Human Urine As A Source Of Nitrogen

[EVP MAN]

I been reading on the net about studies that have been done using urine as fertilizer. Sounds like it's safe to use when diluted. In different experiments that were done, human urine really seemed to increase production in certain vegetable crops big time! The articles also state that urine is loaded with nitrogen. Perhaps it's not just human urine but any urine. My neighbor told me that many years ago he knew an old farmer that used to take a bucket out in the morning and catch urine right from his cows while they were urinating. He would then pour the urine between the rows of his plants. My neighbor said this farmer done this his whole life and always grew wonderful veggies. I would imagine that he would of diluted this urine also as not to burn the plants. I know what happens when my dog pisses on the lawn.....LOL

Rich

[David Hare-Scott]

Yes

The

Yes

My neighbor told me that many

Dogs they tend to go repeatedly in the same spot which compounds the problem.

Provided that the donor does not have urinary tract infection it is safe from a health point of view. Provided that you dilute it (or water it in) it is safe from burning your plants. Large citrus trees (which are heavy nitrogen feeders) can take it undiluted in modest quantities. Everyone should teach their children to pee on the lemon tree.

David

[EVP MAN]

Well here in PA, I don't have any lemon trees but I think the experiment was conducted using tomato plants and we have plenty of them. But then I also understand that too much nitrogen produces a huge plant with very little fruit. Guess since urine is loaded with nitrogen, it may only be of value to soil that's nitrogen depleted.

Rich

[David Hare-Scott]

Or for heavy N feeders, it gets used up fairly quickly unless replaced. However David Ross is right, if your soil is at risk of becoming sodised use it sparingly.

David

[gardenlen]

g'day rich,

i wee in a bucket and this gets added to kitchen wash and/or rinse water for the vege garden, doesn't need to be diluted, but dilution makes it go further.

save flush snipped

[David Hare-Scott]

This is misleading. You are confusing using urine with the problems of using faeces as a manure. Unless properly treated the latter is a fine source of E Coli and a few more besides and a substantial risk to health.

As it passes out of the body (unless you have a urinary tract infection) urine is sterile. It might possibly pick up some bugs from your skin or the outermost reaches of the urethra but the count would be low and you are living with all that flora on you anyway. Your whole body, especially between knees and waist, is covered with such. If urine is then promptly applied to your soil the risk is minuscule, no more than background from working in the garden environment.

David

[Lelandite]

Well, if you want to pee on your plants and then eat them, go for it. It would be kind, however, to let the neighbors know when it comes time for a picnic.

Any idea how many get ecoli from eating lettuce?

Donna in WA

[Billy]

of traditional doctors and professional skeptics will tell you that urine therapy is a crock, but when it comes to skin care, urine-therapy devotees may be correct. Urea, a major component of urine, is a compound also used in many commercial moisturizing creams as a skin softener. It's an active ingredient, for example, in Carmol 10 and 20 and in Dermal Therapy Lotion. (The makers of these lotions are not distilling urine, by the way; their urea is manufactured in a lab.)

But that doesn't necessarily mean you can save money on moisturizer by drinking a ton of water. As a delivery device for urea, lotion is much more effective than pee; in order for the urea in urine to have an effect, you'd need to soak your hands long enough for the urea to be absorbed by your skin, at least five minutes. While there's no hygiene-related reason not to do so?"Urine is sterile, if a bit gross," writes Stanford dermatology professor Dr. Alexa Boer Kimball in an e-mail?those with eczema or dermatitis may see their conditions exacerbated by contact with urine.

[Billy]

Your changing the subject from No. 1 to No. 2 . Or as the ol' cowboy song went,"If I'm not number one in your life, then number two on you." ;O)

[David Hare-Scott]

I was talking about applying it to soil. I was not talking about pissing on the picnic.

Yes, many. It comes from poor food preparation practices such as dirty hands and washing lettuce in unlean water. E Coli lives in your lower gut not in your urinary tract. Dirty lettuce has nothing to do with puting urine on your soil. I was not suggesting that one should pee on lettuce, if nothing else it smells bad.

You seem to be having that eeewwww reaction that comes from your emotion not your understanding.

David

[EVP MAN]

I think I'll just piss in my compost tumbler instead! It may act as a compost starter with all that nitrogen.......hehehehe! May work better than adding a can of beer. Perhaps I'll drink the can of beer and then piss in the tumbler, that sounds like a game plan to me :)

Rich

[Charlie]

I prefer nature's own rather than lab piss.

Ahhhh....seems I must close the drain in the shower and give it a bit o' time.

Thank you, Sensai....errrrr.....Sensei!

Grasshopper

[FarmI]

The US has had quite a few problems with E coli on lettuce and Spinach and I'm sure from reading up on the issue after these outbreaks occurred, it was found to be as a result of from contamination with faecal matter. I do know that the spinach problem was from water contaminated with faeces and I seem to recall that it was from a farm next door that had dairy cows. I do recall that urine was not the culprit.

[Janet Baraclough]

The message from White_Noise [e-mail] (EVP MAN) contains these words:

Pee is an excellent compost activator. Many gardeners do exactly that; we've done it for decades.

Janet

[Janet Baraclough]

The message from "FarmI" contains these words:

Plenty of people contaminate their own home made raw food with ecoli from their own unwashed hands, which were contaminated with ecoli from their own pets or poor bathroom hygiene.

Janet

[Phisherman]

You hit the nail on the head. I get disgusted every time I use a public toilet. Most men do not wash their hands. Well, maybe not, but you'd be surprised how many of those are well-dressed in business suits. Another reason I do not eat in restaurants.

[Bill who putters]

Brought back an idea that is about 40 years old with no basis or reason for authenticating.

Seems the French wash their hands before urinating and the English after. Different hygiene world view if it is true. Sort of goes with the French Paradox on dining and health.

[Bill who putters]

Forgot to mention that the word Bidet is French.

Neat book if you can find it URL below. Check the review.

[Janet Baraclough]

The message from Bill who putters contains these words:

No , they wash after.

I hope you didn't use it for washing your hands.

Janet

[Bill who putters]