Urine, Nature's Free Plant Fertilizer
Sellers of pre-packaged fertilizer would rather you didn't know but human urine has been used since ancient times as a plant fertilizer. It contains loads of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which is good for plants. Best of all, it's free. Make sure to dilute it with at least 10 parts water to 1 part urine, or risk burning the roots of some plants. A report published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that using human urine as fertilizer didn't change the nutritional content or the flavor of cabbages on which it was used.
Human Urine As A Safe, Inexpensive Fertilizer For Food Crops [Science Daily]
Urine [Wikipedia]
(Photo: rhys400D)
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Comments:
@ThomFabian: I agree, that's hardly diluted if it that's what it is supposed to be. I'd imagine drinking a bottle of water would probably be enough to shift it that little.
So, I guess the dead spots on the lawn where dogs have peed would not be there if the urine was diluted? Is this universal for most plants?
Yeah, I already knew that. One summer, my family lived at my grandparents' house (ours had flooded and was being repaired). My siblings and I noticed some bright green patches in the back yard next to the carport. Somehow, we found out that my dad was lazy and when he was outside smoking, would just pee from the carport into the grass, fertilizing small patches of grass.
@TVarmy: So, I guess the dead spots on the lawn where dogs have peed would not be there if the urine was diluted?
I don't think a one-time pee on one spot will kill the grass. My dog uses the same two spots all the time, so the nitrogen buildup in that area is what kills the grass.
@Kanti: Plus, from Mythbusters, you can clean bloodstains from your clothes with it, too! Hurray for pee!
This is the same science as using fistank water to water your plants. The waste products and ooky bits are wonderful for plants. As for the dog spots, if you wanted to be vigilant, you could follow your dog around and water the spots where he did his business to dilute the urine, and the lawn would love it. Of course, living in Georgia, the drought means I have no grass, and the dog pee matters not.
@Kanti: Let's not forget using it as a way to get sea urchin spines out of your hand if you accidentally impale yourself on it.
While the nitrogen content of urine is probably more than adequate at a 1:10 dilution, some plants might need a bit more phosphorous and potassium than we tend to pee out.
I guess what I'm saying is for plants that aren't picky (like your lawn) this would work great. I wouldn't necessarily rely on it for fruit plants.
And remember, urine comes out of your body sterile. The bacteria it picks up along the way are what make it "not sterile." To solve this, freeze your pee for long-term storage. I suggest two (double-bagged) ziploc freezer bags.
@TVarmy: "So, I guess the dead spots on the lawn where dogs have peed would not be there if the urine was diluted? Is this universal for most plants?"
Depends on what's in the urine and how sensitive the plant is. To go to poop for a second, chicken poop is chock-full of nitrogen and a fantastic fertilizer, but if you let the chickens wander around the same part of your yard for a couple months, they'll kill all the grass ... from nitrogen burn.
Urine works the same way. Different species with different diets and digestive systems have different urine chemical makeup. And then it depends on concentration, repetition, etc.
My family that lives out in the country has cesspools on their property. The grass and trees are the healthiest plants on the place. In fact, a couple times the trees have torn up sewer mains to the cesspool trying to get at the waste.
But yes, Urine has no microbes in it when it comes out of your body. It's excess electrolytes and water. There's other chemicals in there too like Urea and Ammonia.
Which brings a good point, Farmers still use Anyhydrous ammonia to fertilize their fields prior to planting.




















That sounds pretty Eew, but then they say urine is sterile... right?