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

A guest article by Ing. Matthias Jünger, MBA

I still vividly remember the moment our cat suddenly started eating tufts of grass from the raised garden bed one summer. At first, I thought it was just typical cat behavior – until it dawned on me: this wasn't play. This was self-medication. He had deliberately chosen a corner where I had let some mineral-rich wild herbs grow. And suddenly it hit 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 think only about tomatoes and zucchini. I also think about the chickens, the bees, and the hedgehogs that sleep in the compost. Because minerals like silicon, calcium, and magnesium—whether from plants, rock dust, or zeolite in raised beds —have effects 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 and locally grown. Only later – when our chickens regularly had bald patches in their feathers and a rabbit constantly seemed tired – did I begin to dig deeper. And by that, I mean literally: in the soil. Because what I didn't understand back then is now the foundation of my 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, they absorb far more from the garden than you might think. If the soil lacks minerals, then the plants will lack them too. And that includes the hay, herbs, and vegetables – exactly where your animals feed. I've learned that if you want to promote animal health, you have to start with the soil.
This connection is particularly evident in the natural cycle of a 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 sees their garden as a habitat for animals—whether chickens, dogs, or wild bees—automatically begins to think differently about healthy soils, compost, and mineral supplements like zeolite. Because the well-being of your animals begins right there: 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 supplement. A rock supposed to improve my garden? Sounds like esotericism, I thought. But then I started mixing Steinkraft's BODENKRAFT (Soil Power) 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 vigorous plants – and above all, more relaxed animals. The zeolite not only binds moisture and pollutants, it also enriches the soil with silicon, calcium, and magnesium – minerals that your soil otherwise struggles to provide in a plant-available form.

Besides rock dust and zeolite, there are other silent helpers hiding in the garden. Microorganisms, for example, and nettles – 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 growing in the margins – for chickens, wild birds, and also for the bees. You don't always have to spoon-feed the animals everything. But you can make sure the right things are growing.

Another mineral booster – quite unassuming – is your own compost. Enriching it with Cleo mineral soil or leonardite transforms it into a treasure trove for soil life and everything that grows from it. And when you return the compost to the garden, it creates the very cycle a healthy, self-sufficient garden needs. What thrives in it nourishes not only you, but also your animals – naturally and quietly.

Here's how you can improve your garden for your animals

If you keep animals in your garden – or even just regularly get 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 licking area." It's a mixture of dry zeolite , wood ash, and a few handfuls of dried herbs. My chickens love it – for dust bathing, beak sharpening, or simply standing in it. And anyone who has pets quickly realizes: animals know what's good for them.

You can also deliberately incorporate mineral-rich plants when planting fodder crops. I regularly sprinkle some Cleo mineral soil or leonardite into the planting soil when I plant 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 give animals fresh food from the garden—whether rabbits, quail, or goats—this is a small change with a big impact. And it saves on expensive supplementary feed.

Take some time to consciously observe your animals. Do they lick the soil? Do they selectively pluck certain leaves? Do they avoid other areas? This isn't by chance. Animals have a sense of need – and of healing. If you understand your garden as an open system where soil, plants, and animals communicate with each other, you'll care for it in a completely different way. And sometimes, simply spreading the compost in the right place is enough – and nature will do the rest.

A love of gardening that spreads

At some point, I stopped seeing the garden merely as a place to grow things. For me, it's now 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'm no longer just thinking about big tomatoes. I think about the soft smacking of a hedgehog under the elderberry bush. About the contented scratching of the chickens. And yes, sometimes I also think about 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 set up a whole haymaking laboratory. Just start with the soil. Give what lies beneath the earth back the strength it needs – and you'll see how it comes alive again above ground. I hope you'll take some thoughts and ideas from this text with you into 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 Conditioners Leonardite and Cleo Mineral Earth. 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 this volcanic rock is good for your vegetables. Garden-Shop.at. https://www.garden-shop.at/gemuesegarten/zeolith-hochbeet/