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13/11/2009, 6:29 buelligan Joined on 01/02/2009 Posts 425 activating compost and saving water I'm sure most here already know about the beneficial use of urine to activate the composting process.  I saw this article this morning and it brought to my attention the water conservation aspect as well.  As a woman (with a non-attached village centre garden), I'm not convinced that this is a route that I will take but some may wish to consider it. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambridgeshire/8357134.stm Fear grows in darkness; if you think there's a bogeyman around, turn on the light    Report

13/11/2009, 6:36 gardengirl Joined on 30/09/2007 SE UK/Gard Posts 1,246 Re: activating compost and saving water My husband had been wandering down to the bottom shed in our UK garden for years to put his in a plastic bottle, which he then pours on to one of the compost heaps. Only in the milder months, you understand - no central heating in the shed! It's interesting to read that mens' urine is better for compost heaps than womens', due to it being less acidic. I thought we women were meant to be made of  'sugar and spice and all things nice'; turns out it's the men! Good friends are like stars ...... you don't always see them, but you know they're always there.    Report

13/11/2009, 7:56 Tony F Dordogne Joined on 10/04/2005 Small village in the Dordogne, near St Cyprien Posts 2,103 Re: activating compost and saving water One of the oldest gardening tricks in the book and long promoted by bio/organic gardeners.  I have a 5 litre plastic pot to fill up and use on the compost heaps where I can't just pee into it - we have 5 compost heaps round the garden, in daleks or free standing and it's great to help break down leaf mould. A few scare stories about not doing it if you're on some medication but my meds haven't effected the compost at all. In the USA it's called 'Californian Compost Activator' after the Californian Navy Dr that wrote a book on the benefits of doing so back in the 50s.  Tony F Dordogne (24)    Report

13/11/2009, 8:20 Cat Joined on 21/01/2005 ------- Forum Moderator ------- Lot Posts 4,368 Re: activating compost and saving water Perhaps that's why the verges and roadsides in France are so verdant Cathy Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.    Report

13/11/2009, 8:48 Pierre ZFP Joined on 12/11/2004 PdC(62)/Luxembourg Posts 2,999 Re: activating compost and saving water Since I got my prostate problem sorted out a few weeks ago I can whizz like a racehorse and apply 'draft' rather than 'bottled' to the compost heap .......that's probably more information than you wanted to know ..........   Make tea not war    Report

13/11/2009, 10:31 cooperlola Joined on 05/05/2006 72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans Posts 8,169 Re: activating compost and saving water My o/h was brought up in a house without a loo and they thus had a chemical toilet for the main business of the day and urinated in buckets, which my fil then put on the compost heap and then on the garden.  His blackcurrants won first prize at the RHS show one year - reared on my o/h's pee! Healthcare Issues Site "I couldn't sleep very well last night. Some noisy b*ggers going around in automobiles kept me awake." Ken Miles    Report

13/11/2009, 10:53 Chancer Joined on 16/07/2006 Picardie, Sussex Posts 4,706 Re: activating compost and saving water The real prize is the amount of water saved by this method, sadly I dont have a garden in France but my laundry basket does a good impression    Report

13/11/2009, 11:00 cooperlola Joined on 05/05/2006 72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans Posts 8,169 Re: activating compost and saving water I use rainwater collected from the roof to "flush" the loo anyway - I just leave a bucket of it by the loo and use it rather than mains water. Healthcare Issues Site "I couldn't sleep very well last night. Some noisy b*ggers going around in automobiles kept me awake." Ken Miles    Report

13/11/2009, 11:36 buelligan Joined on 01/02/2009 Posts 425 Re: activating compost and saving water Chancer enthused; The real prize is the amount of water saved by this method, sadly I dont have a garden in France but my laundry basket does a good impression Hmmm....no matter how much water you manage to save this way Chancer, I really cannot recommend peeing in the laundry basket... Fear grows in darkness; if you think there's a bogeyman around, turn on the light    Report

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