Did Urinating On My Tomatoes Help Them?

Posted on Dec 11 2009 - 5:48am by Mike Lieberman

Here we are three months after I urinated on my tomato plants. If you recall, I did this because it’s supposed to make them grow larger. Did it work?

It’s hard to say, but the plant is still fruiting and blossoming. So they didn’t necessarily grow larger, but it could’ve helped to extend their lives.

Can that be attributed to my magical urine? I’m not really sure because I think that started to tinkle on them too late in the season. There are a million and five factors that effect the health of the plant like remembering to feed them, planting them at the right time and keeping certain ones out of the cold. It makes it difficult to isolate a specific incident.

With that being said, I’ll start to relieve myself on my tomato plant earlier in the season next year. I’ll also be bottling up my urine for those of you who would like to purchase it.

The more pressing issue at the time is the fruit that’s on the tomato vines. Some are light red and some are green. I’d like for them to vine ripen, but the weather is supposed to drop into the 20s. What do you think I should do? Pick them? Or leave them?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiiANuKpwq4

19 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Liz December 11, 2009 at 3:36 pm -

    Seems to me the only advantage urine would bring is nitrogen–and it is a cheap form of that.

  2. Ryan (@HerbFella) December 11, 2009 at 5:46 pm -

    Its early days for me to tell whether pee is magic or not on my tomatoes here in the Southern Hemisphere. What I can say is dont relieve yourself on mint. A definite no no. Lets just say I decided to take a wizz in the garden and my poor peppermint just couldnt handle all that goodness.

  3. Sylvana December 11, 2009 at 7:02 pm -

    This post made me smile. I remember the 30Rock episode in which Frank is watering his plants with his urine and has a beautiful garden just outside his window.

  4. Fern @ Life on the Balcony December 13, 2009 at 11:04 pm -

    I've heard that once they get to be the right size, if you cut the plant off at its base and hang it upside down inside, the tomatoes will ripen up. Not sure if that's an old wives tale or not, though?

  5. Mike Lieberman December 14, 2009 at 7:32 am -

    Yes. That's what the post that I got the idea from stated. Seems to make sense to me.

  6. Mike Lieberman December 14, 2009 at 7:33 am -

    Thanks for the tip. I will skip the mint next season. Haha.

  7. Mike Lieberman December 14, 2009 at 7:33 am -

    Glad I could bring some joy to your day. It's all about having some fun.

  8. Mike Lieberman December 14, 2009 at 7:35 am -

    Some people swear by growing tomatoes upside down and some people totally dislike the idea. I know that Kerry from About.com is not a fan of it at all.

    When I attempted to grow my herbs upside down, they all died…quickly.

    To me, it doesn't make sense to bc it's not natural. When was the last time you saw tomatoes growing upside down in nature?

  9. Fern @ Life on the Balcony December 15, 2009 at 1:31 am -

    I wasn't suggesting growing the plant upside down, the advice I have heard is to cut the tomato plant down at the base (so it is no longer attached to its roots) and hang the branches upside down. Supposedly it helps them ripen the fruit to be unattached from the roots and hung upside down.

  10. Mike Lieberman December 15, 2009 at 5:18 am -

    Ahhh, sorry for the confusion. I've never heard of that before. Interesting though. Do you think that the plant would continue to grow and fruit after it's been cut?

  11. RawDamon December 15, 2009 at 5:11 pm -

    It worked for my habaneros! They were starting to split from the excess water so I cut and hung them in the shed to see what would happen. Took three weeks but they are almost all orange now….and hot too!

  12. Mike Lieberman December 15, 2009 at 7:03 pm -

    Interesting. I don't really have much space to do that in my apt. I could likely do something at my Grandmother's along those lines.

  13. RawDamon December 16, 2009 at 1:11 am -

    It worked for my habaneros! They were starting to split from the excess water so I cut and hung them in the shed to see what would happen. Took three weeks but they are almost all orange now….and hot too!

  14. Mike Lieberman December 16, 2009 at 3:03 am -

    Interesting. I don't really have much space to do that in my apt. I could likely do something at my Grandmother's along those lines.

  15. lesliekaye April 25, 2010 at 5:46 pm -

    i think you are an awesome individual.

  16. Mike Lieberman April 25, 2010 at 9:37 pm -

    Thanks.

  17. leah June 9, 2010 at 3:35 pm -

    If you do have to pick the tomatoes when they're green.. you can make fried green tomatoes! they are to die for. cut thick slices, dip in egg then bread crumbs with your fav spices (garlic, onion salt, chili?) fry it up golden brown and eat them! amazing!

  18. Mike Lieberman June 9, 2010 at 3:42 pm -

    Nice. I'll take that into consideration. Appreciate the tip.

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