Urine gains popularity as a fertilizer in Norway’s gardening community

One growing trend in Norway is the use of urine as fertilizer in gardening, a practice highlighted by Annemor Hatlenes from Kongsberg Garden Club. Hatlenes has embraced this unconventional method, lifting a green watering can with a heart-shaped lid to showcase her tool. “This was on my Christmas wish list a couple of years ago, and my family laughed at me,” she recalls.

She confidently explains how she uses diluted urine, humorously saying, “Now I’ll pee and then water a bit. Gold water!” In response to whether using urine for watering plants is odd, she insists it’s filled with natural minerals that flowers love—far superior to conventional fertilizers.

Professor Anne Spurkland, a medical researcher and advocate for this practice, elaborates on why urine is effective. “It contains nitrogen compounds and phosphate, useful for plant growth,” she states. Urine is not only environmentally friendly but also eliminates the need for energy-intensive synthetic fertilizers. Her suggestion for use is a mixture of one part urine to ten parts water, which gives plants an instant nutrient boost.

Urine as fertilizer is not a new concept globally, but interest has surged in Norway, with vendor Trond Svendgård reporting that he has sold urine cans worth half a million in total and is currently sold out. Klara Lövberg, the patent holder, indicates that their product, Piss Can, is grounded in environmental and ecological principles, having sold around 20,000 units since 2009.

Hatlenes’ enthusiasm reflects a broader acceptance of alternative gardening methods that make practical use of natural resources while promoting sustainability. “Gold water is worth its weight in gold!” she exclaims, enjoying the benefits it brings to her thriving garden.