By Dr. Mercola
Farmers looking for a natural way to fertilize their crops
may need to look no further than human urine, which is naturally
rich in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus – the same
ingredients in conventional fertilizers.
Although the use of urine as fertilizer is rare (though not
unheard of) today, it has actually been used as fertilizer since
ancient times, and new research suggests it may be wise to bring
this ancient tradition back.
Beets Fertilized With Urine Grew 27 Percent Larger
In one experiment, researchers compared beets grown in four
different ways: one with conventional mineral fertilizer,
another with urine, a third with urine and wood ash, and a final
control group grown with no fertilizer.1
The beets fertilized with urine were 10 percent larger, and
those fertilized with urine/ash were 27 percent larger than
those grown in mineral fertilizer. As for nutrient content, all
the beets were similar, and in a blind taste test the beets were
rated as equally flavorful.
The researchers concluded that urine is a perfectly viable
source of fertilizer, and one that is readily available and
sustainable (the average American urinates 500 liters a year):
“ … urine with or without ash can increase the yield
of red beet and furthermore the microbial quality and
chemical quality were similar to the situation in
mineral-fertilized products.”
As for the ‘yuck factor,’ human urine isn’t nearly as ‘gross’
as it seems, since it’s virtually sterile when it leaves your
body. It also doesn’t carry bacteria like feces (and manure has
been used as fertilizer for centuries).
Further, research suggests that any residual hormones or
pharmaceuticals are likely to be negligible and basically
non-existent in urine-fertilized crops.2
Urine has also been used to fertilize cabbage, tomatoes, sweet
peppers and cucumbers, with similar favorable results, and it’s
free – unlike synthetic fertilizers that some farmers around the
world can scarcely afford.
Why Isn’t Urine Widely Used as Fertilizer?
For starters, sewage systems would have to be radically
redesigned to separate liquid waste from solid, a practice that
requires the use of separating toilets that have a divided bowl
and independent pipes to keep the urine separate.
There are other benefits to using separating toilets as well,
such as less water usage and less energy requirements in sewage
treatment. However, neither the toilets, nor the sewage systems,
are in widespread use.
If you want to use urine to fertilize your backyard garden,
feel free. But keep in mind that urine should be diluted with
water at least 10:1 for most plants and should be separated from
solid waste to avoid contamination (so collect your urine in a
bottle or bucket, or invest in a urine-separating toilet). You
can also add urine to your compost heap to enhance its
nutritional content.
Interestingly, it’s not only agriculture that could benefit
from this sustainable resource; urine has also been used to
develop fuel cells capable of charging a cell phone and may one
day be used to
power a car!
Are Microorganisms More Important Than Fertilizer?
The premise of using urine as fertilizer is certainly
preferable to chemical fertilizers, which are known
environmental pollutants. For instance, many areas of Minnesota,
which is prime farmland, now face the problem of having
dangerously elevated levels of
nitrogen in their drinking water. Health risks of excessive
nitrogen include a potential connection to cancer, as well as
thyroid and reproductive problems in both humans and livestock.
Modern fertilizer consists of varying amounts of nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium. These three are believed to be
essential for plants to grow. This is why farmers spread
fertilizer on their fields, to replace the nutrients lost. It’s
certainly not the ideal and sustainable way to farm, but it’s
thought to be the most efficient for large-scale farms. However,
these three components may not be as necessary as we think,
according to
Dr. Elaine Ingham, an internationally recognized expert on
the benefits of sustainable soil science.
Helping Plants Get the Nutrients They Need from the Soil,
Naturally
The real nutrition your plants require is actually
derived from microorganisms in the soil. These
organisms take the mineral material that’s in your soil and
convert it into a plant-available form. Without these
bioorganisms, your plants cannot get the nutrients they need. So
what you need is not more chemical soil additives, what you need
is the proper balance of beneficial soil organisms.
According to Dr. Ingham:
“It’s very necessary to have these organisms. They
will supply your plant with precisely the right balances of
all the nutrients the plant requires. When you start to
realize that one of the major roles and functions of life in
the soil is to provide nutrients to the plants in the proper
forms, then we don’t need inorganic fertilizers. We
certainly don’t have to have genetically engineered plants
or to utilize inorganic fertilizers if we get this proper
biology back in the soil.”
Interestingly enough, you can use a starter culture to boost
the fermentation and generation of beneficial bacteria much in
the same way you can boost the probiotics in your
fermented vegetables. For compost, this strategy is used if
you want to compost very rapidly. In that case, you can use a
starter to inoculate the specific sets of organisms that you
need to encourage in that compost.
Worm farmers are also creating a natural product known as
“vermicompost,” which greatly improves plant growth and make
plants more resistant to disease and insects than plants grown
with other composts and fertilizers. For optimal physical
health, you need plant foods to contain the full set of
nutrients that will allow the plant to grow in a healthy
fashion, because that’s the proper balance of nutrients for us
human beings as well. Dr. Ingham has written several books on
this topic, including The Field Guide for Actively Aerated
Compost Tea, and The Compost Tea Brewing Manual,
for more information.
Resources for Supporting Sustainable Agriculture
If you want to optimize your health, you simply must return
to the basics of healthy food choices and typically this
includes buying your food from responsible, high-quality,
sustainable sources. This is why I encourage you to
support the small family farms in your area that are using
natural sources of fertilizer and actively trying to enrich the
microbial and nutritional content of the soil, rather than
deplete it. This includes not only visiting the farm directly,
if you have one nearby, but also taking part in farmer's markets
and community-supported agriculture programs.
Not only is the food so much tastier and healthier when you
get it from sustainable, non-CAFO sources, but there is
something about shopping for fresh foods in an open-air, social
environment that just feels right. An artificially lit,
dreary supermarket -- home to virtually every CAFO food made --
just can't compete. If you want to experience some of these
benefits first-hand, here are some great resources to obtain
wholesome food that supports not only you but also the
environment:
-
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center,
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
-
Farmers' Markets -- A national listing
of farmers' markets.
- Local
Harvest -- This Web site will help you find
farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of
sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy
produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.
- Eat Well
Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals --
The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably
raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores,
restaurants, inns, and hotels, and online outlets in the
United States and Canada.
- Community
Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) --
CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting
the products of small farms.
- FoodRoutes
-- The FoodRoutes “Find Good Food” map can help you connect
with local farmers to find the freshest, tastiest food
possible. On their interactive map, you can find a listing
for local farmers, CSAs, and markets near you.
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.