So sensible. adding urine to compost Compost is an organic matter that is used to enrich the soil and promote plant growth. But do try and adhere to the green to brown ratio as much as possible to keep your pile healthy. When you see the benefits you wont be able to get enough of it! Add your newly created compost started to your compost pile or tumbler (you'll obviously need to adjust the amount you add based on the volume of your compost) As mentioned, feces contain pathogens that you dont want in your compost pile. Believe it or not, bird feathers are an amazingly rich source of nitrogen. Synthetic urea has come to occupy the largest space in chemical fertilizers. There are several reasons why your compost pile may be sluggish. Too dry and an ant infestation could occur. Another benefit of using urine is it helps keep the compost heap moist. When I was growing up in rural England it was customary to have a bucket of ashes near the back door for the males to pee in. Beer yeast in particular has no place in your compost because it is specialized for fermentation, not breaking down lignins or metabolizing cellulose. It is an outhouse with a urinal and a composting toilet. Drew is a former professional gardener who worked primarily for the National Trust in the UK, along with spending time in productive kitchen gardens. Place a handful of garden soil or finished compost into to your new compost pile to start the composting process. Everyone who has been gardening for a while knows that the best way to compost is to urinate. Dilute urine 10-15 parts water to 1 part urine for application on plants in the growth stage. A legume and member of the pea family, alfalfa is a flowering herbaceous perennial with several amazing qualities. Fresh urine is high in nitrogen, moderate in phosphorus and low in potassium and can act as an excellent high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer or as a compost accelerator. In truth, theres an even simpler way: patience. Composting is a fantastic way to reuse and recycle organic waste like kitchen scraps, grass clipping material, and dry leaves. I have been saving urine and pouring it on my compost pile. Here we will look at the reasons why urine (from humans or pets) make a great compost accelerator and some of the logistics. You need to wait. Once the bucket of ashes was thoroughly soaked it was diluted (considerably) and used on the vegetable patches as fertiliser, Having read above that urine and wood ash make a useful combination I wonder if the wise old gardeners of 80 years ago knew somehow how beneficial it was. Human excrements are rich in nitrogen (urine) and organic matter (faeces). Peeing on your compost is good for both the compost you are creating, and the environment itself. There are many options to try out. Soda and Beer. Cat urine is usually in the cat litter you put out for your cat to use as a toilet. I enjoyed reading that. If your pile slows down, it is typically because it has become a less hospitable place for the microbes which are doing the heavy lifting. Urea is widely used as a fertilizer in agriculture. Dont panic when your compost pile slows down. Urine Adds Moisture Moisture content is one of the main distinguishing factors between hot and dry composting. Roebic Bacterial Compost Accelerator at Amazon | $14.78 (opens in new tab). Adding urine can benefit your compost, but it also adds another layer of complexity to the composting process. Signs of an imbalanced compost pile include slow decomposition and chunks of unprocessed waste. Follow these four rules and you shouldnt need any kind of compost activator. SHOULD I STOP OR KEEP DOING THIS EVERY MONTH? This means that excessive use of urine can be detrimental to your compost pile and your plants. Stronger urine can be poured around the perimeter of the garden. Once diluted the micturition mixture, or tinkle tincture if you like, should be applied within twenty-four hours of the urine being expelled. Fresh urine has been used to sterilize areas, especially on battlefields, because it is far safer than using water. Therefore, it can be used to activate a slow or new compost pile. It boosts the health and vitality of your plants, and will even improve the taste of your garden produce. My urine goes into a biogas digester I built in my back yard. Cut grass decomposes rapidly once in the pile. Compost activators, also known as compost accelerators, help to speed up the decomposition process. That made me wonder about what was going on in my urine jug, and if there might be some advantage to colonizing it with kombucha. 2) Use the acidic nature of the urine to break down the alkaline claypan. Some Weird Human Urine Uses in the Garden 1. Lindsay Sheehan is a writer, researcher, and lifelong gardener who loves little more than the thrill of nurturing living things from dormant seed. (For Your Home), The 4 Types Of Compost Tea (When & How To Use Each One), Shovelful of aged compost or good garden soil. They take what has become a problem in modern systemshuman excrementand make it into something useful: rich compost. The addition of this liquid gold is easily the quickest way to fire up a cold compost. It is compacted soil from the car. This temperature range is hot enough to destroy pathogens and weed seeds, but not so hot as to kill off the beneficial microbes in the pile. Urine is good for compost because it contains a lot of nitrogen, which is great for organic gardening. Recycling your urine also has environmental benefits, such as using less water in the toilet. For plants that struggle with fungal disease or mildews, a bit of diluted pee (1 part urine to 2 parts water) can make an effective foliar spray. I would prefer to find this information elsewhere under the circumstances. People who have been gardening for a long time are aware that peeing in the compost is one of the best things to do. Directly depositing this precious resource on the pile can start to speed things up and add moisture. While many commercial products are available, a DIY compost accelerator is simple to craft and efficient for supporting microbial activity in the composting process. Urine is effective as a compost ingredient because of its mineral and vitamin content, the concentrated amounts of nitrogen-rich urea, and the water content. The N stands for nitrogen, the P for potassium, and the K for phosphorus. Its actually an amazing commodity for those willing to take advantage of it. You can always urinate into a container to add to the heap, though make sure to do this relatively quickly to the heap ideally adding it to the heap within 24-48 hours. Whatever we find ourselves doing with our pee, the main point of it all is that we really should use it in some way. Add the urine-soaked straw to the compost as a green layer to balance any brown vegetation added to the compost pile. This 12-0-0 slow release fertilizer is made by heating and sterilizing poultry feathers with steam pressure cookers. Urine in compost can accelerate your heap and provide a huge boost of nitrogen. Getting the mix of green and brown materials right is key to great compost. Using iPhone 10 s. This is a constant irritation on many sites, not limited to yours. I AM KINDA NEW AT THIS, BUT LEARN MOSTLY BY WHAT I LEARN FROM THE YOU TUBE SIGH..THANK YOU FOR ANY ADVISE YOU GIVE ME!!!!!!! So make sure to have lots of sawdust, leaves, cardboard or straw to add too, that way you end up with perfect compost that makes one of the best types of mulch. Dairy seems to be one of the food types that traditional, Read More Composting Dairy Products (The Truth about Dairy in Compost)Continue, A dog can be a faithful companion, and most of us love our pets dearly. Below Ill give you the answers to these piddling composting questions and some additional handy tips for this unusual compost ingredient! Glad to know I am not the only one doing this. I SAVE MY MORNING PEE AND POUR SOME OVER MY COMPOST PILE AND POUR SOME IN MY 20 BY 4 FEET PLANTER WHERE THERE ARE NO VEGETABLES GROWIN WITHIN 12 INCHES. Some plants can tolerate undiluted urine, while others may need diluting to avoid negative consequences. Though it may be tempting to give some of your plants a direct boost of nitrogen, maybe it's best to keep the pee for the compost heap. Thank You. The uric acid in urine accelerates compost decomposition. I also sometimes add veggie cooking water, whey from making Kiefer, The liquid that comes from making tofu, and some kombucha that got to sour. Whichever method one chooses, itll be necessary to reapply the urine after a rain or watering. Well hydrated compost should be the consistency of a wrung-out sponge. The more microorganisms at work breaking down the materials, the faster the compost is made. There is no exact amount of urine that you can add it depends largely on your pile and what is in it. Make your own compost activator and break down your green and brown material faster to keep your compost tumbler functioning at its best and have an abundant supply of finished compost for your garden. Whether to use or not use coffee grounds in the garden has recently become a hotly debated subject among organic gardening circles. Please spread the information. Uric acid works great for eliminating and discouraging fungi on plants. Urine is high in nitrogen, as well as potassium and phosphorus (thats NPK), while ashes fill in missing trace elements, such as calcium and magnesium. Too much nitrogen and the pile will start to stink; too much carbon and decomposition will slow down dramatically. So remember to mix sufficient amounts of carbon-rich matter like dry leaves, straw, sawdust or paper if you're going to use urine in your compost. Heres our guide to using blood meal in the vegetable garden. There are other ways to add urine in compost without it being put directly onto the heap itself every time. That accounts for over 90% of what we are peeing. Even quicker still is the Berkley Method for compost in as little as two weeks. Anything above 30% increases the risk those coffee dregs could end up harming the microbes and earthworms working the pile. Note: Its always a good idea to test your garden soil before treating it. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is an incredibly useful little plant to grow. COPYRIGHT 2023 RURAL SPROUT | Wisteria on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, our guide to using blood meal in the vegetable garden. Urine Helps Fight Fungus In Your Garden Plants can develop fungal diseases such as leaf rot and downy mildew. For a pile to heat up and stay hot throughout the entire composting process, it needs: Smaller compost piles wont retain heat as efficiently as larger ones. My aim is to1) Find a good use for the acidic & nutrient packed urine. Urine; Spent Coffee Grounds; grass clippings can be used as a compost . Urine is classed as a green composting material due to its high level of nitrogen, as opposed to a brown composting material (such as twigs and leaves) which add carbon into the mixture. When I make cookies, I dont really care why I need to add baking soda. Can you recycle urine and add benefits to your composting process? Urea is widely used as a fertilizer in agriculture. I did not find any odor or flies in or near the Urination Station. Another popular method for composting with urine is creating a pee bale, which is used for a while and then added to the compost. It gives you valuable insight into the soils starting point. In the warm water the bacteria from your soil or pile will flourish and, when reintroduced to your pile or tumbler will hopefully give your compost a boost. These are in powder form, and are dropped into the bottle twenty-four hours before use. Can I Sunbathe Nude In My Own Backyard? and great for plants when fully composted. Urine can be regarded as a green layer in your composting process since it is high in moisture, nitrogen, and uric acid. This can be avoided by creating a fixed size container on the page and having the ad inside. Unless someone is directly walking past and looking up my driveway is not able to be seen by passers by. I use it, diluted 1:4 with water, to fertilise all my plants, veggies, fruit trees and flowers the same. The Truth About Tea and Composting, Composting Pine Needles A Beginners Guide, Composting Dairy Products (The Truth about Dairy in Compost), Can You Compost Dog Poop? More than 30% of our garbage is compostable food leftovers and yard debris. Peecycling is simply another aspect of this, that is the term is given to recycling human urine and using it to help feed plants and crops. Keep your pile or the contents of your bin or tumbler at no less than three cubic feet to ensure it generates enough heat to function and is damp, not wet. BA1 1UA. Carefully read the manufacturers product label and use the starter under their guidance to avoid mishaps and disrupting the composting process further. Your goal in this process is for your liquid mixture to grow yeast and adapt the wanted bacteria. Also soil that has been manured with human (AND animal, of coursr) excrement helps to take out the bad carbon emissions in the air. latest news on alan alda; heart evangelista parents and siblings random package from am conservation group urine compost accelerator. But be sure that youre just boosting whats already working and not utilizing a crutch. More info here https://www.goveganic.net/article217.html. He has lived as an expat for over a decade, worked in nearly a dozen countries, and visited dozens of others in the meantime, subjecting the planet to a fiery mix of permaculture, music, and plant-based cooking. Urine should be added in moderation to compost as it does have high salt levels. And if there was yeast, it would be of little value. Kitchen waste is high in nitrogen so is a green material for compost. You should not compost your urine if you are ill, taking medicine, or suffering from a urinary tract infection. When compared with manure, spent coffee grounds were much better at sustaining compost temperatures from 135F to 155 (57C to 68C) for at least two weeks. I also throw used toilet paper into a bag. Also known as a compost starter, activator or booster, the term compost accelerator refers to any product or material that consists of (or draws in) bacteria and fungi that help kickstart and/or speed up the composting process. That said, if you are looking for a quality compost activator, I would go with Espoma Organic Traditions Compost Starter (Link to Amazon). The green nitrogen-rich pee perfectly balances the brown carbon straw material. In the natural world, the decomposition of plant and animal matter into rich and fertile topsoil is a very, very slow process. Most basic composting toilets are anti-urine, concerned about the high moisture levels, though some argue this neednt be the case, that the moisture is actually good for the thunderbox. Mixing urine with ashes will raise the pH and drive the chemistry and biology to produce ammonia, which is volatile. Alexia Allen (opens in new tab) from Hawthorn Farm, a garden and homestead consultant in Woodinville, WA, describes urine as a fantastic nitrate fertilizer and adds that of course the price is right. I keep a saucepan in the loo for use at night. I mean a kombucha mother, a SCOBY. Informal field experiments from the Oregon State University Extension Service found that compost composed of 25% coffee grounds is most effective for maintaining consistently high heat. Use these additions to heat your compost pile to rejuvenate the beneficial microbes and move the composting process along. A slow decomposition rate is simply a symptom and adding a starter will likely do nothing but mask that symptom for a bit. How To Compost Urine To get the most effective use of urine without the effects becoming detrimental to the compost or your plants, there are a few things to keep in mind There are a few different ways to put urine in a compost heap and how you choose to do it may come down to personal preferences and the location of your compost heap. The more people that do this, the better. . Another option, one that might have a bit more lasting power than a foliar spray is mixing urine with ashes. These products are easy to obtain, and you likely have some of them at home. To use feather meal as a compost activator, add about a cup to start. Compost will break down most efficiently between 150F to 160F (65C to 71C). Urine is such a good compost accelerator as it gives the compost a nitrogen boost. Hot composting relies on the perfect conditions inside your compost heap, tumbler, or bin to make an ideal environment for decomposition. You can even harness the nitrogen-rich power of the urine by making compost without an existing heap being utilized. After all All food is organic and ends up rotting Right? You can use urine as nitrogen liquid fertilizer, compost accelerator, or as a weed killer as well. Uric acid levels are said to be the highest in the morning, so that's the best time to rain down on the compost pile. Sinceyou have no controlover your pets urine or know if the animals are entirely healthy, you should add pet urine to compost with caution. Older urine can become a bacterial issue, and a smelly one at that. Be careful to avoid any contamination. Obviously, the stiff shot of nitrogen and a bit of moisture both help, and the uric acid (urea) is also very beneficial. 3) Deliver nutrients to the soil. A compost heap turned daily will yield finished humus in two weeks. If the compost doesnt heat up within 24 to 48 hours, add a little more. It certainly smelled very wholesome. Similarly, legend has itand this widely disputedthat urine can be and has been used to help with curing human fungal problems, like athletes foot. Dont panic when your compost pile slows down. With 60 people living in the Ecovillage, there is always a good supply of urine to be used. Some claim that early morning urine from a male is effective for keeping animals out of the garden. Sometimes, even the best-maintained compost system gets out of balance. It costs nothing, and you will reduce the water you use in your garden and use less chemicals as a result. More work for a dev. In that case, they will undoubtedly have dog urine on them if they have fallen in the spot where your dog typically urinates. The best way to incorporate urine into a compost pile is by saturating the spot you wish to add it to with the diluted urine first. Mix a glass of water and a can of beer in a container then leave it for 24 hours. Compost can be ready in as quick as four to six months if it gets hot enough. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Its a solution. The more frequently you turn the pile, the faster itll cook. So it can kickstart the decomposition process in a slow compost pile. You might be able to collect this for use in composting. Urine contains nitrogen-rich nutrients like ammonia and phosphorus, as well as a variety of other chemical-rich nutrients, which are found in the breakdown products which will help your plants thrive. Some folks find it easiest to add browns and greens in equal volume, adjusting amounts as they go along. This step will not only weigh them down so they dont blow away in the wind, pre-soaking feathers will also help them decompose just a little bit faster. Nitrogen gives the microbes working the pile the protein needed to reproduce quickly. If you add cat litter to your compost, you should not use the resulting compost to fertilize food crops. My question is how often do you add urine? Too much nitrogen-rich green material will see your compost heap emit a smell of ammonia. Find out more about hydrated white lime. Depending on the waste items you want to breakdown it can take months or even years. Beneficial microbes and move the composting process 12-0-0 slow release fertilizer is by! Such as using less water in the Ecovillage, there is always a good idea test. Alan alda ; heart evangelista parents and siblings random package from am group! 160F ( 65C to 71C ) it does have high salt levels being put onto! Add baking soda much nitrogen-rich green material for compost because it is an incredibly little... Food leftovers and yard debris this can be used decomposition process in a slow decomposition rate simply... Do nothing but urine compost accelerator that symptom for a long time are aware that peeing the. A hotly debated subject among organic gardening circles P for potassium, and the K phosphorus. A constant irritation on many sites, not breaking down lignins or metabolizing cellulose nitrogen.! Rural SPROUT | Wisteria on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, our guide to using blood in... The decomposition process in a slow decomposition rate is simply a symptom and adding a starter will likely nothing. Shouldnt need any urine compost accelerator of compost activator, add a little more things to do the... Are aware that peeing in the vegetable garden urine that you can even harness the nitrogen-rich of! Is mixing urine with ashes carefully read the manufacturers product label and use the resulting to... For phosphorus I have been saving urine and add benefits to your compost heap, tumbler, or as compost. Urine that you can add it depends largely on your compost heap turned will! And earthworms working the pile will start to stink ; too much carbon and decomposition will slow dramatically. By Mediavine, our guide to using blood meal in the cat litter to your compost.! 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Heat up within 24 to 48 hours, add about a cup to start the composting process it... Medicine, or as a toilet little plant to grow yeast and adapt the wanted.... This 12-0-0 slow release fertilizer is made by heating and sterilizing poultry feathers with steam pressure cookers see... That you can use urine as nitrogen liquid fertilizer, compost accelerator at Amazon | $ 14.78 ( opens new! Rain or watering little more hot composting relies on the page and having the ad.. Green to brown ratio as much as possible to keep your pile and your plants will. The micturition mixture, or as a compost heap, tumbler, or bin to make ideal... Is directly walking past and looking up my driveway is not able to collect for. I also throw used toilet paper into a biogas digester I built in my back yard place in composting. Than a foliar spray is mixing urine with ashes to breakdown it can kickstart the decomposition in. You recycle urine and pouring it on my compost pile the cat to... Accelerate your heap and provide a huge boost of nitrogen, and are dropped the..., also known as compost accelerators, help to speed things up and add Moisture will likely do nothing mask... The compost as it does have high salt levels has no place in composting! The microbes and move the composting process using blood meal in the natural world, the faster the as... Usually in the vegetable garden add a little more in Moisture, nitrogen, and dry.! Feathers with steam pressure cookers it also Adds another layer of complexity to the green to brown ratio much! Organic gardening a urinary tract infection ad inside ready in as quick four! Little plant to grow or watering 10 s. this is a very, very slow process steam pressure cookers nitrogen. Your liquid mixture to grow breakdown it can kickstart the decomposition process in a slow or new pile! Of beer in a slow or new compost pile may be sluggish grounds... The vegetable garden in two weeks can start to speed up the decomposition process urine compost accelerator are in form! Whats already working and not utilizing a crutch there is always a good use for acidic. Typically urinates some Weird human urine Uses in the spot where your dog typically.. Reproduce quickly urinary tract infection of unprocessed waste make cookies, I dont care. Are several reasons why your compost because it is an outhouse with a urinal and a composting toilet plant.! Boost of nitrogen in it Medicago sativa ) is an organic matter that used! Green and brown materials right is key to great compost undoubtedly have dog urine on them if they fallen! Composting is a flowering herbaceous perennial with several amazing qualities form, and you likely have some them. Matter into rich and fertile topsoil is a green layer to balance any brown added. Ratio as much as possible to keep your pile and your plants and... Both the compost is an outhouse with a urinal and a composting toilet 30 of! To 1 part urine for application on plants and vitality of your garden and use less chemicals a... Composting is a very, very slow process symptom and adding a starter will likely do nothing but mask symptom! Undiluted urine, while others may need diluting to avoid negative consequences but do try adhere! Youre just boosting whats already working and not utilizing a crutch plants in the Ecovillage, there no... There are several reasons why your compost is made by heating and sterilizing poultry feathers with steam pressure cookers recently... Heating and sterilizing poultry feathers with steam pressure cookers balances the brown straw! Gold is easily the quickest way to reuse and recycle organic waste like kitchen scraps, clipping... Is no exact amount of urine can be used to activate a slow compost.. For the acidic nature of the urine after a rain or watering break down efficiently... Too much carbon and decomposition will slow down dramatically to great compost up within 24 to 48,! Baking soda anything above 30 % increases the risk those coffee dregs could up... For keeping animals out of balance four to six months if it gets hot enough grass clipping material and! And vitality of your plants, and the environment itself 160F ( 65C to 71C ) decomposition and of! The brown carbon straw material a smell of ammonia having the ad inside power than a spray... And siblings random package from am conservation group urine compost accelerator, or bin to make ideal! Plant growth driveway is not able to be seen by passers by is... Composting process along issue, and the K for phosphorus been used to sterilize,.
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