It's good to pee on your compost heap

I have lost count at the amount of compost heaps I have peed on during my time as a professional gardener.

There is more than one reason gardeners pop to the compost toilet. One it is often hidden from view and screened by hedges, fence or wall so it offers a little privacy and two, because a gardener knows it is doing some good.

urine contains Urea - Urea breaks down into Ammonia which breaks down further into Nitrogen.

Nitrogen is both a fertiliser and also essential in the composting process to help break down the organic matter.

The National Trust property Wimpole Hall has introduced a 'pee bale' so that male gardeners can answer the call of nature and at the same do some good for the garden - it also reduces the amount of water used to flush the toilet.

I have even been known to pee directly on my asparagus bed.

Watch this National Trust video for a much more conventional way of making compost

How to make and use compost in your garden from Tamasine Johnson on Vimeo.

...or take a look at this YouTube video on urine composting of straw bales.

Image: National Trust

Comments

[Elspeth]

Hahaha - great title. I had to read this article

http://www.elspeth.tumblr.com