Q&A: Fertilizer

Assuming, after the pole shift, none of the commercial fertilizers are available, can we use human excrement/urine for fertilizer in our hydroponics system? in this case for our tomato plants.

Tian

Have you ever seen tomato plants grown over a septic tank? Very prolific, though you don't want them to become too acidic from the uric acid (below 4-5ph), but not usually a problem.

Steve

 

Depends on desperation. I'd look for something else first.

John

 

Post pole shift there will be nothing else. You will have to find a way to sterilize the waste before you put it on your plants or into your hydroponic solution. Essentially, you do not want to create a loop in which microbes and parasites go from human (and other animals) to plant and then back to human (or other animals). The material present in liquid and solid waste does make an excellent fertilizer, but you don't want the microbes in it.

Roger