composting my waste

[John Tryndamere]

I was curious, I have long known that composting your poop works well and it breaks down, but what about urine?

if you pee outside, are you helping or are you hurting? I heard if you pee regularly in the same place you kill the plants (acidity?) but does your urine even contain nutrients like your poop?

this sounds like such an odd question but I am really curious about it because I'm trying to treat my acres with as much care as possible, and anything I can do to give back is better

[rainbowgardener]

Yes, urine is a good source of nitrogen for your compost pile. If you put urine + compost into the Search the Forum Keyword box, you will find a number of threads here about it.

Humanure will make good compost (e.g. in composting toilets), but most people would recommend not using it for food crops, because of the danger of disease and parasites being passed along.

If you have compost that can maintain high temps (you could look it up how much is needed, the particular number depends on how long the temp is sustained for) for a period of time, it is usable.

Of course if you know (FOR SURE) that you and your family have no diseases/ parasites and you are only using your humanure compost for yourselves, it is probably workable.

I did in the past have a composting toilet. Since my partner is pretty cautious/ squeamish, we composted the humanure separate from the regular compost pile and just used it for flower beds. But it makes beautiful compost!

[toxcrusadr]

I don't have much to add to rainbow's excellent summary. There are definitely threads hereabout on both subjects (#1 and #2 that is).

Urine is pretty much pH neutral, so it's not acidity that kills plants. It's either excessive salt or just too darn much nitrogen that does it. So, it's good to spread it around, so to speak. Urine is relatively free of microbes/pathogens compared to poo, so there are no worries there.

[John Tryndamere]

so for all intents and purposes peeing on my compost pile would be a good thing? lol

[rainbowgardener]

yup, lots of people do, more of the male persuasion, for obvious reasons.

[carol_in_va]

Our 2 boys (11 & 13) are proud to make their contributions to the compost pile! They love to give their "super-pee" credit for the pile's rising temps.

I've been pushing my dh to pee around the garden border to discourage the deer population, who seem to think my beds are a buffet table laid out just for them.

[toxcrusadr]

I have wondered if that will work as a deer deterrent. I haven't had any official confirmation but I'm doing it anyway. If nothing else it fertilizes the flowers...