Photo by Benjamin Voros

Doing what’s best for your garden takes sacrifices, amiright?

And sometimes that means forsaking public decency in order to nourish those crops.

It’s not that you like peeing on plants. It’s that you’re dedicated to the growth of your delicate green babies.

I completely understand.

But if you’re not convinced that urine is a good way to go for your garden, take a look at the following reasons why you should put pee in your garden (and no, you don’t HAVE to do it directly from the source)...

Pee contains nitrogen

Hey, we all know that nitrogen is the nutrient our plants crave. They just can’t get enough of it. (Okay, it is possible to overfertilize your plants…)

But it just so happens that your pee (and every other human’s pee) is full of nitrogen!

And you’ve been paying for fertilizer like a chump…Pff.

Here’s a tip:

The next time you need to take a whiz, put it in a container and dilute it with 20 parts water to 1 part pee. Then pour it into the soil, not directly on your plants.

...And other nutrients

It’s not just nitrogen your plants will get from your own free fertilizer solution. Urine also contains phosphorus and potassium.

If you add the pee between plantings, you can use it to prep your next garden. Those nutrients will be absorbed and replenish the soil.

In fact, you can even use urine to prep your other organic fertilizers, by adding it to your compost pile.

Why pee on your compost?

It actually breaks down the decomposing vegetable matter faster, so your compost will be ready to use and be absorbed into the soil quicker.

You can use urine in hydroponics

One grower on YouTube whimsically calls this “pee-pee-ponics”, but the fancier name is anthroponics -- using human wastes as a nutrient source for plants.

And although not all experiments with urine and hydroponics are successful, with the right strategies (such as diluting the urine and oxygenating the tank), you can get pretty good results, as seen in hydroponic grower Mike Ratcliffe’s video:

Hydroponics Using Sterilised Human Urine: A Brief Proof Of concept by Mike Ratcliffe

You can put pee in edible crops

In case you think this is “not a thing”, here’s one more video of a serious grower who pees in his hydroponics tank. Don’t worry; he doesn’t pee on camera.

In fact, at about 3:55 in the video, you’ll see him pop a radish into his mouth from his own urine aquaponics setup.

Urine in Aquaponics by Bathtub Greenhouse Aquaponics

The secret with fertilizing edible crops with urine is to keep the waterline below the edible parts of the plant. That way you don’t potentially spread pathogens.

You should also wash your produce before eating.

Regardless of whether you plan to eat your peeponics plants, you should never pee directly on the plant itself.

Review of how to pee for plant growth

Option #1: Dilute pee and add to soil.

Option #2: Pee directly onto compost.

Option #3: Put pee into hydroponic tank.

The bottom line is not everyone has to do gardening the same way. If you want to add pee to your garden, we say go for it!

Want more interesting ideas for garden growth? Follow Indoor Cultivator on Facebook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use urine as plant fertilizer?

Yes, diluted human urine is actually an effective fertilizer. It is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the three primary nutrients plants need. Dilute it 10:1 (water to urine) and apply to the soil, not the leaves. It has been used in agriculture for centuries and is backed by modern research.

Is it safe to use urine on edible plants?

When properly diluted and applied to the soil (not directly on edible portions), it is generally considered safe. Studies show that urine-fertilized crops are nutritionally equivalent to conventionally fertilized ones. Apply at least a month before harvest and always wash produce thoroughly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is urine good for plants?

Human urine is actually a rich source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the three primary nutrients plants need. When diluted (approximately 1 part urine to 10 parts water), it can be an effective and free fertilizer. It has been used in agriculture for thousands of years across many cultures.

Is it safe to use urine on food plants?

When diluted and applied to soil (not directly on leaves or produce), urine is generally safe for food gardens. It is sterile when fresh in healthy individuals. Apply it to the soil around the base of plants, not on the edible parts directly. Avoid using it on root vegetables that will be eaten raw.