Using your own pee as fertilizer??? OK, there, I said it.

[Delilah]

Right then, here goes...

Is anyone willing to admit to using their own pee as a source of nitrogen (from urea) and trace elements to fertilize plants, and to tell us about it? How well does it work?

I know human pee isn't perfectly organic in this day and age, but provided the 'supplier' is not taking any drugs or hormones it should be pretty good stuff, no?

What would be the optimal dilution for watering purposes, assuming a normally hydrated human?!

Which plants are likely to appreciate it? Which might not?

Thanks

[gixxerific]

I save mine for the compost when I'm in the basement. As far as putting it straight on plants. I haven't really done that per say. Afraid it might be too hot. Plus I was waiting for someone other than myself to start this post so I could find out.

[kimbledawn]

When I started gardening last season and was having so many problems getting my plants to grow, I did research and urine was one of the solutions. I started collecting from everyone in the house and mixed it with compost tea for watering. This year we haven't needed it for watering the plants directly( my plants are doing great ) but we do use it for the compost.

[soil]

if your body is free of most nasty chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs, feel free to dilute the urine 1:20 (urine:water) and apply. use as fresh as possible don't let it sit around before you apply.

[engineeredgarden]

I pee on my compost every evening when I get in from work, but never use it on the plants in the garden. Although I don't have the distance I once had when only a child, I still manage to hit the front part. Hehe.....

EG

[smallfarm]

Isn't it also a good pest deterrent? I pee by the barn to keep skunks and coyotes away.

[Sage Hermit]

I gotta go

[Ozark Lady]

I have heard of folks taking wood ashes, making a pile of them, then urinating on them. Doesn't this make salt peter? After a time, they harvest this and use it in their gardening. Personally, I haven't tried it. But there is urine in the barn bedding and it really boosts the garden, why wouldn't the same idea work with grass clippings?

I have even read about compost toilets, and how the urine was collected and mixed with lawn clippings for gardening.

Just remember, too much is still too much. And can go toxic to plants, whether fertilizers, organic or chemical, things can be overdone.

[Gary350]

Many years ago I peed directly on some small plants and after a few days of that it killed the plants. It might be ok for larger plants but not good for small plants.

I fill a 5 gallon bucket with a mix of compost and wood ash. I keep it in the garage and pee in it several times every day. I make sure the compost is at least 1" below the top of the bucket. After a week to 10 days the compost starts to swell up. When the compost is up even with the top of the bucket I dump the whole thing into my compost outside. Then I start another 5 gallon pee bucket.

[Delilah]

Hooray, what a great thread! Thanks for your replies! So interesting to read about all you peeple .

(Sage hermit, are you back? Which plant got it? )

[Gary350]

I have even read about compost toilets, and how the urine was collected and mixed with lawn clippings for gardening.

Isn't that what a septic tank is? 30 years ago I lived in a house with a septic tank. I use to pump the water out of the septic tank onto the garden. WOW the plants would turn a very deep dark green and grow much larger than the plants with just tap water. I watered a Lamb's Quarters weed once just to see how large it would get and it was 12 ft tall.

[Joyfirst]

I think if you like salty food, that might be a problem for the plants too.

[The Helpful Gardener]

It is noted as particularly good for stone fruits because of the trace elements...

But it is an excellent nitrogen source too often wasted in this day and age, plus we waste good water moving it along, which as we get shorter and shorter on that good commodity, makes less and less sense...

Good thread...

HG

[Sage Hermit]

Your picture makes me feel relaxed, HG.

So the question was raised: What is the dilution ratio? Water/pee pee
all the happyfaces are yellow

...
P.S. the Raspberries.

[farmerlon]

30 years ago I lived in a house with a septic tank. I use to pump the water out of the septic tank onto the garden.

Oh my goodness ... that doesn't sound like a good idea at all.

Pee in the compost, I can understand. But, pouring human "poop water" (septic tank effluent) into the garden??? ... at least you lived to tell about it.

[The Helpful Gardener]

I'm with you FL; a bad idea all the way around.

Sage, I don't have a ready answer for dilution, but I suspect that depends on the plant. Salt tolerant types can probably take it straight up, but I'd go at least 50/50 fro most things just for safety sake...

HG

[!potatoes!]

it was suggested to me that for most vegetables, 1 part pee to 10 parts water is good, and that heavy feeders like onions you can go towards 1:1...

[The Helpful Gardener]

Thanks Tater!

HG

[Gary350]

Read Wikipedia Encyclopedia.

Its common names include saltpetre (saltpeter in American English), from Medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt of Petra" and nitrate of potash. The name Peru saltpetre or Chile saltpetre (American Peru saltpeter or Chile saltpeter) refers not to potassium nitrate but to a similar chemical sodium nitrate. Major uses are in fertilizers.

Table Salt = Sodium Chloride + Ammonia from Urine = nitrogen converts to Sodium Nitrate in the compost process.

[Toil]

in the war for independence, washington and his army relied on saltpeter collected by sympathizer women to make powder. These women were truly brave patriots; saltpeter forms where people relieve themselves often, like latrines.