buelligan Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I'm sure most here already know about the beneficial use of urine to activate the composting process. I saw this article this morning and it brought to my attention the water conservation aspect as well. As a woman (with a non-attached village centre garden), I'm not convinced that this is a route that I will take but some may wish to consider it.[:)][url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambridgeshire/8357134.stm[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My husband had been wandering down to the bottom shed in our UK garden for years to put his in a plastic bottle, which he then pours on to one of the compost heaps. Only in the milder months, you understand - no central heating in the shed! It's interesting to read that mens' urine is better for compost heaps than womens', due to it being less acidic. I thought we women were meant to be made of 'sugar and spice and all things nice'; turns out it's the men! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Dordogne Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 One of the oldest gardening tricks in the book and long promoted by bio/organic gardeners. I have a 5 litre plastic pot to fill up and use on the compost heaps where I can't just pee into it - we have 5 compost heaps round the garden, in daleks or free standing and it's great to help break down leaf mould.A few scare stories about not doing it if you're on some medication but my meds haven't effected the compost at all.In the USA it's called 'Californian Compost Activator' after the Californian Navy Dr that wrote a book on the benefits of doing so back in the 50s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Perhaps that's why the verges and roadsides in France are so verdant [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Since I got my prostate problem sorted out a few weeks ago I can whizz like a racehorse and apply 'draft' rather than 'bottled' to the compost heap.......that's probably more information than you wanted to know ..........[:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My o/h was brought up in a house without a loo and they thus had a chemical toilet for the main business of the day and urinated in buckets, which my fil then put on the compost heap and then on the garden. His blackcurrants won first prize at the RHS show one year - reared on my o/h's pee![:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 The real prize is the amount of water saved by this method, sadly I dont have a garden in France but my laundry basket does a good impression [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I use rainwater collected from the roof to "flush" the loo anyway - I just leave a bucket of it by the loo and use it rather than mains water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelligan Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 Chancer enthused; [quote]The real prize is the amount of water saved by this method, sadly I dont have a garden in France but my laundry basket does a good impression[/quote]Hmmm....no matter how much water you manage to save this way Chancer, I really cannot recommend peeing in the laundry basket...[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I meant that my laundry basket composts away quite happily in its own without any help from me as I refuse to use the washing machine until I have a full load.Mind you peeing in it might act as a fabric conditioner [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Bob Flowerdew calls it 'recycled cider'.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyF Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 More likely to take the colour out of everything. [:D] Until modern times urine was used by laundries and "fullers" to bleach the washing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 [quote user="KathyF"] Until modern times urine was used by laundries and "fullers" to bleach the washing.[/quote]Oddly, it was also used to produce potassium aluminium sulphate, a "mordant" used in the dyeing process.http://mama.indstate.edu/users/morgan/Dyes1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelligan Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 ...and gunpowder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thebiga Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Its good for a lot of plants in the garden such as Palms,bamboo,cannas, & banana plants as its got good nitrogen..[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelligan Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 I found this [url]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090918-urine-ash-fertilizer.html[/url] this morning. Very useful for those of us who grow tomatoes and don't wish to use commercial or non-organic fertilisers. Also this [url]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0818_050818_urinebattery.html[/url] - what would we (to pun, or not to pun) all do without good old pee eh?![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote user="Hoddy"]Bob Flowerdew calls it 'recycled cider'.Hoddy[/quote]My OH just found this again and it looks as if I will be 'doing' it now too.I always said that it was turning good bitter into larger Hoddy!!Sorry about all of the <><>< above, but I'm using Chrome at the moment and not sure how to get it working properly on this forum. It's perfect on several others, but not this alkward sod!I only got a tiny box to trype into too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 [quote user="KathyF"]More likely to take the colour out of everything. [:D] Until modern times urine was used by laundries and "fullers" to bleach the washing.[/quote]London Pride or ESB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 [quote user="Chancer"]The real prize is the amount of water saved by this method, sadly I dont have a garden in France but my laundry basket does a good impression [;-)][/quote]Dirty laundry can 'self combust' - a huge laundry nearby was destroyed this way - take care [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedon Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Real men can "re-activate" the compost heap from a distance of a couple of metres even in the recent below zero temperatures. I have to clamber to the top of a pair of steps and even then only when it is above freezing point. In my defence though I can do that whilst waving to my neighbour........with my free hand.[B] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Weedon, I realise that you probably know that this is coming, BUT if my forum name was like yours I would be keeping my head below the parapet mate (oh gawd! where the hellz me smilies gon?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedon Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Honest, it simply hadn't ocurred to me. Rest assured, I will steer clear of the gardening section again though.[:D]Here, borrow a couple of mine [:D][:D]A tip I picked up a couple of days ago on here is to go up to tools and tick [compatibility view] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Tick or wot! Done that and I promise I won't be weedon in future!! [Www][6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 WEEDON ...Message for you.....you have an excellent name as a gardener..................[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedon Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 On a par with Doug![;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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