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Urine for roses
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Posted by saldut 9-10 (My Page) on Tue, Oct 20, 09 at 17:32
| Hi- Has anyone tried using urine as rose-food..... your own..... there was a discussion abt. using urine in the garden on another Forum awhile back, gross as it sounds it might work.. and I wonder if anyone has tried this... supposed to be great for the plants, and come to think of it, most Third-World countries do this, in fact, a lot of the produce etc. we import and eat has been grown this way, according to the discussion... after all, they do not have our modern sewer-systems, etc., also farmers use manure to grow the crops...... years ago, when I had babies to diaper-change, before the disposables, I used to dump the water from the diaper pail out in the garden..... comments, anyone ? ? sally |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Urine for roses
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Just an uninformed comment......Yuck!
Barb |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Urea is an excellent source of nitrogene and compost starter. Call it gold water if it sounds better. The French used to call it purine as a fertilizer. My husband keeps a potty in the shed in summer and uses it whenever he's in the garden. It is very strong and has to be diluted with 10 parts water before using it on the soil. We think it is particularly good for clematis early in the season. We don't believe in quick nitrogene fixes for roses and prefer slow release fertilizers. Besides, there is not enough urine (I don't contribute) so it usually goes to our three slatted wooden compost bins. There is no smell at all. |
RE: Urine for roses
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| It's also rumored to keep deers away |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Since Urine is essentially sterile (unlike other bodily wastes) there would be no yuck factor except in that we arent used to that sort of thing. Water it down and pour it on. patricia |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Years ago, when I had a big vegetable garden that the critters also enjoyed, my husband would fortify himself with a few beers and then go out to "pee the perimeter". After dark, of course. |
RE: Urine for roses
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| It was very considerate of your husband, sunnysideuphill, to fortify himself with a few beers just to keep the critters away from your vegetable garden. Whatta guy! I know an organic rose gardener in Tampa who saves all urine for his garden. In my MG training, they warned to either dilute it or to sprinkle it around, lest the nitrogen and salts burn the vegetation. The professor was male who was answering the question, and his largely-female class was pretty amused at his description of how to make sure that the urine was distributed. It was clear he was not envisioning peeing in a bucket...
Anita |
RE: Urine for roses
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| You cant mean in order to get a rose to grow I should put urine in the watering practice of em do you ??? No wait you cant mean that at all. Maybe your just nuts. I am not even sure why that just don't sound right to me. It's a step Id rather not take, maybe it has something to do with the Ammonia levels in urine( gee you think) Think before you speak please, or maybe you should move your roses into a dumpster after all they'll grow better there than they would in the ground am I not right? I wonder why you wont believe me, but you'll believe a nut case who tells you just add urine once a week |
RE: Urine for roses
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| It is a fast-acting source of nitrogen. Google "urea", which is sold in garden centers. Search for it over in the Soil and Compost forum, they discuss its use frequently, especially using it in compost, as our rosey friend mariannese said. Not good used alone as a fertilizer, though. |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Calm down Wesley-no one is saying you 'have' to use urine-just can you? and you can but maybe shouldn't now that I think of it if you live in town and they have laws about that sort of thing. Like I said-urine is sterile unless you have a bladder infection or something like that..there are very strange people who actually drink urine-with no ill effects-because it is full of vitamines-now there is a yuck factor. I bet you didn't want to know that. patricia |
RE: Urine for roses
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| "your just nuts" Just or unjust, I think we should keep body parts out of this discussion. In my expansive experience, I have found that urine is ineffective on deer, maybe a little effective for rabbits, burns plants quickly (why do the neighborhood dogs always use the same poor arborvitae to make their stops) and is best left for discreet discussion. |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Liz Druitt in her book "The Organic Rose Garden" discusses this subject and recommends urine full-strength around the perimeter of a rose garden and diluted around rose bushes that need to be protected. I'm not sure why this subject evokes such emotion in some people. If I had a deer problem I'd be sending my husband out there after he's had a gallon or two of coffee. It doesn't cost anything and doesn't hurt the environment so why the fuss? |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Yes, the subject is slightly indelicate, but then so is life. To add another point of view, there's an awful lot of pee being created and it has to go somewhere: I think fertilizing an ornamental garden is one of the better ways to recycle it. |
RE: Urine for roses
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| The late Es Jones who was a marvellous gardener said that diluted urine kept his roses black-spot free. |
RE: Urine for roses
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| WOW ! ! what a reaction to such a simple question----! thank you melissa thefarm you hit the nail on the head.... winterisabella please can you tell me more abt. ES JONES, and his roses, this is what I am looking for, some first-hand testimonials from folks who have experience...... thanks, sally |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Oh GOODY! Finally, something rebellious I can do (that has no real negative consequences)! I'd be adding Geltwasser to our compost corner (the ground beneath 20 shrubs in a far corner, placed as a sonic barrier to barks from a yard-full of obnoxious canines). Can it be added, undiluted, to compost? I presume the Eleagnus and Michelia roots will be protected by the two feet or so of compost they're growing beneath. And how did the late E. S. Jones apply 'Geltwasser'? As a foliar feed, or watered into the soil? I'm going to Utube the song "Wasserliebe" from Plotslichmusik, now... (it's ok...they're Swedish...) |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Es (Esmond) Jones lived in Balmain, Sydney and was one of the foundation members of Heritage Roses in Australia. He retired to his hometown on the rainshadow edge of the Hunter Valley where he continued to grow his roses despite serious health problems and perpetual drought. Here are some of the things Es had to say about his black spot treatment over the years (- he diluted it in a bucket and threw it over the plant, so he used it as a foliar feed and watered it into the soil. Rate of dilution? Pee in the bucket or watering can and fill it up with water. [Easier for the guys, I think]): "I lived in Sydney for 15 years and had all that coastal rain to keep things going. I grew most of my roses in pots because I was gardening in sand on a sandstone base.
"Own root roses seem to be able to find their own levels and, once they are well established, seem capable of surviving the worst. I think that a lot of roses are over-watered and this makes it difficult for them when the going gets tough.
"Keeping the roses healthy helps too. Every time I read about problems with blackspot I have a bit of a laugh. A bucketful of diluted pee works wonders. Easy here in the bush but a problem in town." Es Jones, May 2003 "I found an old plant of Anna de Diesbach that used to flower beautifully. It isn't in a good spot and has lilac and Gleditzia roots to contend with. It is smothered in black spot so I have started the diluted pee treatment on it." Es Jones, Dec 2004 "Why don't you people forget about rust, black spot, critters and start enjoying your gardens. You'd be amazed just how late it is. Anyone who is too proud to use diluted pee will go on suffering forever.
Yes, you guessed it. It is still very hot and dry." Es Jones. Jan 2006 |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Thank you winterisabella, what a fantastic idea and so very practical, and as you say, easier for a man... but where there is a will there's a way..... ha ha ......sally |
RE: Urine for roses
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There's a picture of Es's garden on HMF. (In the "Agnes Smith" entry)
http://www.helpmefind.com/plant/l.php?l=21.131242
b |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Thank you winterisabella, I tried finding the pics but am no good at it and finally just gave up, I worked Google up and down but no luck.. I guess Es's garden pics are just not for me but I appreciate your trying, thanks again, sally |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Saldut- If you paste the URL that winterisabella gave into your browser you should go right to the picture. If that doesn't work for you, go to the rose section of HelpMeFind and search for the rose Agnes Smith. Then go to the Photos section for that rose (the Photos tab at the top) and it is the first picture. Also I made it a clickable link to this post. HTH
Elizabeth |
Here is a link that might be useful: Es (Esmond) Jones' Garden
RE: Urine for roses
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| THANK YOU Elizabeth, it worked ! ! The link took me right there, and I love the garden, the plants are so big and lush... very English-garden type, I wish I could get my roses to look like that, here in Fla. they just don't grow like that, they need to be grafted on Fortuniana and the black-spot is terrible here...... but I keep trying.... Thanks again, I appreciate your help.... sally |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Perhaps there is something true in the addage "The grass is always greener over the septic tank." I'm fortunate to live out in the country, and I don't have a severe deer problem...perhaps, because I mark the perimeter myself... I'm not going to walk half an acre just to track dirt into my house to use the bathroom...that seems silly to me. Call me primitive, but, it's the truth. I am certainly ready to try using diluted urine as a foliar feeding/BS control on some of my less BS resistant rose. I guess I'm just not the squeemish type. When I see that pile of manure in my alpaca pen, I just see healthier roses! When I see the manure building up in the chicken house, I see healthier roses! What is scary to me is all the chemicals. I certainly don't want to add chemicals into my garden. Several of you have been to my garden...granted it's far from disease free...very far from "perfect" but it does have a beauty and charm...diseases and all. I'm back! Robert |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Robert, great to see you here again. Based on your comment above, I must make a note to call ahead before I drop in on you. :) Connie |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Hi - Well, It's easier for the men to work with this urine- thingy , isn't it ..... but I went on Google and found out that urine-urea is a main ingredient in lots of fertilizer for all kinds of crops... also, it is 48% NITROGEN--- WOW ! ! Nitrogen is what makes roses grow ! so the sqeemish folks might want to take a second look at the benefits..... the main thing is to dilute it with plenty of water......... works for me ...... sally |
RE: Urine for roses
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| Mystery writer Agatha Christie grew up in the Victorian/Edwardian ages, when indoor plumbing was rare but household help wasn't. She wrote in her autobiography that her grandmother's roses were the most beautiful in their whole neighborhood because the housemaids had been instructed to pour the "nightwater" on the roses. |
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