Using Pee in the Garden. It's free!!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Here are the results of some research I did about recycling this important resource.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Pee contains the following nutrients: <o:p></o:p>
15g N per day<o:p></o:p>
1g P per day<o:p></o:p>
2 g K per day<o:p></o:p>
Or<o:p></o:p>
5 kg N per year (11 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
0.4 kg P per year (1 lb)
0.7 kg K per year (1.5 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
That is enough to fertilize 3000 square feet of garden beds, although K may need supplementation.
<o:p></o:p>
One problem with using Pee is salt. Pee contains about 15g per day of NaCl depending on diet. Salt can be toxic to especially sensitive plants (beans, strawberries, onions and carrots) and can degrade the soil texture. However, by diluting Pee with water or adding gypsum, that problem is minimized. Salt is very soluble and is washed away with water from rain or irrigation. Salt can be a problem in very arid conditions though.
<o:p></o:p>
There are minimal health risks. Pee is basically sterile and ultra filtered by the kidneys. If someone has hepatitis, caution should be used. Schistosomiasis is a problem in tropical lakes in the Middle East and Africa but not here. Adding Pee to the compost pile is a very safe practice and helps the breakdown of nitrogen poor brown garden wastes. You can’t get an organic certification is you use human waste in the garden. However, the practice is widely used in China and was used by the Maya.
<o:p></o:p>
The nitrogen in Pee is mostly from Urea. Urea is manufactured industrially (100 million tons per year) and 90% of that is used for fertilizer. Urea has a neutral pH but will break down into ammonia within a day or so, causing a strong ammonia smell and raising the pH. It’s best to dispense Pee into the garden or onto the compost pile before that happens.
<o:p></o:p>
Using Pee in the Garden. The Integral Urban House (1977) recommends diluting Pee 5 to 1 with water and spreading over a 6 square foot area per person per day. Each day, you move to a new 6 square foot area. Repeat that twice a year. A higher concentration per square foot could possibly burn the plants with an overdose of ammonia or salt. The book also recommends using about 1 pound gypsum to the soil per 100 square feet per person per year to counteract salt.
Use diluted Pee in the compost pile to carry the nitrogen deep into the pile.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Our results have been great. Any other experiences?
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Sources for further information:
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Integral Urban House (1977)<o:p></o:p>
World Toilet Organization on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
Ecosan on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
phooph
10-27-2008, 10:06 PM
My garden is very small but for what I have I use pee. I also supplement with some other things such as Bloom or I get really big leaves and not enough blossoms. If I am consistent and add pee every time I water I get great results - big, lush plants, and big fruits (zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, etc.) When I had a lemon tree I got lemons the size of small grapefruits.
Using Pee in the Garden. It's free!!!<o:p></o:p>
Here are the results of some research I did about recycling this important resource.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Pee contains the following nutrients: <o:p></o:p>
15g N per day<o:p></o:p>
1g P per day<o:p></o:p>
2 g K per day<o:p></o:p>
Or<o:p></o:p>
5 kg N per year (11 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
0.4 kg P per year (1 lb)
0.7 kg K per year (1.5 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
That is enough to fertilize 3000 square feet of garden beds, although K may need supplementation.
<o:p></o:p>
One problem with using Pee is salt. Pee contains about 15g per day of NaCl depending on diet. Salt can be toxic to especially sensitive plants (beans, strawberries, onions and carrots) and can degrade the soil texture. However, by diluting Pee with water or adding gypsum, that problem is minimized. Salt is very soluble and is washed away with water from rain or irrigation. Salt can be a problem in very arid conditions though.
<o:p></o:p>
There are minimal health risks. Pee is basically sterile and ultra filtered by the kidneys. If someone has hepatitis, caution should be used. Schistosomiasis is a problem in tropical lakes in the Middle East and Africa but not here. Adding Pee to the compost pile is a very safe practice and helps the breakdown of nitrogen poor brown garden wastes. You can’t get an organic certification is you use human waste in the garden. However, the practice is widely used in China and was used by the Maya.
<o:p></o:p>
The nitrogen in Pee is mostly from Urea. Urea is manufactured industrially (100 million tons per year) and 90% of that is used for fertilizer. Urea has a neutral pH but will break down into ammonia within a day or so, causing a strong ammonia smell and raising the pH. It’s best to dispense Pee into the garden or onto the compost pile before that happens.
<o:p></o:p>
Using Pee in the Garden. The Integral Urban House (1977) recommends diluting Pee 5 to 1 with water and spreading over a 6 square foot area per person per day. Each day, you move to a new 6 square foot area. Repeat that twice a year. A higher concentration per square foot could possibly burn the plants with an overdose of ammonia or salt. The book also recommends using about 1 pound gypsum to the soil per 100 square feet per person per year to counteract salt.
Use diluted Pee in the compost pile to carry the nitrogen deep into the pile.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Our results have been great. Any other experiences?
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Sources for further information:
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Integral Urban House (1977)<o:p></o:p>
World Toilet Organization on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
Ecosan on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Sara S
10-28-2008, 07:33 AM
I noticed years ago that where my dog usually relieved herself that the weeds were uncommonly lush!
Using Pee in the Garden. It's free!!!<o:p></o:p>
Here are the results of some research I did about recycling this important resource.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Pee contains the following nutrients: <o:p></o:p>
15g N per day<o:p></o:p>
1g P per day<o:p></o:p>
2 g K per day<o:p></o:p>
Or<o:p></o:p>
5 kg N per year (11 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
0.4 kg P per year (1 lb)
0.7 kg K per year (1.5 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
That is enough to fertilize 3000 square feet of garden beds, although K may need supplementation.
<o:p></o:p>
One problem with using Pee is salt. Pee contains about 15g per day of NaCl depending on diet. Salt can be toxic to especially sensitive plants (beans, strawberries, onions and carrots) and can degrade the soil texture. However, by diluting Pee with water or adding gypsum, that problem is minimized. Salt is very soluble and is washed away with water from rain or irrigation. Salt can be a problem in very arid conditions though.
<o:p></o:p>
There are minimal health risks. Pee is basically sterile and ultra filtered by the kidneys. If someone has hepatitis, caution should be used. Schistosomiasis is a problem in tropical lakes in the Middle East and Africa but not here. Adding Pee to the compost pile is a very safe practice and helps the breakdown of nitrogen poor brown garden wastes. You can’t get an organic certification is you use human waste in the garden. However, the practice is widely used in China and was used by the Maya.
<o:p></o:p>
The nitrogen in Pee is mostly from Urea. Urea is manufactured industrially (100 million tons per year) and 90% of that is used for fertilizer. Urea has a neutral pH but will break down into ammonia within a day or so, causing a strong ammonia smell and raising the pH. It’s best to dispense Pee into the garden or onto the compost pile before that happens.
<o:p></o:p>
Using Pee in the Garden. The Integral Urban House (1977) recommends diluting Pee 5 to 1 with water and spreading over a 6 square foot area per person per day. Each day, you move to a new 6 square foot area. Repeat that twice a year. A higher concentration per square foot could possibly burn the plants with an overdose of ammonia or salt. The book also recommends using about 1 pound gypsum to the soil per 100 square feet per person per year to counteract salt.
Use diluted Pee in the compost pile to carry the nitrogen deep into the pile.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Our results have been great. Any other experiences?
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Sources for further information:
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Integral Urban House (1977)<o:p></o:p>
World Toilet Organization on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
Ecosan on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
twogeeksbydacreek
10-29-2008, 04:50 PM
Interesting info, and interesting idea... I have a couple of additions, though. Pee is NOT in any way sterile, this is a myth that I believed, as well, but now, taking microbiology classes, I totally get it that pee is not sterile. At one point in our bodies, it is more sterile than others, but sorry, there is "flora" (misnomer, too, as there really isn't plant matter there) everywhere (one of the major components to keeping us healthy).
That being said, the salt issue comes up. Soil is home to innumerable microorganisms and only some of them can survive with a high salt environment, so I would be concerned about even diluted urine...
Ah, more stuff for me to research...
phooph
10-29-2008, 09:27 PM
My brother, who has a PhD in agronomy (soil science), says that pee is perfectly good fertilizer and both the human and animal variety have been used since the beginning of agriculture. Salt will only be a problem in areas where there is a lack of rainfall and all water is through irrigation, which in itself can cause salt to build up in the soil. Whether pee is sterile or not is irrelevant unless there is some highly contagious pathogen such a cholera that can survive in the environment and may contaminate the food or the people harvesting it. Soil itself is full of microbes.
Interesting info, and interesting idea... I have a couple of additions, though. Pee is NOT in any way sterile, this is a myth that I believed, as well, but now, taking microbiology classes, I totally get it that pee is not sterile. At one point in our bodies, it is more sterile than others, but sorry, there is "flora" (misnomer, too, as there really isn't plant matter there) everywhere (one of the major components to keeping us healthy).
That being said, the salt issue comes up. Soil is home to innumerable microorganisms and only some of them can survive with a high salt environment, so I would be concerned about even diluted urine...
Ah, more stuff for me to research...
twogeeksbydacreek
10-29-2008, 09:48 PM
Nifty!
nicofrog
11-03-2008, 01:47 PM
Yay pee;
If you pee in the same spot a lot, it will smell like an old urinal p u
move around entertain your neighbors!
A good way is to pee on a straw bale sitting in loose, damp soil, the worms will enter the straw bale, they to will "go" In the straw bale as well!, and their incredibly perfect bacteria etc will begin the process of decomposing the straw into something they can eat, then they will eat it and transform it into perfect, safe and very potent fertilizer!
Also avoid using PERLITE, and VERMICULITE in your garden soil, or
potting mix .these unnatural kiln fired products are micro silicatious and
discourage worm population they are also dangerous to human lungs in their dry dust form. You can use fine red lava for the same soil effects
and it bio degrades into great minerals as well.The only reason the "industry doed not use lava(cheaper) is that it weighs more...shipping costs. sigh.
Well mulched damp garden soil rarely has sodium problems.
Remediate Joyfully, call me to replenish your worms
Nicofrog
Using Pee in the Garden. It's free!!!<o:p></o:p>
Here are the results of some research I did about recycling this important resource.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Pee contains the following nutrients: <o:p></o:p>
15g N per day<o:p></o:p>
1g P per day<o:p></o:p>
2 g K per day<o:p></o:p>
Or<o:p></o:p>
5 kg N per year (11 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
0.4 kg P per year (1 lb)
0.7 kg K per year (1.5 lbs)<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
That is enough to fertilize 3000 square feet of garden beds, although K may need supplementation.
<o:p></o:p>
One problem with using Pee is salt. Pee contains about 15g per day of NaCl depending on diet. Salt can be toxic to especially sensitive plants (beans, strawberries, onions and carrots) and can degrade the soil texture. However, by diluting Pee with water or adding gypsum, that problem is minimized. Salt is very soluble and is washed away with water from rain or irrigation. Salt can be a problem in very arid conditions though.
<o:p></o:p>
There are minimal health risks. Pee is basically sterile and ultra filtered by the kidneys. If someone has hepatitis, caution should be used. Schistosomiasis is a problem in tropical lakes in the Middle East and Africa but not here. Adding Pee to the compost pile is a very safe practice and helps the breakdown of nitrogen poor brown garden wastes. You can’t get an organic certification is you use human waste in the garden. However, the practice is widely used in China and was used by the Maya.
<o:p></o:p>
The nitrogen in Pee is mostly from Urea. Urea is manufactured industrially (100 million tons per year) and 90% of that is used for fertilizer. Urea has a neutral pH but will break down into ammonia within a day or so, causing a strong ammonia smell and raising the pH. It’s best to dispense Pee into the garden or onto the compost pile before that happens.
<o:p></o:p>
Using Pee in the Garden. The Integral Urban House (1977) recommends diluting Pee 5 to 1 with water and spreading over a 6 square foot area per person per day. Each day, you move to a new 6 square foot area. Repeat that twice a year. A higher concentration per square foot could possibly burn the plants with an overdose of ammonia or salt. The book also recommends using about 1 pound gypsum to the soil per 100 square feet per person per year to counteract salt.
Use diluted Pee in the compost pile to carry the nitrogen deep into the pile.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Our results have been great. Any other experiences?
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Sources for further information:
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Integral Urban House (1977)<o:p></o:p>
World Toilet Organization on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
Ecosan on the WEB<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>