Using Nature's Head Compost in Your Garden: Safe Composting Guide

Can You Use Nature's Head Compost in Your Garden?

Yes — with important caveats. The composted material from your Nature's Head Composting Toilet can become a valuable soil amendment for your garden. But it needs additional processing after you empty it from the toilet, and there are safety guidelines you should follow.

This guide covers the complete process: what the material is when you empty it, how to safely finish composting it, where to use it, and how to use the urine separately as a fertilizer.

What You're Working With

When you empty your Nature's Head solids bin after 3-4 weeks, the contents are partially composted. The material looks like dark, crumbly garden soil and smells earthy — not like raw waste. But "partially composted" is the key phrase.

The composting process inside the Nature's Head starts the breakdown, but 3-4 weeks isn't long enough to fully eliminate all potential pathogens. The material needs secondary composting — additional time in a dedicated compost pile — before it's safe to use around plants.

The Secondary Composting Process

What You Need

• A dedicated compost bin or pile — at least 1 cubic yard (3' x 3' x 3') to generate sufficient internal heat for pathogen kill
• Carbon-rich "brown" material — leaves, straw, wood chips, cardboard to mix with the humanure
• A compost thermometer (optional but recommended) to verify internal temperatures
• Time — minimum 6 months, ideally 12 months

Step-by-Step

1. Start with a base layer of carbon-rich material (straw, wood chips, or leaves) about 12 inches deep in your compost bin.
2. Add the Nature's Head contents on top of the base layer. The coco coir medium is already carbon-rich, which helps.
3. Cover immediately with another thick layer of carbon material. The humanure should never be visible or exposed.
4. Continue adding layers — alternate humanure (when you empty the toilet) with carbon-rich material. Think of it like a lasagna.
5. Maintain moisture — the pile should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Add water if it dries out, add dry carbon material if it's too wet.
6. Let it cook. A properly built pile will heat up internally through thermophilic decomposition. Target sustained temperatures of 131°F (55°C) for at least 3 days — this is the threshold that kills human pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
7. Turn the pile every 4-6 weeks to introduce oxygen and ensure even composting throughout.
8. Wait. After 6-12 months of secondary composting, the material is fully cured and safe for garden use on non-edible plants.

How to Know It's Ready

• The material looks like rich, dark humus — uniform in color and texture
• No recognizable pieces of original material remain
• It smells like forest soil — no ammonia, no unpleasant odors
• The pile has cooled to ambient temperature and doesn't reheat after turning
• Internal temperatures reached 131°F+ during the active composting phase (if you monitored)

Where to Use the Finished Compost

Using Urine as Fertilizer

The urine from your Nature's Head is a separate, simpler story. Urine from a healthy person is essentially sterile and is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — the three primary plant nutrients (NPK).

How to use it:

1. Dilute urine 1:10 with water (1 part urine to 10 parts water)
2. Apply directly to the soil around plants — not on leaves or fruit
3. Use every 1-2 weeks during the growing season
4. Safe for all plants, including edible crops and vegetables

Why dilute? Undiluted urine is too nitrogen-rich and can "burn" plant roots. The 1:10 ratio brings it to a safe, effective concentration.

This is one of the most efficient fertilizers available — and it's free. You're producing it anyway. The nitrogen content in human urine is comparable to commercial liquid fertilizers.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

Regulations on humanure composting vary by jurisdiction. In most of the US and Canada:

• Personal use on your own property is generally unregulated — there are few specific laws about composting your own waste for personal garden use
• Selling produce grown with humanure compost is generally prohibited or heavily regulated
• Some municipalities have specific ordinances about composting toilets and waste handling — check with your local health department if you're unsure
• National parks and public lands have their own rules about waste disposal — always follow Leave No Trace principles

Recommended Reading

The definitive resource on this topic is The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins. It covers the science, safety, and practical methods of composting human waste in comprehensive detail. If you're serious about using your composting toilet output in your garden, it's essential reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put the compost directly on my garden after emptying?

No. The material from your Nature's Head is only partially composted after 3-4 weeks. It needs 6-12 months of additional secondary composting in a dedicated pile to kill potential pathogens. Never apply fresh output directly to soil.

Is composting toilet compost safe?

After proper secondary composting (6-12 months, reaching sustained temperatures of 131°F/55°C for 3+ days), the material is safe for ornamental plants, trees, and lawns. The thermophilic composting process kills bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Most guidelines recommend against using it on edible crops as an extra precaution.

What about the coco coir — does it help the composting?

Absolutely. Coco coir is an excellent carbon source that balances the nitrogen in human waste. It also maintains the structure of the compost pile, ensuring good airflow for aerobic decomposition. You don't need to separate the coco coir from the waste — it composts down together.

Can I add the material to my regular backyard compost?

It's better to keep humanure composting separate from kitchen/garden compost. A dedicated humanure pile lets you manage the process independently and ensures the material reaches proper temperatures without contaminating your regular compost.

How much compost does a Nature's Head produce?

After full secondary composting, the output is surprisingly small. A couple using the toilet full-time produces roughly 5-10 gallons of finished compost per year — the equivalent of about 1-2 large buckets. Most of the original volume is lost to decomposition and evaporation.

The Bottom Line

Composting toilet waste can be a valuable garden resource — but only after proper secondary composting. Follow the 6-12 month curing process, use it on ornamental plants only, and leverage the urine separately as a powerful fertilizer for any plant in your garden.

For more on your composting toilet system, browse Nature's Head Composting Toilets and accessories, or check our maintenance guide.