🌱 What if the most powerful soil trick in history wasn’t a fertilizer you buy—but one that was banned nearly two centuries ago?
In this video, we uncover the forgotten 1800s farming method that turned barren land into fertile soil almost overnight—so effective it was outlawed for being “too good.” You’ll discover why governments banned it, the surprising science behind its success, and how modern gardeners are safely bringing it back today.
👉 Perfect for seniors and home gardeners, this video will show you:
✔ The fascinating history of “night soil” and why it worked better than compost.
✔ How nutrients in urine—called “liquid gold”—still outperform many commercial fertilizers.
✔ Safe, practical ways to apply these lessons in your own backyard garden.
✔ Senior-friendly gardening tips that save money, reduce effort, and boost soil fertility.
✔ Why compost and natural nutrient cycling are still the foundation for sustainable gardening.
By the end, you’ll see why this banned trick still holds the power to outgrow compost—and how you can use it to create thriving, resilient soil for generations to come.
🔔 Don’t miss out—subscribe for more timeless gardening wisdom reimagined for today’s backyard!
#gardeningtips #organicgardening #soilhealth #compost #sustainableliving #gardeningforseniors #urinefertilizer #regenerativegardening #diyfertilizer #gardeninghacks
have you ever heard of a soil trick so powerful it was banned not because it failed but because it worked too well in the mid 1800s farmers across Europe and America discovered a method that could turn barren ground into fertile soil almost overnight fields that once struggled suddenly produced two or even three times the usual harvest for families depending on every bushel it was nothing short of a miracle and yet this practice was outlawed it was branded dangerous unsanitary even outdated not because it didn’t work but because it worked so well it threatened the new systems of industrial agriculture and fertilizer here’s the twist the principles behind this banned trick are still valid today and with modern science and safe practices gardeners are rediscovering it achieving results that even compost can’t always match so if you’ve ever battled stubborn clay soil or grown impatient waiting for compost to mature stay with me by the end you’ll know how to adapt this once forbidden method in your own backyard and why it still holds the power to outgrow compost historical backstory let’s step back in time The 19th century was a turning point for agriculture populations were exploding cities were growing crowded and fertile farmland was becoming harder and harder to maintain farmers across Europe and America were desperate they needed a way to keep their soil alive something cheap reliable and powerful that’s when they turned to a solution that was as simple as it was shocking what people called night soil now this idea wasn’t new at all in fact across Asia especially in China Korea and Japan it had been common practice for centuries farmers there collected human waste carefully aged or treated it and then returned it to the fields nothing went to waste what left the body went back into the soil fueling the next harvest historians often credit this cycle with keeping Chinese farmland fertile for thousands of years without chemical fertilizers in Japan’s Edo period human waste was considered so valuable it became a commodity wealthy households could actually sell their waste to merchants who delivered it straight to the countryside some farmers even competed for contracts with certain neighborhoods because the supply was seen as essential for high yields meanwhile in Europe the system looked a little different by the 1800s cities like London were bursting at the seams and so was the problem of waste disposal this is where the infamous Night Soil men came in working under cover of darkness they emptied chamber pots and cesspools hauling the contents out of town their cargo was then spread onto fields where it transformed depleted land into rich productive soil and here’s the surprising part it worked astonishingly well crops fed with night soil often outperform those nourished by traditional manure or compost farmers reported fuller heads of grain healthier vegetables and harvests so abundant they could hardly believe it to struggling communities this wasn’t just a fertilizer it was a lifeline a practice that could mean the difference between a thin harvest and a season of plenty but as you might imagine not everyone was celebrating the story of night soil would soon take a darker turn why it was banned so why was this miracle method the one that doubled harvests and kept soils thriving eventually outlawed the reasons weren’t agricultural at all they were social political and medical as cities grew denser in the 1800s sanitation quickly became a crisis imagine the crowded streets of London Paris or New York with thousands of people relying on chamber pots and cesspools when waste wasn’t handled properly it didn’t just smell bad it contaminated rivers wells and public water supplies the result was deadly waves of cholera typhoid and dysentery swept through neighborhoods claiming tens of thousands of lives understandably public opinion began to turn farmers knew night soil worked but city dwellers and officials saw it as a breeding ground for disease the very system that sustained fields now looked like a threat to human health governments responded with sweeping reforms in Europe and America massive public works projects built new sewage systems to whisk waste away out of sight out of mind instead of being recycled back into farmland nutrients were flushed into rivers and oceans and just as this change was happening a new force entered the stage chemical fertilizers by the late 1800s deposits of Chilean nitrate were being mined and shipped worldwide soon after in the early 1900s the Haber Bosch process revolutionized farming by creating synthetic nitrogen on an industrial scale for the first time in history fertilizer could be mass produced in factories promising convenience uniformity and big profits chemical companies wasted no time promoting their products they labeled waste based farming as outdated unsanitary and even dangerous their message was simple why rely on something messy and risky when you can buy fertilizer in a clean bag the marketing worked farmers began to turn away from night soil not because it failed but because society and science were being steered in a new direction by the early 20th century this once essential practice had nearly vanished from western agriculture what had sustained civilizations for centuries was now dismissed as backward and yet the truth remained when handled properly it was one of the most effective fertility tools ever used it’s remarkable effectiveness here’s the irony even as governments were banning night soil farmers and scientists alike knew exactly how effective it was take human urine for example fresh and properly handled it contains nearly the same amount of nitrogen as many commercial fertilizers you’ll find in a garden center today and it doesn’t stop there urine is also rich in phosphorus and potassium delivered in soluble forms that plants can absorb almost immediately no wonder farmers once called it liquid gold now let’s compare that to compost compost is a wonderful tool it enriches soil structure improves water retention and feeds soil microbes over time but compost is slow it may take months to break down and when it finally does its nutrients are released gradually that’s excellent for long term soil health but it can’t match the immediate concentrated punch that diluted urine or aged night soil provided in fact some 19th century agricultural journals didn’t mince words they wrote that urine could outgrow compost because it supplied plants with what they needed right when they needed it for a struggling family farmer in the 1800s that difference could mean everything a thin harvest or a table full of food and the evidence wasn’t just anecdotal in parts of Asia where night soil systems remained in place farmland stayed fertile for centuries generation after generation meanwhile in Europe and North America where the practice was abandoned and soils were pushed with chemical fertilizers fertility often rose quickly but then crashed just as fast leading to cycles of boom and bust even today researchers have tested urine based fertilizers against commercial blends and found comparable sometimes even superior results for leafy greens corn and brassicas and when combined with compost the effect is even stronger a balance of quick release nutrients with long lasting organic matter so yes compost is excellent but in terms of pure rapid plant growth the band soil trick of the 1800s really did have few rivals and that’s why farmers who used it swore by it even as lawmakers tried to sweep it out of existence modern safe adaptations now let’s fast forward to today nobody is suggesting we return to the days of hauling raw waste buckets out of our homes that would be unsafe unsanitary and against every public health standard we have but what if instead of throwing out the idea entirely we looked at the principles behind it that’s exactly what modern gardeners and soil scientists are doing they’re asking how can we safely recycle nutrients the way our ancestors did without the risks that made night soil so controversial the first and simplest answer is diluted urine fertilizer when it’s fresh urine is sterile dilute it with water usually at a ratio of 1 part urine to 10 parts water and you have a free fast acting liquid fertilizer gardeners use it on heavy feeders like corn cabbages and tomatoes with excellent results some go even gentler at 1:20 for delicate seedlings or potted plants the key is to water the soil not the leaves and to rotate where you apply it so nutrients don’t build up too heavily in one spot the second approach is composting toilets and humanure systems this might sound futuristic but it’s already in practice worldwide by composting human waste for at least a year at high temperatures all harmful pathogens are destroyed what’s left behind is a dark crumbly humus that looks and smells just like rich garden compost only with higher nutrient density off grid communities eco villages and regenerative farms are using these systems successfully turning what was once discarded into a valuable soil resource and then there are large scale projects like pea cycling in Vermont the Rich Earth Institute has built a program where volunteers donate their urine it’s sanitized processed and returned to farmland their studies show impressive crop yields lower fertilizer costs and a significant reduction in the need for synthetic inputs imagine the environmental impact if more communities followed their lead less reliance on mined phosphorus fewer chemicals and healthier soils the big lesson here is balance compost remains essential for structure moisture retention and microbial life but when you pair compost’s long term benefits with the quick nutrient release of diluted urine you create a one two punch that feeds your plants today while building the foundation for tomorrow this isn’t about going backward it’s about taking timeless wisdom adding modern science and creating safer smarter ways to garden sustainably practical tips for seniors now let’s bring all of this down to earth literally the big question is how can older adults especially those gardening at home use these lessons safely and practically the good news is you don’t need special equipment heavy lifting or expensive gadgets with just a watering can a little water and some confidence you can put these age old ideas into practice here are some practical senior friendly tips to get started tip 1 start small if the idea feels new or even a little uncomfortable begin with just one garden bed or a few container plants dilute fresh urine at about 1 part urine to 10 parts water and apply it to the soil around heavy feeders like tomatoes corn or squash watch closely over a few weeks you’ll often see greener leaves and stronger growth before long tip 2 always dilute this part is crucial undiluted urine is too strong and can burn delicate roots especially in pots or raised beds stick with 1:00 10 for most garden crops or go gentler with 1:00 20 for seedlings and container plants when in doubt add more water tip 3 rotate applications don’t pour in the same spot every single week move around your garden so nutrients stay balanced and no patch becomes overloaded think of it like crop rotation for your fertilizer tip 4 combine with carbon nitrogen is powerful but it works best when balanced if you’ve mulched with straw dried leaves or wood chips pour your diluted solution right over them the carbon soaks up the nitrogen preventing leaching and keeping it available to your plants for longer tip 5 timing matters apply in the cool hours of morning or evening this prevents evaporation and gives your plants time to absorb nutrients without stress plus it makes the process more comfortable for you too no bending over in the midday sun tip 6 don’t stop composting compost is still the foundation of healthy soil it adds structure feeds soil microbes and locks in long term fertility think of compost as your garden’s steady diet and diluted urine as the vitamin boost that speeds things up together they create balance tip 7 stay safe if you’re exploring composting toilets or humanure systems always follow safety guidelines that means wearing gloves keeping waste piles hot and well managed and giving them a full year to break down before use safety isn’t just important it’s what makes this practice responsible and sustainable and here’s something especially important for seniors this method is light on the body no heavy bags of fertilizer to carry no back breaking work a watering can and a short walk across the garden is all it takes in return you get healthier plants better harvests and the satisfaction of using resources wisely for many of us gardening is about more than just food it’s about well being it keeps us moving keeps us connected to the earth and gives us joy and with this approach you’re not just feeding your plants you’re part of a cycle that stretches back thousands of years one that still works just as powerfully today inspirational close and call to action so what’s the real lesson here the story of this band soil trick isn’t just about fertilizer it’s about cycles nature doesn’t throw anything away every fallen leaf every drop of rain every bit of organic matter feeds the next generation of growth it’s a perfect circle of renewal when industrial agriculture broke that cycle flushing nutrients into rivers and replacing them with chemical products we lost more than soil fertility we lost resilience we lost balance and in many ways we lost our connection to the earth but here’s the beauty as gardeners we have the power to restore it right in our own backyards with compost piles cover crops mulch layers and even a simple watering can of diluted urine we can close the loop we can feed the soil strengthen our plants and rely less on costly store bought fertilizers that come in plastic bags and maybe this is why the lesson resonates even more deeply with us in our later years we understand patience we understand wisdom and we know the value of using what we already have instead of wasting it why throw away resources when they can be transformed into abundance the farmers of the 1800s may have been banned from using this trick but we are free to adapt it safely responsibly and wisely and when we do we reconnect with a timeless truth fertility doesn’t come from a bag it comes from honoring the cycles of life so if this journey into forgotten soil wisdom inspired you don’t keep it to yourself share it with a fellow gardener who loves discovering new tricks and if you want more timeless gardening tips Old Knowledge reimagined for today’s backyard make sure to subscribe because the soil is alive and with the right care it will keep feeding us our families and generations yet to come
50 Comments
My Father was in Korea and HE said that the Soldiers HAD to ask where produce that Koreans were selling came from near town or out in the country. Because IF it was fertilized with Human waste The soldiers would get sick and the produce from the country was fertilized by animals.
In places where poo is the fertilizer, salad or any raw stuff is bleached 10 minutes, with dilute bleach, before injestion, to avoid worms/parasites.
I live in a small town in the Midwest. Our sewage plant processes the solids and sends it out to several area farms. It goes on hay, pasture, and prairie land. So there is no direct connection to people like with vegetable crops. Now PFAS are a concern and this practice may have to stop due to those. Then the solids will likely go to land fills or be destroyed. Also there is not enough human and animal waste to fertilize our vast farmlands.
I use all my food scraps and the ashes from my fireplace. I mix it up in an old refrigerator that i use as a compost maker. Pretty simple, and then I put it in upside down gallon milk jugs with holes poked in the lid and put my seeds on top and water and it works pretty good.
That's what dumb arrogance narratives creates, sewer waste that can enrich farmlands becomes poison for human cities and kill fish in the sea
Interesting, how today sewage treatment soil waste is spread over farmlands.
Sadly, so heavily laced with medication drugs and heavy metals.
Why are seniors being blamed and singled out for drug contamination.
There is more younger people on drug medicines than seniors..
This is a total society issue.
Synthetic producted pseudo foods are questionable as many ingredients in today's world are lab products, gmo.
Just use miliorganite fertilizer
Using night soil on crops for human consumption is not advisable. Rudolf Steiner a scientist whose agriculture lecture series became the basis for Biodynamics farming, advised against using night soil on crops for human consumption. Steiner specified that night soil can only be used for fertilizing crops intended for animal consumption. The resulting manure of said animals can then be used on crops for human consumption. Steiner's reason is the cycle is too short if night soil is used on crops for human food. This could be the cause why most emerging human diseases crossing over from animal diseases mostly originates from China. Night soil utilization in farming is institutionalized in mainland China. Another case is a certain variant of SARs was traced to a Japanese scientist who was riding a specific elevator in Shanghai. Japan used to utilize night soil in farming in the past.
There are countries that currently use "night soil" or simply do their business in the fields while working, and then import these crops to other countries. There have been many diseases and toxins that have killed and sickened many in the U.S. from salad bars, raw produce in grocery stores and also in fast food places. Anything raw coming from countries that have this substance in the soil can be contaminated with E.coli, tuberculosis, and other bacteria/viruses. So important to wash raw produce with dish soap or antibacterial washes designed for food.
As plants grow over the year, the soil on top of the roots gets depleted with the rains, and the soil gets washed away or the nutrients sink down to the roots and get used up. The depleted soil on top now doesn't feed the plant very well unless it is refurbished. But rather than buying fertilizer, try what I do. Just take regular soil from your yard (under a tree is best where the leaves have rotted over time), and spread that thickly on top of the soil around the roots. I do this all the time, by the shovel full. I use this for my trees and bushes, and I have a yard that looks like a park now. I am on depleted sandy soil that will not hold much of anything very long. But I dig a hole and used the dirt that is deeper, where nutrients are, and use that. I fill in the hole with leaves or whatever so I don't kill myself walking in the yard. Dirt by the fence is best, because I don't walk there. I have a huge loquat tree and star fruit tree that have dropped leaves, twigs, bird and squirrel droppings for several years now. This dirt is wonderful for restoring the plants. No, it is not "balanced" dirt, but few "dirts" are balanced, and we plant in them all the time. You will see a greening up with the first rain.
Don't listen to this nut. you can use your own waste but never use other peoples waste. Do you ever wonder why so many countries do not eat salad? Disease is spread via human and animal waste unless it is properly processed. Parasites spread by producing cysts that are eliminated in feces. Medications are also eliminated in urine and feces.
One BIG caveat – human urine is LOADED with salt.
Unless you irrigate regularly or have frequent good rains, salt will build up in the soil.
Romans and others used to 'salt the fields' to the point that NOTHING would grow there for decades.
Fun fact: Ancient Egyptians (and some others) used to use BLOOD as a fertilizer. Had everything urine had but one added benefit – it contained IRON.
What did you think they used all that blood for when they slaughtered animals?
Of course that too is loaded with salt.
Egyptians not only needed the Nile floods to deposit fresh silt, it also washed away the excess salt that accumulated in the soil.
Now they rarely have any floods due to corporate greed and political thirst for power (Aswan Dam)….
Their soil is becoming sterile due to heavy chemical fertilizer use.
Please note: chemical fertilizers are great at helping things grow and produce PROVIDED you don't overdo it and combine it with natural fertilizers.
One more thing: Some ancient cultures made biochar and that helped with soil problems. Too much to talk about there here but do a search on it.
So I’ve never used it to fertilize what I eat directly but I grow weeds with it and use the weeds for the fertilizer. It’s been working like I still can’t believe. That way it becomes multiplied several times over. Eventually I may grow food on the ground where I grew the weeds but that’s usually three or more years later. Most often I’ll use the weeds as mulch before they go to seed. Been doing this for over thirty years. I also do the same thing with my urine. I’ve never bought fertilizer. That would be a waste of money.
Anything natural the powers that be try and ridicule it
I had a neighbor decades ago who had the most beautiful garden I've ever seen. He could take those little onion sets and stick them in the garden and in two months the onions were two feet tall. Just unreal. Every year he'd take a trailer and go to a local quail and pheasant farm and get a load of manure, feathers, eggs and then pile it up, cover with a tarp and let it age for a year. Then into his garden and time to get another load. I use a similar technique today. I have a pen of chickens. Every two weeks I pull a flat of carboard out of the hen house with at least two buckets of manure and wood shavings I use for bedding. It goes into a compost pile that I turn over from time to time. It makes a fantastic potting soil that grows everything very well. You do have to let it age so it won't burn up your plants but your garden requires nothing else beyond water and weeding. In todays world here in the US most human waste is contaminated with not only drugs but heavy metals. My late brother in law had a company that sold waste treatment plant waste to farmers but now it's well known how unsafe that is on farm soil. Not sure it's even safe to use on pastures that are grazed by livestock. Years back I was buying mulch from a local dealer that had chicken manure mixed in. It worked well after being aged in a pile for six months. Now I simply mix in my chicken house manure and no longer have to buy compost.
I have read that in Africa human waste is used for fertilizer. They use BAKASHI an make to waste into pickled compost using it on the gardens.
This was a waste of my time
Human waste today contains too many pharmaceutical drugs. It's probably ok if you do it safely and don't take drugs or eat processed food containing lots of chemical additives and don't have a contagious disease.
I remember reading about peeing on one's tomato plants more than 60 years ago. I thought that was disgusting at the time, but now that I understand why, I think it's hilarious and absolutely inspired. Where's that chamber pot (potty), my vege patch needs a boost?!
I use worm compost, molasses, organic seaweed fertilizer, and a homemade tea/infusion made from molasses, yeast, and fruit. After about a week of fermentation, the liquid is filtered and diluted with water (1 part to 10 parts water). Adjust the pH level according to the needs of the plants.
That's one Smelly Job.
VERY IMPORTANT!!!💯
He's gonna shit in the compost heap isn't he? I can just tell he's gonna shit in the compost….
EDIT: yup, I wasn't far off, he wants to piss in the compost instead…
This does explain why the bushes that drunk people pee in have such impressive foliage and grow so fast
Thank you for a vital information
I'd remember back in the 60 we used to take down the letrin and use all those compost in the plants and they grow richer and healthier but now days everything is messed up because to many codes and A lot of people are lazy they want an eazy Way to do everything
I'd remember back in the 60 we used to take down the letrin and use all those compost in the plants and they grow richer and healthier but now days everything is messed up because to many codes and A lot of people are lazy they want an eazy Way to do everything
I just get mushrooms spawn and sprinkle some out and have a arborist dump a truckload of wood chips working the spawn in as I build hills to terrace
Oh My Goodness…No..No..No!! Like saying fresh Urine is sterile!! No its not!! Thats exactly why Doctors have you pee in a cup…so that they can cukture to look for bacteria and viruses..!!
Its also why…when people go to foreing countries and get dick eating raw fruits and vegetables!! Furthermore…thats why with sewage (human) waste disposal plants…
..(treated human waste to kill bacteria)..its processed to make it safe. YET…They now find male fish…in most all major rivers…also having female genitalia. Because of the high concentrations of estrogens…from urine from women taking birth control pills. Furthermore…
A few farms had used thecslugage from these waste treatment plants….and after a few years. There farmlands were condemned for high levels toxic metals, and other toxic chemical buils up in the soil!!
I mean…you'll even hear of vegetable slls for bacterial contamination…that ALWAYS…got traced back to a farmer worker who deficated out in the fields.
Its why now…there are mandatory port-a-potty buildings out in farmlands for field workers to use!!
This video is…way off base!!!!!
My toilet ran off into a good, sized flower bed with nice, border grass. That was 8+years ago. Theres lots of weeds lm pulling. Is it safe to use this spotfor a garden after 8 years? Please reply. Tysvm.😊
Poop….it's what's for dinner or makes your dinner grow 🪴❤
not good if on medications
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pause. 😂😂😂😂😂
It was about the money for commercial profits!
8:17 how is this made and treated? Are they still doing this in china 5 billion population?
10:00 I heard that glyphospate is in a vegetables in the supermarket and if you put that on the soil it can kill all the plants. Because they spray it on crops to kill and dry out so everything is harvested at the same time… Cancer? Canned
There are cities who have programs to put the waste water solids available for purchase. The problem with this is that so many people are on so many drugs that don’t break down even composting. So unless you are using the poop from your own household and you know you are not taking medications it isn’t such a great idea. It’s another form of adding chemicals to the soil and many of the drugs that go through the system don’t break down.
New York uses night soil , Think they started back in 2016.
Fish was what my grandparents used as fertiliser , they would chop it up guts and all and bury it then plant there 🌱 worked for them.
A pot grower showed me this .dig a 3×3 hole add straw and pee .I wondered why his plants were so huge.
But hey we gained greed.
Well, that was one interesting story about a banned soil trick that I've never heard before, thanks for sharing
I remember seeing farmers doing is in the UK. I also remember when it was banned. They said it was due to disease and residual pharmas but correctly homogenised composts destroy all this. It was done to protect profits.
In the 1990's, using human waste as fertilizer was actually pushed for awhile by our EPA as a green fertilizer, good for the environment. Now those farmers who used it are losing their farms due to the PFAS (forever chemicals) contaminating their soil. So, this is a great way for the government to render your soil unusable in the U.S. In my opinion it's ridiculous to shut down farms due to PFAS contamination because the majority of our land has been contaminated with them. Most people have already been contaminated with them, so instead of trying to avoid the unavoidable, we need to stop using these chemicals and pharmaceuticals as much as possible and keep working on a solution for getting rid of them in our environment. Manure has always been the natural fertilizer. Cattle and bison are critical for rejuvenating the land, which is likely why certain people claim they are causing a climate catastrophe. The ones making the rules to "save the planet" are the ones (or are working on behalf of the ones) who truly are destroying the planet. Yes, we all contribute and need to improve, but they are intentionally making things worse to rake in $$ for their "solutions" that usually make things even worse so they can repeat their profiting off of the fear of the public.
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Caution with septic tank waste use,with the use of plastics and Microplastics these are for sure In the black soil of the Septic tank and contamination of soils will spread. Also the plants will be absorbing the poisons which in turn will harm to us.
Shit magic isn’t it
So we piss in a bucket 🪣 or what?
Yes it is banned in America but not the countries that sell vegetables and fruits to US… wash your plants before eating ! I always wash my plants with baking soda and rinse them with vinegar. No more parasites no more chemicals.
That is before prescription drugs. Not a good idea today!