Is Menstrual Blood Actually Good For Your Plants?

Ok guys. I’m not going to lie – to the best of my knowledge, there is no peer reviewed literature advocating either for or against the effectiveness of fertilising your plants with the blood from your menstrual cycle. Instead, all I can do is share with you the overwhelming amount of positive experiences people have had. Ladies and gents, it’s general consensus – I’m here to tell you that period blood does indeed make an effective fertiliser!

But how, I hear you ask?
Talking about periods has long been a taboo topic, but gradually we are making a social shift away from this and are bringing the discussion into the norm. Slowly but surely, the days where we spoke about it in euphemised, hushed tones are fading away. The momentum of the sustainability movement has brought to the fore a whole range of reinvigorated menstrual products and alongside that comes the shift in perception. Given this, it’s not a completely shocking surprise that many women have taken the next step and are now using their menstrual blood to fertilise their plants. 

Let’s take it back a step. One of the most common garden fertilisers on the market is an abattoir by-product call blood meal. It’s made by putting animal blood through a heating and drying process, turning it into a useable fertiliser. When you consider this, alongside the fact that most fertilisers need to comprise the 3 main plant nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, it’s not altogether surprising that menstrual blood functions in just the same way. These 3 beauties are all contained in the blood we shed each month, and they are exactly what plants need in order to thrive. If commercial fertiliser is using animal blood and by-products to generate their product, is there any reason we should not be using our own personal bounties for our gardens?

Sceptics (namely men) take the stance that because the volume of blood and nutrient composition varies from woman to woman, you’re better off purchasing a conventional fertiliser that is designed specifically to help plants bloom. But, if you ask me, I think they’re missing the point! There is also the potential issue of blood being a bio-hazard, but again, there is no research as of yet to back this up. 

So what do you do?
It will come as no surprise that wringing out your tampons each month is not the most effective way to make your DIY fertiliser. So, if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon already, it’s time to get yourself a menstrual cup. Aside from that, it’s really as easy as it sounds. One thing you do need to be careful of though is to water down your blood. Women tend to lose approximately 2 tablespoons each period, yet if you were to directly apply this to your plants, it would be too salty and would be an attractive food source for insects.  By watering it down (1 part blood to 9 parts water), you reduce these problems, and instead have an instant DIY fertiliser. 

What I love most about this concept is the idea that the blood we shed each month is actually helping another living thing to flourish and grow. It’s that same cycle, the one that is a constant hum beneath all the flurry and activity we try to distract ourselves with. It’s the cycle of birth, of growth, and of death and decay.

So, whilst there isn’t a tonne of science to back this up, I for one cannot help feeling excited and quite frankly impressed by all the badass women who have had great results from their experiments. Have you tried fertilising your plants with period blood? If so, how did it go? It’s a controversial topic I know, but I would love to hear your thoughts. Let me know in the comments below!