Urine Fertilizer

[DeanRIowa]

I have heard that human urine can be used as a fertilizer, but I have a few questions.

How can it be used?
At what rate/dilution should it be used?
Is it safe for vegetables?
Are there plants that it should not be utilized upon?
How close to harvest time should it be stopped being used?

Any info would be great.

[Atash]

>>How can it be used?

Just like water-soluble fertilizers usually are.

>>At what rate/dilution should it be used?

I suppose that it depends on the donor's diet. If the urine in question is really yellow and smells like ammonia, then it's fairly strong. If it's clear it's rather dilute. Unfortunately a lot of the nitrogen gets wasted from runoff and evaporation. It's rather volatile.

A study in South Africa used 1:3 urine to water. A study done in Finland recommended 5-10% dilution, but it is not clear to me whether that means a solution that is 5-10% water or 5-10% urine!

I think the two issues have been smell and alkalinity. I don't think there is enough nitrogen in it to overdose most plants.

>>Is it safe for vegetables?

Yes, as long as it's not cloudy, and as long as the donor is not taking any pills containing chemicals likely to end up in the urine stream (especially birth control pills)--that, and other reasons, are why studies have usually used male donors.

>>Are there plants that it should not be utilized upon?

It's probably generally safe, especially dilute. Plants of the family Proteaceae (you don't have those in Iowa) are rather sensitive to phosphates but at that dilution rate I would be surprised if there were enough to be a problem.

Human urine IS rather alkaline, so watch the reaction from acid-loving plants, especially if it is diluted with hard water.

>>How close to harvest time should it be stopped being used?

I suppose that is up to your sensibilities, and how your family feels about it. As long as it's not cloudy it is effectively sterile FRESH (don't store it for more than about 24 hours).

[DeanRIowa]

"I suppose that is up to your sensibilities, and how your family feels about it."

I believe in the don't ask don't tell policy.

I'm not skeptical at all about that; it works great! I read someplace that a 5:1 dilution is good. I have burned plants with strong urine mixtures, so caution is advised. Urine is also an excellent nitrogen source for the compost heap.

There was an experimental program in Mexico where urban gardeners were taught to use leaves composted with urine as a growing medium; the report was that it was quite effective.

Crank up the golden shower!

[DeanRIowa]

Any specific plants that this is recommended to use on and any plants not too use this fertilizer on?

[orflo]

I tried it, it works great. A 3:1 dilution is very good. I used it only on plants with a big appetite: squash, melon, eggplant, cardoon, some cabbages and so on. I have a complete compost toilet, the urine goes away directly, and all the rest is composted. I leave this compost for about a year, the compost is very good, only the dry hay I use for covering and keeping away flies and other insects is a bit slow to decompose. I use this compost as a combination of soil improvement and fertilizer, again for some greedy plants. One thing I don't do is put the compost directly under leaf vegetables, in case some sort of bacteria didn't survive the composting process. But that's being very careful...
Frank

[ReikiHands]

We have put urine on our compost for a couple of years. No problems, just great compost. I have read of putting urine directly onto plants and garden but have not done it myself. For best results, don't use urine for fertilizer if you take prescription medication, hormones, or are ill.

[DeanRIowa]

How often would you feed the plants at a 5 to 1 dilution?

Dean

[kattmandu]

I would definitely want to do a soil test first, I would be very hesitant to use it in areas like mine that already have an alkaline soil and salinity problem.

[dcarch]

Many dogs in my area. They do their thing regularly. My front lawn looks very healthy.

dcarch

[DeanRIowa]

My dog did his duties on a basil plant of mine last year daily and it was twice as large as any of my other basil plants.

[mjkd]

And, Dean, I bet your dog did not dilute his before releasing it! LOL

[DeanRIowa]

I will get it ought there that I did not eat from that plant either. Not that I would not, but I had plenty with my other basil plants.

Dean

[ReikiHands]

We had a neighbor many years ago who, when he picked up the dog poop in his yard (from his two dogs), always threw it on his compost pile. He had huge tomatoes! They had no trees in their yard, so maybe his dogs did their duty on his garden plants in the summer.

Another man we know credits his great vegetable garden to all the sheep manure he applies each year. My farmer dad always spread cow manure on the fields. So long as we are healthy, how is using our own urine any different? Anyone ever read "The Humanure Handbook"?

[dcarch]

I read some place that, humans are so overdosed on vitamins pills and enriched foods that our urological output is supersaturated with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K ---------

dcarch