Hints Using Eggshells In The Garden

Egg Shells – Are Eggshells Good For Gardening And Why?

Every plant needs some nutrients for their proper growth, flowering, and fruit bearing. Low amount of these nutrients or lack of these nutrients in the soil can result in different nutrient deficiency diseases in plants. Some of the problems caused by the low nutrient content in plants are chlorosis, blossom end rot, and lowered fruit production. Gardeners who want to use organic fertilisers in the garden can use egg shells for preparing compost or can add it to the garden soil to improve the nutrient content. Here are a small number of ideas on how to use eggs and eggshells skilfully in your garden.

Using Eggs as Fertiliser

Though some people use egg as the fertiliser by placing the uncracked egg in planting holes, this has many drawbacks as the nitrogen in the egg prevents the uptake of calcium present in the eggshell, which is needed, for the growth of certain plants. Calcium is needed for the development of the cell wall in plants. Egg shells contain calcium carbonate and by adding crushed or pulverised shells in the soil you will be able to supply the necessary calcium to the plants. You can make slow release calcium fertiliser by cleaning and drying the eggshells and then grinding them to a gritty consistency. Mix this powder into the soil to fertilise the plants. You can also mix this egg shell powder with coffee grounds and add to the soil so that plants will receive calcium and nitrogen. Adding eggshell meal to the soil where tomatoes will be planted will prevent blossom end rot. Cabbage plants will be protected from tip burn by adding this egg shell meal. Adding the eggshells to the compost pit will increase the calcium content of the homemade organic fertiliser.

Egg shells, when added to soil, helps to aerate the soil and reduce the acidity of the soil

Calcium Water

To avoid the issues of salmonella growth by using raw eggshells, you can use calcium water prepared by boiling the eggshells in water and allowing it to stand for one or two days.

Use the resulting liquid to water the plant after straining it. Plants which produce flowers and fruits get especially benefitted by this egg shell water which is rich in calcium and potassium. The roots of the plants will be able to absorb the calcium and potassium in the liquid easily. You can also spray the liquid on the leaves of the plant to promote foliar absorption. If you have not repotted the plants for some time, adding this liquid to the soil will add extra nutrients for the normal growth of the plants.          

Egg shell Seed Starters

Egg shells are also useful for starting the seeds. You can sterilise some egg shell halves by boiling them or by heating them in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes. Make a hole at the bottom of the shell for drainage. Add seed starting soil and the required seeds. When the seeds start to germinate plant them along with the eggshell into the garden soil. The eggs will get bio degraded and will provide nourishment to the seedling.

So start collecting the egg shells after the egg use and use it as seedling starters or make your plants healthier by mixing the crushed shells into the soil.