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[Mangrove]

I've noticed over my short lifetime that the use of substances derived from human beings such as stool, vomit, limbs and vital organs for fertilizing, making compost or otherwise enriching a growing medium (as is commonly done with the excrement and/or bodies of other animals) is shunned upon by the gardening community. Some have told me that human-derived fertilizer fodder may be toxic to plants but can't substantiate their assertions. I would like to know if anyone here has experience with composting human products and how it effected the quality of soil in comparison to the use of other animal products and/or excrement.

Zei Gezunt,
Mangrove

[Mangrove]

Also is it true that one can fight-off mealy bugs with über-concentrated urine?

[BubbleCat]

Remember this ?

[Mangrove]

Mein Bayernfreulein, NEIN nein nein nein! I don't mean to start any ruckus, honest! I'd like to know if human excrement and/or organs could be useful for fertilizing things which aren't succulents, which Radium conducted his (incomplete) research on.

[cactusman]

from what I've read you can use human waste but it has to be processed and composted a certain way to be safe to do.

[MadPlanter]

Human urine works fantastic for a liquid fertilizer. I personally have been using it for years. Mix down good with water since it's 18% nitrogen. I usually put a half gal of urine in a two gal watering can. Some people foliar feed with it too but that's probably not the best idea on leafy greens for consumption.

As for humanure they say to compost it thoroughly for minimum of 6 months to over two years. Most doing this have a compost toilet system in which they sprinkle wood shavings on it after each bowel movement. I haven't personally used feces but have observed others doing so with great success. I've been considering trying it eventually.

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[Mangrove]

I'd imagine our stool may be too nutrient and toxin dense (intuition). Now if you'll excuse my I need to enrich my compost bin... Do I still need to keep it moist while it decomposes?

[MadPlanter]

If you eat a standard American diet and or take pharmaceutical drugs/bad recreational drugs I would figure it is unwise to use your feces. Over time bioaccumulation/biomagnification would become an issue. Plants uptake toxins from the composted feces all while adding new toxins and reintroducing the same toxins over and over. That said if you lead a healthful natural lifestyle ID figure it's not a bad thing.

Yes I would keep it moist. Wood shavings being high carbon and the poop being high nitrogen should stir up composting activity quickly with some moisture for the microbes. Also a bit of flour or molasses should kick start microbial activities too.

Beware of biosolids though. Brand names such as milorganite or dillo dirt etc. These are the concentrated solids from the municipal water treatment facilities. Anything that goes down the drain ends up in those products. If you look closely at the label on the packages it even admits the product contains cancer causing agents. Pharmaceutical and recreational drugs, household chemicals, micro plastic, herbicides and pesticides, heavy metals etc galore in those products. Please don't use that literal SHIT. Watch documentary called "Biosludged" for more details of these products and the EPA's cover-up of this shit being promoted as good clean organic fertilizers. In theory using this waste product sounds "green" and good but it's impossible for this shit not to be highly toxified.

[Rainbowslug]

Faeces and urine have been used as fertilizers for a long time, often referred to as night soil. You might be interested in reading this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuse_of_excreta#As_fertilizer which also points you to WHO Guidelines for the Safe Use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater - Volume IV: Excreta and greywater use in agriculture

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