The next time you bite into a tasty tomato, you might just have human pee and a fireplace to thank if new research labeling human pee and wood ash as a "natural fertilizer" is adopted by the farming industry.
Scientists say a combination of human urine and ash yielded the largest crop of tomatoes, compared with those that received only urine or a mineral fertilizer. Tomatoes grown with ash and urine also contained higher levels of magnesium, a nutrient that plays a chief role in workings of the human body, such as muscle function and keeping a steady heart rhythm. Still, all tomatoes were ranked "equally tasty".
This dynamic fertilizing duo might aid farmers in the future, but harvesting the pee presents some concerns. Traces of pharmaceutical drugs and hormones found in human urine could affect the crop's growth, though some researchers say past studies on similar residues in animal-manure fertilizers suggest they are not an issue. If you're wishing to try this new fertilizer on your backyard garden however, hormone amounts in a single family's urine "could be acceptable", one researcher said.
Growing season for tomatoes in Central Florida ends late in December and begins around early February. So if you're hankering to grow your own crop of tomatoes, the time is ripe. Check out this video for quick tips on home-growing tomatoes.
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