- Urine as fertilizer: 12 suitable flowers and perennials
- Urine fertilizer: 10 compatible woody plants
- 8 urine-compatible vegetables and berries
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Human urine contains a variety of different substances that are suitable for fertilizing a wide variety of plants. If you want to try the alternative fertilizer yourself, we present 30 suitable plants.
Urine as fertilizer: 12 suitable flowers and perennials
Urine can be used as fertilizer for a variety of plants if not spread neat. Even diluted, urine fertilizer can severely acidify the soil and thus cannot be used for a variety of crops that require an alkaline or persistently neutral soil. Luckily, there are numerous flowers and perennials that you can feed with the fertilizer. The pH value tells you when the use of urine as fertilizer should be restricted.
Arnica (Arnica montana)
- pH: 4.2 to 5.3
- Growth height: 20 to 70 cm
- Growth width: 15 to 20 cm
Source: Rosa-Maria Rinkl, Arnica blossom in Hinterwies, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae)
- pH: 5.5 to 6.0
- Growth height: up to 1,000 cm (depending on species)
- Growth width: strongly dependent on species
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum)
- pH: 6.5 to 6.7
- Growth height: up to 100 cm
- Growth width: 40 to 80 cm
Ferns (various types)
- pH: 5.0 to 6.0
- Growth height: 15 to 3,000 cm (depending on species)
- Growth width: depends on species
Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Davallia mariesii stenolepis kz1, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana)
- pH: 5.5 to 6.7
- Growth height: 15 to 40 cm
- Growth width: 15 to 40 cm
Garden Lilies (Lillium species)
- pH: 5.0 to 6.5
- Growth height: 30 to 250 cm
- Growth width: 20 to 50 cm
Source: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia, Lirio japonés - Azucena (Lilium 'harmony') - Flickr - Alejandro Bayer, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Geraniums (Geranium)
- pH: 5.5 to 6.0
- Growth height: 20 to 150 cm
- Growth width: 40 to 50 cm
Daffodils (Narcissus)
- pH: 6.0 to 7.0
- Growth height: 10 to 100 cm
- Growth width: 10 to 20 cm
White daffodils
Carnations (Dianthus)
- pH: 6.75 to 7.0
- Growth height: 5 to 60 cm
- Growth width: 15 to 80 cm
Petunias (Petunia)
- pH: 5.5 to 6.0
- Growth height: 30 to 80 cm
- Growth width: 40 to 65 cm
Peonies (Paeonia)
- pH: 5.5 to 6.5
- Growth height: 60 to 180 cm
- Growth width: depends on species
Irises (irises)
- pH: 6.5 to 7.3
- Growth height: 15 to 120 cm
- Growth width: 20 to 60 cm
sword lily, iris
Tip: You can also provide lawns with urine fertilizer. Only apply it very diluted and not too often so that the lawn is not overloaded.
Urine fertilizer: 10 compatible woody plants
Of course, there are a variety of trees and shrubs that can be fertilized with urine. In contrast to flowers and vegetables, these can even tolerate quite high amounts if they are older specimens. The following trees and shrubs are suitable for fertilizer:
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga)
- pH: 5.0 to 6.0
- Growth height: up to 6,000 cm
- Growth width: up to 400 cm (trunk)
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
- pH: 5.5 to 8.0
- Growth height: 600 to 2,500 cm
- Growth width: 400 to 600 cm
Broom (Genista)
- pH: 4.5 to 6.6
- Growth height: 30 to 500 cm
- Growth width: 40 to 150 cm
Broom, Spartium junceum
Hydrangeas (Hydrangea)
- pH: 4.0 to 7.0
- Growth height: 100 to 700 cm
- Growth width: depends on species
Camellias (Camellia japonica)
- pH: 4.5 to 6
- Growth height: 150 to 1,100 cm
- Growth width: 100 to 150 cm
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron)
- pH: 6.0 to 7.5
- Growth height: 25 to 2,500 cm
- Growth width: 40 to 150 cm
roses (pink)
- pH: 5.5 to 7.0
- Growth height: depends on species
- Growth width: depends on species
Snowball (Viburnum)
- pH: 5.0 to 6.5
- Growth height: up to 70 cm
- Growth width: up to 70 cm
Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
- pH: 6.5 to 7.0
- Growth height: 100 to 1,500 cm
- Growth width: up to 150 cm
Cotoneaster
- pH: 5.4 to 7.0
- Growth height: 15 to 1,500 cm
- Growth width: strongly dependent on species
8 urine-compatible vegetables and berries
Human urine is often used as a fertilizer for vegetables and berries, as there are many heavy consumers in the bed who benefit from the nutrients.
Strawberries (Fragaria)
- pH: 5.5 to 6.5
- Growth height: 5 to 30 cm
- Growth width: 20 to 30 cm
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)
- pH: 5.6 to 6.5
- Growth height: up to 300 cm
- Growth width: up to 300 cm
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
- pH: 4.0 to 5.0
- Growth height: 10 to 70 cm
- Growth width: up to 150 cm
Carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)
- pH: 5.5 to 7.0
- Growth height: up to 150 cm
- Growth width: up to 20 cm
Source: AnRo0002, 20110716Hockenheim27, Edited by Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
- pH: 4.5 to 7.0
- Growth height: 15 to 100 cm (depending on variety)
- Growth width: up to 40 cm
Paprika (Capsicum)
- pH: 6.2 to 7.0
- Growth height: up to 150 cm
- Growth width: depends on species
Beets (Beta)
- pH: 6.0 to 7.0
- Growth height: 20 to 200 cm
- Growth width: depends on species
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
- pH: 6.0 to 7.0
- Growth height: depends on variety and cultivation
- Growth width: depends on variety and cultivation
Since the effect of the components of the urine is quite strong, you should never fertilize weak consumers or vegetables that store nitrates, as these are converted into nitrite by the plant. Nitrite can have a negative effect on the body and especially the blood. The following plants store a particularly large amount of nitrate and absorb far too much through the use of urine fertilizer:
- salad
- spinach
- Chinese cabbage
- savoy
- arugula
- Kale
Therefore, be careful not to accidentally fertilize these vegetables with human urine to reduce the build-up of possible toxins.
Notice: Classic fruit trees can also be fertilized with urine, as they need a lot of phosphate to grow. Just make sure they are not young trees if you want to use a higher concentration.