Looking for a little nitrogen? Let your dog pee on your plants!
Okay, maybe that's pushing it, but dog (and human) urine has tons of nitrogen in it. Actually, many years ago (and it still might be happening now, but I haven't asked), farmers used to pee on their gardens...well, they collected the urine, watered it down then poured it on their plants. 
They called it "maiden water." That is the real reason why your grass turns yellow and dies when your dog goes. The nitrogen in urine is really concentrated and since most dogs go in the same area most of the time, so that area gets way too much nitrogen and dies off. If only there was a way to teach your dog to pee in a bucket so you could use the stuff.Urine is a good source of nitrogen and other minerals and, providing it is used correctly, is completely safe. Using urine as a fertilizer saves money, fossil fuels (used extensively in the production of chemical fertilizers) and water (no need to flush!).
It also cuts down on river pollution — urine is a major source of nitrogen that contributes to problems with excess plant growth and loss of oxygen in lakes and rivers if expensive denitrification is not used at the water treatment plant. 
And it's not a backwards step, it's space age technology 
— NASA has used urine in hydroponics systems! An all natural, organic, "green" way to get nitrogen for your plants.One warning thought, urine needs to be used fresh. If you notice when your pet has an accident, within a few hours, the urine starts to smell.
That's ammonia, and it's made from nitrogen. The smellier your collected urine, the less nutritious it will be for your plants, as well as being unpleasant to apply. You can also use the water from your fish tank (I save the water from my little betta's bowl and water my houseplants with it).There are several websites that explain how to use urine in the garden. (They actually make toilets that separate the urine from other waste!) Here are just a few:
http://www.howtodothings.com/home-garden/how-to-use-urine-as-a-fert...
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/409013/human_urine_used_to...
http://consumerist.com/consumer/frugality/urine-natures-free-plant-...
http://ezinearticles.com/?Using-Human-Urine-As-A-Liquid-Fertilizer&...
Now if I can only figure out how to get the dog to pee in that bucket!!
I hope this helps you fertilize your garden on the cheap. But if you're going to pee on your garden, just remember to do it a night so your neighbors don't see you. 
And if you're having problems with the dog killing your grass, you can do one of two things. The first is to train your dog to go in a spot you have designated as his or her potty spot. The second is to follow your dog around with a hose and water the spot immediately after the dog pees to dilute the nitrogen. I still like the bucket idea. 
Reverend Claudia and the critters...
Tags: animals, dogs, fertilizer, green, money, nature, organic, save, urine
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