observe your animals. Are they licking the soil? Do they deliberately pluck certain leaves? Do they avoid other places? This isn't a coincidence. Animals have a sense of need—and of healing. If you understand your garden as an open system in which soil, plants, and animals communicate with each other, you'll care for it completely differently. And sometimes it's enough to simply spread the compost in the right place—and nature does the rest.

Garden love that carries on

At some point, I stopped seeing the garden solely as a growing area. Today, I see it as an organism—a cycle of soil, plants, animals, and humans. When I sprinkle zeolite into the soil or mix compost with Cleo mineral soil , I no longer just think of large tomatoes. I think of the quiet smacking of a hedgehog under the elderberry bush. The contented scratching of the chickens. And yes, sometimes, I also think of the question of what we all really need—to grow, to live, to be healthy.

If you want to do something good for animals, you don't have to build an entire hay lab. Just start with the soil. Give what lies beneath the earth the strength it needs – and you'll see it come alive again above. I hope you take some thoughts and ideas from this text with you to your own garden.

And if you'd like, tell me: What do you do to keep your animals healthy through your garden? Feel free to write it in the comments!

Thank you, Matthias Jünger, for this valuable contribution! garden-shop.at

Sources

(1) Steinkraft GmbH. (2025, April 1). A healthy garden with natural products: Why you should rely on zeolite and lime. STEINKRAFT Zeolite Blog. https://www.steinkraft-naturerocks.com/blogs/steinkraft-zeolith-blog/kalk-zeolith-gesteinsmehle-wirkung-pflanzen-boden

(2) Steinkraft GmbH. (2024, July 17). Nourishing the Earth: A Guide to RÖSL Vital Soil Amendments Leonardite and Cleo Mineral Clay. STEINKRAFT Zeolite Blog. https://www.steinkraft-naturerocks.com/blogs/steinkraft-zeolith-blog/leonardit-mineralerde-roesl-bodengesundheit

(3) Garden Shop. (2025, May 22). Zeolite in Raised Beds: Why Volcanic Rock Is Good for Your Vegetables. Garden-Shop.at. https://www.garden-shop.at/gemuesegarten/zeolith-hochbeet/