Human urine is beneficial as part of a composting system as it has a high nitrogen content along with containing potassium and phosphorus. These three are the main nutrients that are essential to healthy plant growth and ones that you see referred to as NPK on plant fertilizer labels.
Urine can act as a starter for a compost, encouraging the decomposition process, such as adding urine to a pile of leaves. Recipe 4: Straw bale bathroom You can urinate directly on a bale of straw until the straw decomposes, and this compost can later be added to your garden.
Urine, too, is a great compost stimulator. Obviously, the stiff shot of nitrogen and a bit of moisture both help, and the uric acid (urea) is also very beneficial. 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.
Urine can also speed up the chemical process in the compost heap, making it a better fertiliser to help grow vegetables and save even more energy in reducing food miles. Male urine is better than female urine because it is slightly less acidic.
Excessive amounts of urine will add too much nitrogen, slowing decomposing. Adding pee to a compost pile too frequently will result in a build-up of salts in the compost, which can lead to a toxic environment for the microbes doing the decomposing, slowing, or stopping the composting process.
Group use: When mixing urine from multiple people, again, it's probably sterile, though there is more chance of pathogens, especially from accidental fecal contamination. Store the urine for 6 months in a sealed container before using it, and wait another month before eating the food crops as an added precaution.
Urine can be used as a fertiliser without fear it will fuel the spread of antibiotic resistance, researchers have revealed – although they urge caution against using fresh bodily waste to water crops. Urine is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus and has been used for generations to help plants grow.
– Coffee grounds can be an excellent addition to a compost pile. The grounds are relatively rich in nitrogen, providing bacteria the energy they need to turn organic matter into compost.
Not just anywhere is acceptable, but many places are. Dirt roads in remote spots are good. Avoid paved surfaces, areas near other campers and ornamental vegetation. Think about where you'd urinate in the wilderness and use such an area for dumping urine.
Sawdust is a good component for a compost pile. Mix sawdust with dense materials such as grass clippings, wet leaves, vegetable remains, etc. This will allow air into the mix. More air speeds up the composting process and cuts down on potential odors.
Your Compost Smells Like Ammonia (Urine-like)
If your compost pile smells like a backed up outhouse toilet mid-August, then it's very likely that the pile has too much nitrogen ("green") materials for the amount of carbon ("brown") to properly aerate and break down.
Choose a space in your yard for your compost pile that is easily accessible year-round and has good drainage. Avoid placing it right up against a fence and ensure there is a water source nearby. Your compost pile will break down in sun or shade.
You may be surprised to learn that your compost pile needs just as much water as your live plants. Dry compost doesn't work.
Overall, the biogeochemical degradation of a pulse of human urine extended for no more than 20–30 days after application, when at least 90% of the total N introduced by an amendment of urine was converted to NH3 and NH 4 +.
Create a solution using 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and 2 to 4 drops of dish soap or liquid laundry detergent. Using a spray bottle, apply the solution generously to any stained areas, allowing the mixture to soak in. Wait for the mixture to dry.
Dispose of the urine sample specimen containers and used vials/gloves/face mask into biohazard waste bags (double bagged) with each bag tied.
Banana peels are a great ingredient for your compost or worm farm, adding lots of nutrients to the organic recycling process.
Special instructions: Drain any excess liquid down the sink before composting filters and tea bags. Remove any staples from the tea bag before composting. Put nylon and other fabric-based tea bags into the garbage (tea leaves can be separated out for the compost).
Let's just start out by saying: putting egg shells in your compost is okay; they are a rich source of calcium and other essential nutrients that plants need.
As a general rule for home garden use, dilute 'fresh' urine with water 3 or 4 parts to one, mixing only as much as you will use that day. Dilute 10 to one, for very young or delicate plants. It is recommended that you use this as an occasional fertilizer, not more than twice a week, and not every time you water.
Some of the plants that like urine fertilizer the most are cabbage, papaya, beans, tomatoes, hibiscus, okra, maize, pumpkins, passion fruit and cucumbers, which produce larger fruits and vegetables due to the high nitrogen content in the urine.
It is too strong to be used neat on most plants and should be diluted. Dilute one part fresh urine to 10-15 parts water for application on plants in the growth stage. Dilute one part fresh urine to 30-50 parts water for use on pot plants, which are much more sensitive to fertilisers of any kind.
While humans will urinate several times a day, it is not necessary to add it all to the compost heap – too much is not always a good thing. The main issue to consider when putting urine on compost is the ratio of green and brown materials that you have in the heap. Ideally, you want a 2:1 ratio of brown-to-green.