This secret ingredient from your bathroom could give your plants the boost they need!
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In a world where sustainability is becoming more than just a buzzword, scientists turned heads with a rather unconventional proposal.
This unique and sustainable natural fertiliser has been readily available for years. Still, scientists are just now praising it as a possible golden ticket to a greener garden and healthier environment.
The proposal in question?
Use human urine as a natural fertiliser for growing vegetables. Yes, you read that correctly!
The very byproduct we flush away daily without a second thought could be the key to sustainability.
The concept might raise some eyebrows, especially among our seasoned gardeners, but let's delve into the science behind this eco-friendly gardening hack.
Urine, it turns out, is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, two essential nutrients that plants crave. These elements are the same ones that farmers shell out a hefty $128,000 a year for when they purchase synthetic fertilisers.
But what if we told you that your own personal supply could be just as effective and far more cost-efficient?
The average adult sends about 132 gallons of urine down the drain each year, which could be transformed into a whopping 13 pounds of fertiliser. That's a lot of potential plant food going to waste!
Researcher Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez from ScienceNorway said, ‘Our urine is worth its weight in gold.’
‘Think about all the fertiliser we're missing out on now…It's high time we start collecting and utilising our own waste.’
Turning urine into a plant superfood is more straightforward than you might think.
Scientists are developing innovative toilets designed to separate urine from the rest of the wastewater.
These toilets are already being tested in Ethiopia.
The separated urine can then be dried and converted into odourless pellets that can be spread across farmland, providing a sustainable and inexpensive alternative to traditional fertilisers.
Anne Spurkland, a professor and medical researcher at the University of Oslo, suggests a DIY approach: mix one part urine with nine parts water and apply the solution to your vegetable garden using a narrow spout watering can.
According to her, the soil bacteria will do the rest. She said, ‘Soil bacteria transforms the nitrogen into new building blocks that plants utilise.’
Using human waste in any form might sound risky, but research from the University of Michigan in 2020 has put those fears to rest.
The study confirmed that urine-based fertiliser can be used without the risk of spreading antibiotic-resistant infections, as long as the urine isn't fresh and is aged for at least 10 hours.
This results in a 99 per cent drop in antibiotic-resistant genes.
Dr. Krista Wigginton, a co-author of the University of Michigan study, points out that it's time to rethink our infrastructure and salvage valuable products before they're lost in the sewage mix.
She said, ‘Humans have been collecting urine and using it for fertiliser for a long, long time, but then in the west that really stopped with the invention of (the) sewage system.’
‘We are just trying now to figure out with this infrastructure system that we have.’
She then asked, ‘How do we pull back and think differently about what goes into this sewage system and capture some of those valuable products before [they] get mixed and diluted with everything else?’
Is this veggie growing tip just a little too intimidating for you?
You can check out this discussion wherein our members share their best gardening tips!
Will you be boosting your veggies with this secret ingredient from your bathroom? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
This unique and sustainable natural fertiliser has been readily available for years. Still, scientists are just now praising it as a possible golden ticket to a greener garden and healthier environment.
The proposal in question?
Use human urine as a natural fertiliser for growing vegetables. Yes, you read that correctly!
The very byproduct we flush away daily without a second thought could be the key to sustainability.
The concept might raise some eyebrows, especially among our seasoned gardeners, but let's delve into the science behind this eco-friendly gardening hack.
Scientists suggest the use of urine as a sustainable alternative to more expensive fertilisers. Image Source: Pexels / Artem Podrez
Urine, it turns out, is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, two essential nutrients that plants crave. These elements are the same ones that farmers shell out a hefty $128,000 a year for when they purchase synthetic fertilisers.
But what if we told you that your own personal supply could be just as effective and far more cost-efficient?
The average adult sends about 132 gallons of urine down the drain each year, which could be transformed into a whopping 13 pounds of fertiliser. That's a lot of potential plant food going to waste!
Researcher Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez from ScienceNorway said, ‘Our urine is worth its weight in gold.’
‘Think about all the fertiliser we're missing out on now…It's high time we start collecting and utilising our own waste.’
Turning urine into a plant superfood is more straightforward than you might think.
Scientists are developing innovative toilets designed to separate urine from the rest of the wastewater.
These toilets are already being tested in Ethiopia.
The separated urine can then be dried and converted into odourless pellets that can be spread across farmland, providing a sustainable and inexpensive alternative to traditional fertilisers.
Anne Spurkland, a professor and medical researcher at the University of Oslo, suggests a DIY approach: mix one part urine with nine parts water and apply the solution to your vegetable garden using a narrow spout watering can.
According to her, the soil bacteria will do the rest. She said, ‘Soil bacteria transforms the nitrogen into new building blocks that plants utilise.’
Using human waste in any form might sound risky, but research from the University of Michigan in 2020 has put those fears to rest.
The study confirmed that urine-based fertiliser can be used without the risk of spreading antibiotic-resistant infections, as long as the urine isn't fresh and is aged for at least 10 hours.
This results in a 99 per cent drop in antibiotic-resistant genes.
Dr. Krista Wigginton, a co-author of the University of Michigan study, points out that it's time to rethink our infrastructure and salvage valuable products before they're lost in the sewage mix.
She said, ‘Humans have been collecting urine and using it for fertiliser for a long, long time, but then in the west that really stopped with the invention of (the) sewage system.’
‘We are just trying now to figure out with this infrastructure system that we have.’
She then asked, ‘How do we pull back and think differently about what goes into this sewage system and capture some of those valuable products before [they] get mixed and diluted with everything else?’
Is this veggie growing tip just a little too intimidating for you?
You can check out this discussion wherein our members share their best gardening tips!
