Urine as fertilizer for indoor plants? First of all, a bizarre idea. In view of the fact that fields are also fertilized with liquid manure, the question arises as to whether this works. Find out in this article whether the application is really good.

Urine as a fertilizer has advantages and disadvantages

Pros and cons of urine as a fertilizer

First of all, the idea of fertilizing your houseplants with your own urine is certainly a little strange. The first thing that might come to mind is the acrid odor of the ammonia produced when bacteria tamper with the secretion. However, own urine as a fertilizer also has advantages. Read for yourself what positive and negative properties the alternative to conventional fertilizer brings with it.

benefits

  • The production of artificial fertilizer requires a lot of energy, urine is an environmentally friendly alternative.
  • Urine has an even higher nitrogen content than synthetic fertilizer.

disadvantage

  • As soon as urine gets into the air, it creates a pungent odor.
  • Bacteria collect in the urea.
  • Drug residues may get into the plant substrate.

The beneficial effect of urine

Urine is a waste product of the body. When we urinate, we also eliminate minerals that we ingest from food. Proteins make up a large part of this. These amino acids are rich in valuable nitrogen, one of the most important trace elements for healthy plant growth. At a whopping 50%, urine contains more nitrogen than any comparable product. Researchers found that even when diluted, it provides the five most important minerals that accelerate plant growth.

Conclusion: the disadvantages outweigh the disadvantages

However, we saved one crucial disadvantage for last. Urine supplies indoor plants with important nutrients and thus comes very close to the function of a plant fertilizer, but we also take in a lot of table salt with our daily diet. When fertilizing with urine, this gets into the substrate and changes its pH value. Numerous indoor plants are very sensitive to a high salt content in the soil and sooner or later die.
Despite the many advantages, above all environmental friendliness, urine as a fertilizer for indoor plants is not a permanent solution. But there is nothing wrong with a rare application. Perhaps in the near future science will develop a process to filter the harmful substances out of the urine and offer plant lovers a suitable alternative to artificial fertilizers.

Category:

Indoor plants