Lately people who have summer cottages or vegetable gardens, began to think about how to feed the crops they grow so that they are environmentally friendly and beneficial when eaten. If you set a goal, you can make big list such fertilizers.
Not the last place in this list will be given to eggshells as a fertilizer for the garden, which can improve the condition of humus by neutralizing excess acidity. The composition of the eggshell includes all the microelements necessary for plant growth and fruiting, such as easily digestible calcium (93%), magnesium (0.55%), phosphorus (0.12%), potassium (0.08%), as well as small quantities of sulfur and iron.
Which shell is suitable for fertilizer?
Usually, to obtain fertilizer, it is recommended to take the shells of eggs from domestic chickens. Country corydalis eat natural food, and the list of elements in the shells of their eggs is more comprehensive than in the shells of incubator eggs. But there is no need to create a problem; you can also use store-bought shells, which are also rich in easily digestible calcium. The best time to start collecting shells is in winter.
During this period, it is much denser, which means the calcium content in it is much higher. Poultry farmers have noticed that the shell brown eggs thicker than the white shell, that is, it contains more calcium. To obtain high-quality fertilizer from eggshells for the garden, it is taken from raw eggs. When cooked, beneficial substances are destroyed under high temperature.
How to make fertilizer from shells
There are certain rules for preparing material for further processing into fertilizer. Egg shells must be washed to remove egg whites and dried thoroughly. To do this, lay it out on paper in a well-ventilated place or in a paper bag. It takes about five days to dry.
Next, it is kneaded with a rolling pin until small pieces are obtained, and then crushed into flour using a coffee grinder, mortar or meat grinder. Of course, you can do this faster in a coffee grinder, and it does an excellent job of grinding eggshells into powder. But the type of grinding method depends on where and for what purpose the egg shells will be used. If you leave large pieces, it will not benefit the soil, as it will decompose for a long time and slowly. Store shell flour in a tightly closed container, away from moisture.
Using eggshells in the garden
Eggshell used to alkalize soil. In addition, it improves the structure of heavy loose material, which promotes better delivery air to the roots. Thus, shell flour increases soil fertility.
What is the benefit of feeding the soil? The shells turned into flour decompose perfectly in the ground, which means they are completely absorbed by plants. When dry, such soil does not form a dense crust. Added as a leavening agent, crushed eggshells maintain the condition of the soil in this form for several years.
Another benefit of eggshells for the garden is that it goes well with mineral fertilizers. Flour from it reduces the acidity of the soil, and many mineral fertilizers increase it. Acting in combination, the shell neutralizes the effects of chemicals, while preserving the beneficial properties of mineral fertilizers.
Protective agent against pests and diseases
There is another option to use eggshells in the garden. It is used in the fight against garden pests such as Colorado beetle or bear, who love potatoes. In this case, ground eggshells are mixed with sunflower oil for smell and drop into the rows. The mole cricket, having tasted this “treat”, dies.
Prepared crushed eggshell powder is sprinkled on beetles and their larvae. They do not die immediately, but the action of the powder gradually eliminates the presence of these insects in the beds.
There is another lover of plant roots - the mole. It is known that when they stumble upon sharp objects underground, they go to other places. Therefore, gardeners add crushed eggshells to the soil, which discourages moles from coming to these places.
Fighting slugs and snails
Slugs and snails can be a real problem for gardeners. Using eggshells for the vegetable garden or garden - optimal solution to combat these land gastropods.
Living in the garden, slugs eat huge holes in cabbage leaves, sometimes reaching the head of cabbage. When favorable weather conditions snails do not disdain young tender leaves fruit trees and shrubs, which harm the garden.
Experienced gardeners use eggshells to repel these pests. It is lightly crushed and scattered around the trunks of trees and shrubs. Crushed eggshells have sharp edges, and if slugs crawl on them, they get cuts on their bellies and die. But they are smart enough to somehow inform their relatives not to visit these places, and they themselves stay away from eggshells.
For which plants should eggshells be used?
Shells are not a panacea among the large number of non-chemical fertilizers. Therefore, it would be right to familiarize yourself with the preferences of those growing on the plot of land. Having an idea of the plants’ needs for certain fertilizers, you can decide whether eggshells are needed for your garden. For which plants is it necessary and will they respond well to this fertilizing, and for which is it not necessary and is it better not to use it?
Among the crops planted on the site, cabbage will appreciate fertilizer from eggshells. Peppers, tomatoes and eggplants will do well in alkaline soil. All types of onions, lettuce, broccoli, beets and melons will also produce good harvest, growing on soil fertilized with eggshells. This fertilizer is not suitable for a garden where beans, peas, cucumbers, zucchini and strawberries will grow.
Accelerating seed germination
Eggshells contain 9/10 of their weight from calcium carbonate. Therefore, gardeners often use it for improvement. Thanks to calcium, the proteins contained in the seeds are activated, and the sprouts of such seeds appear faster. They are stronger than those that appear during normal germination.
How does this process happen? The seeds are sprinkled with a substrate and crushed eggshell powder on top. This fertilizer quickly penetrates the seeds, accelerating their germination.
Using eggshells
Eggshells are a godsend for the garden. Many summer gardeners began to use it as forms for the germination of seedlings. The idea is simply original. After breaking the egg in half, make a hole in the lower part of the half for drainage and fill it with a small amount of soil. The seed of the crop being grown is sown in this container. During at least a month of growing seedlings, it has the opportunity to be fed with microdoses of hydrogen sulfide minerals found in the shell. After a while, the grown seedlings require transplantation. Gardeners use two options for planting in the ground. You can simply crack the shell container and transplant the seedlings.
Some people prefer to transplant young seedlings into their place in the garden bed directly in eggshells. For a vegetable garden, this option is good because the roots themselves will destroy the shell, and while it is in the ground, it will continue to feed the plant.
If you have sprouted tomatoes and they are planted in the ground without shells, you can add a teaspoon of eggshell flour into the hole before planting the seedlings. This will help the planted plant develop its resistance to diseases such as rot, which occurs due to an imbalance of calcium in the soil. But you can’t overdo it here either. Everything is good in moderation!
Indoor flowers and eggshells
The use of eggshells is beneficial not only in the garden vegetable crops, shrubs and trees. It has found application in growing indoor flowers. It is used by flower growers as drainage, laid out at the bottom of the pot with a layer of at least 2-3 cm. Thanks to it, ventilation of the roots is improved, stagnation of water in the container is prevented, and as watering occurs, nutrients from the shell pass into the soil from which the plant receives them.
An infusion is prepared from it to fertilize flowers. There is no difficulty in making it. On three liter jar Warm water is enough to use the shells of 4-5 eggs. The jar is not covered tightly, using a saucer or a lid. This jar should be stored in the shade.
3-4 days are enough for the infusion to begin to smell and become cloudy. At this time, part of the substances necessary for the plant from the shells passed into the water infusion. Its readiness is indicated by the smell of hydrogen sulfide formed during the decay process. It is hydrogen sulfide that infusion is useful. Its concentration is insufficient to cause harm, but there are benefits: it accelerates plant growth.
Flower growers use egg shell flour to combat aphids, sprinkling it on insects.
Having a garden, you can almost completely food waste Use it beneficially: to fertilize the soil, in the fight against pests and diseases. It is quite natural that for these purposes they take the remains of vegetables and fruits that grew on the ground. But you can also use waste of animal origin. In this article we will tell you in detail how to use eggshells in the garden.
How are eggshells useful for the garden?
In order for vegetables and fruits to develop and bear fruit, they must receive a certain set of nutrients from the soil. If there is an insufficient amount of one or another element, signs of disease begin to appear on plants: loss of color and deformation of foliage, cessation of development, etc.
Adding eggshells to the soil helps enrich it with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, potassium, fluorine, etc.
Eggshells for the garden
All of them enter the soil in a form that is easily digestible for plants. Thanks to this, the growth of the above-ground parts of plants and seed germination are accelerated. In addition, the acidity of the soil decreases and its looseness increases, which has a beneficial effect on its fertility.
How to use eggshells in the garden?
You can’t just scatter eggshells around the area like some fertilizers; they need to be “cooked” for plants.
If you want to use the shells for fertilizer, you should take them from raw eggs, wash and chop them.
It can be made into a coarse grind, for this you just need to crush it in a mortar, and fine (egg flour), you can achieve this state by grinding it in a coffee grinder.
Larger particles can be added simply during autumn or spring digging, and smaller particles can be added during planting directly into the holes under the plants.
What plants can I apply eggshells to?
Eggshells can be used for almost all groups of plants that can be found in the country:
To get the effect, even in a small garden it is necessary to apply a large amount of ground eggshells (to reduce acidity 500 g -1 kg/m2, as fertilizer - 120 - 250 g/m2). Start collecting valuable product better in winter, when it contains more useful elements.
Egg shells can be used not only in the garden, but also for feeding home flowers.
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All gardeners and gardeners know that the soil needs constant feeding, only then will large, healthy plants. But few of them are aware of the use of eggshells, the benefits of such fertilizer for the garden and how to use it. In this article we will look at how to make an ideal fertilizer for the soil from scrap egg waste and what is the best way to apply it.
Egg shell composition
The main share in the composition of the shell chicken eggs– this is 95% easily digestible calcium. In quail shells this percentage is slightly lower, up to 92%. The remaining organic trace elements that make up the shell are: magnesium (0.65%), potassium (0.11%), phosphorus (0.13%), other elements - sulfur, aluminum, iron. The content of certain components depends on what the chicken eats and what its variety is.
So that the egg shell contains the maximum useful substances and easily digestible calcium carbonate, the bird must be fed only natural, fresh, vitamin-containing products. If a chicken lives under the conditions of a poultry farm, then with the feed it receives additional vitamins for rapid growth or production of eggs. This method of raising birds affects the thickness of the shell and chemical composition macronutrients. Scientists have proven that the brown shell of eggs is thicker and contains more calcium than the white shell.
Collection and preparation of chicken and quail shells
- Collect all egg shells and rinse them thoroughly under running water. The main thing is to remove excess protein and yolk. This step is allowed to be omitted only if the eggshells are further dried.
- Dry future soil fertilizers under the sun. Keep in mind that if the shell is washed, the water will dry within an hour, and if there is excess white or yolk left on the shell of the eggs, they can dry for about a day.
- When the shell has been cleaned and dried, you should start grinding it in a coffee grinder, mortar, meat grinder or other device. To turn the egg shell into powder, it is possible to spread it on cutting board and roll it over it several times with a dough roller. This way it can be crushed very quickly and easily, which is why many housewives use this method.
- The degree of grinding depends on which fertilizing method was chosen. For infusions, you need to use shells crushed into small pieces, and for direct addition to the soil, it is better to grind them into sand.
- Under no circumstances should you boil or steam eggshells; such heat treatment will damage them. chemical bonds and the beneficial properties of eggshells are lost. It is possible to use decoctions, but the amount of calcium in them is significantly less.
What are the benefits of eggshells for the garden?
Often scrap materials or waste can serve good fertilizer for the ground, this applies not only to eggshells, but also to ash, wood shavings, sand, and humus. The composition of egg shells contains a large amount of useful calcium, and this naturally increases soil fertility. If the soil is fertilized with ground shells, air permeability increases, which allows the plant to receive more oxygen. Positive feature is considered to be an increase in soil looseness.
Fertilizer to improve soil fertility
Soil fertility directly depends on its acidity. At high rates, the land will not be able to produce a large harvest. To reduce the acidity of the soil, it is worth adding 30-50 crushed chicken egg shells per 1 sq.m. Before adding this fertilizer, it is recommended to calcine it in the oven so that calcium is absorbed by the earth faster.
Often, soil acidity is reduced with expensive mineral fertilizers, and in order for them to be better absorbed, eggshells are mixed with agrochemicals and the mixture is added to the soil. This method helps to avoid negative consequences from use chemicals and significantly increase soil fertility by affecting its acidity.
When you add eggshells to the soil, it becomes more free-flowing, so the water that falls on such soil passes faster and does not leave open channels behind. This will reduce the number of weedings to maintain the moisture of the bed, and reduce the amount of watering. Although visually it may seem that the digestibility of eggshells is very low due to its density, this is absolutely not the case; over the course of several years, the crushed shell will improve the condition of the earth.
What plants can you apply eggshells to?
Eggshells as a calcium fertilizer can be applied to the following types of plants for better growth and development:
- Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, beets, potatoes, eggplant, cabbage.
- Fruit trees: apple trees, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, sweet cherries, cherry plums.
- Bushes: raspberries, gooseberries, currants, dogwoods, viburnum.
- Flowers - any.
- Other types of plants that positively take up calcium.
It is recommended in some cases to grow seedlings of some garden plants right in the egg shell halves. In this manner young plant will receive the necessary calcium, and when its root grows in the hole, it will break the shell. This method not only primarily helps the plant obtain the necessary microelements, but also fertilizes the future soil in which growth continues. Often this method of calcium fertilization is used when growing tomatoes, peppers, and cabbage. Sometimes it can be effective when growing watermelons and melons.
How to use shells in the garden
Egg casing can be used in different ways, depending on the purpose and expected results. It is easy to add in powder form, whole or slightly crushed. The main thing to remember is that even shell film can be an excellent addition to improve the condition of the soil, although it gets in the way a little when working with the shell.
Application of dry powder
- Dry egg powder should be poured into a bottle, and several holes should be made there to pour out evenly. It is easier to scatter such fertilizer with your hands, but there is a possibility of getting the result “thick there, but empty there.”
- After this, you should water the soil well until the egg powder is completely absorbed. If there are small places with fertilizer left on the surface of the earth, it’s okay, it will be absorbed later.
- The procedure must be repeated several times, so it is better to stretch this process over a couple of days so as not to walk on wet ground.
- For high-quality fertilizer, it is recommended to use 80-100 egg shells per 1 sq.m of wilted soil.
- Dry powder can be diluted with water, watered with indoor plants or seeds during planting, so they will receive the necessary calcium.
How to make and use an infusion for the garden
- We collect several fresh egg shells (about 3-4 pieces) and, without washing them, put them in a jar. Next, fill with warm water until completely covered and cover loosely with a lid or plate. When this mixture is infused, hydrogen sulfide will be released, which has a not very pleasant odor, so it is better to put such a container with shells in a dark and distant place.
After 3-4 days, the infusion is ready for use; it can be used to water indoor or garden plants, without even diluting it with additional water. This fertilizer must be used in winter and spring, when the soil needs feeding.
- Add 5 egg shells and their whites to 1 liter of warm water, mix thoroughly, cover with a lid, and place in a cool, dark place. After 10-15 days, when a not very pleasant smell appears, the mixture is ready to be applied to the soil. To do this, it must be diluted with 10-12 liters of water. room temperature and use a watering can to spray onto the soil. If it gets on the leaves of plants, this fertilizer will not burn them, so this infusion can be used for greenhouse crops, for any greenery in an open area.
- Prepare 20 chicken eggshells, crush them a little, add 3 liters of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about 2-3 minutes. After cooling, dilute the mixture with 5 liters of water and use for watering indoor plants, garden crops. This infusion is very useful for growing spring seedlings; it will allow plants to grow quickly and take the maximum amount of minerals from the soil.
- Mix 100 eggshells, onion peels, leaves walnut, add 50 g of lime.
Eggshell fertilizer for the garden
Fill it all with 1 liter of boiling water and leave for 1 day. After filtering, the liquid should be diluted with 10-12 liters of water and the fertilizer is ready. It is recommended to apply it in the spring, when the plants in the garden are just emerging. This infusion will help the greenery grow healthy and large.
Video: How to prepare fertilizer from egg shells and orange peels
To do this, you should prepare 5-6 egg shells and the peel of 1 orange. Grind these ingredients, mix, and place in a 3-liter container. Boil water in a saucepan, pour it into the mixture of shells and oranges, stir. Let the future fertilizer brew for several hours until it cools completely. This infusion will be good decision To improve the condition of the soil of indoor plants, it should be prepared 1-2 times and applied every month. As an addition, watch the video with this recipe:
What summer resident does not dream of a rich harvest? It is this cherished dream that makes the owners personal plots pay so much attention to each crop planted. Weed removal, loosening, watering, pest and disease control - all this is included in the busy life of every farmer.
And of course, so that the return from land plot was maximum, it is impossible to do without fertilizers. They can be purchased in specialized stores, but most summer residents prefer to prepare them themselves. Egg shells As a fertilizer, it is used quite often and there is a reasonable explanation for this.
Why plants welcome eggshells
Eggshells are no substitute for a complex fertilizer that provides plants with absolutely everything they need. But nevertheless, it is a rich source of certain substances necessary for the development of many cultures.
Using eggshells as fertilizer in the garden
If you decompose an egg shell into its components, you will find among them:
- calcium carbonate (95%),
- phosphorus,
- potassium,
- magnesium,
- protein.
Eggshells reduce the acidity of the soil
Adding eggshells to the soil also helps loosen it and reduce its acidity. Most garden crops and flowers like to grow in such conditions.
They prefer to use natural fertilizers, especially those that can be prepared at home from improvised means. Egg shells are used as a natural fertilizer for the garden or, and then we will get acquainted with the manufacture and use of such.
Composition and beneficial properties of eggshells
Did you know?The smallest bird eggs are laid by a hummingbird - only 12 mm in diameter, and the largest - by an ostrich: up to 20 cm!
Indoor
As practice has shown, it is best to use shells as fertilizer in the form of an infusion. It should be used no more than every one or two weeks. flowers need to be moistened. 
In addition to this method, the egg shell is used as (layer up to 2 cm) and an admixture in the substrate, but in a very small amount, no more than a third of a teaspoon per pot.
Garden
The infusion is equally beneficial to most garden plants, But experienced gardeners it is used in combination with, which increase the level, and the shell helps to lower it. 
The use of powder prevents the appearance of black stem on flowers.
What plants can be harmed?
Before using egg shells as fertilizer, you need to decide for which plants it is not suitable.
Exceeding the calcium limit can cause a lot of problems in indoor flowers, especially in plants, since these plants prefer acidic soil. 
You also cannot add grinding into the hole to plants such as,.
Preparing fertilizer
Preparing fertilizer is a very easy process - not expensive or labor-intensive, even novice gardeners can do it.
Shell preparation
Procurement of raw materials is probably the most important stage in the preparation of fertilizer; it will determine how long you can store the fertilizer. It is best to use fresh homemade eggs, but boiled eggs will do in a pinch. 
Eggs should be emptied of all contents and washed from the inside so that there are no protein particles left that can fade, and then the shells will have to be thrown away. Then they are dried in the oven or in another place until the shell becomes brittle.
A healthy person's diet includes eggs. And not just chicken ones. Many people prefer quail, some adore goose, and some prefer exotic ostrich. One way or another, the contents of the eggs are eaten, and the shells are often simply thrown away. According to statistics, a family from three people consumes up to 800-900 chicken eggs per year. If average weight one shell is 10 g, then during the season you can accumulate up to 8-9 kg of eggshells.
Is it a lot or a little? If you want to make good use of the substances in the shells, then not so much! It is estimated that depending on the degree of acidity of the soil, you can add from 0.5 kg to it. up to 1 kg. for each square meter surfaces.
In fact, calcium in its pure form is a metal; in nature, calcium compounds are more often found - bicarbonates and the salts formed from it. These salts are the components of limestone, chalk, and the shells of any eggs. Calcium carbonate accounts for up to 95% of the content of the hard shells of eggs. In addition, another 27 elements of the periodic chemical table are present in it. These are magnesium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, phosphorus, potassium, iron, aluminum, sulfur. IN percentage They occupy a very small part, but with constant fertilization they will not go unnoticed either.
The films accompanying the shells themselves from the inside are rich in organic matter. Mainly mucin and keratin.
Structure of calcium bicarbonate present in large quantities in the shell, differs from the structure of the resulting chemically chalk.
PLEASE NOTE: Since the shell is created by nature itself, calcium salts have a completely different crystalline form, which is better absorbed by plants.
Video - making a solution from eggshells to fertilize plants
Why shells are good for plants
Ground egg shells and in water infusions will benefit your garden, especially if it is located on clay, heavy and acidified soils, as it contributes to:
- soil deoxidation. All over the world, soils with a pH level of 5.5 to 7 are considered fertile. Only at these levels can the nutrients surrounding the plant roots be dissolved and these materials vital for photosynthesis and growth be absorbed. And if the level value is 5, then this means that the soil is highly acidic, toxic for many plants, and it is necessary to reduce the acidity by 100 times in order to lower this figure to an acceptable 6;
- enrichment with minerals;
- increasing soil looseness. Areas allocated for vegetable gardens are often clayey and heavy in structure. This (in addition to acidification) does not allow air to reach the root system, leads to stagnation of water in the soil, and when the weather changes, cracking of the soil and breaking of roots. The addition of eggshells significantly improves the aeration properties of the soil;
- repelling pests (mole crickets, slugs, moles). While powder can be used for slugs and snails, it is recommended to use large pieces of shell for mole crickets, shrews and moles. You can only slightly break it with your hands. The sharp edges of hard shells will prevent the spread of pests;
- protection against certain diseases (black leg, blossom end rot).
Ways to use eggshells
The shell, crushed to a powder, can be:
- just pour it into the soil and then cover it with a rake. This can be done before and after planting; it is very useful to add it to the holes under potatoes and onions;
- sprinkle on top of the ground to protect against cruciferous flea beetles, clutches of cabbage butterflies, reducing weed growth and mulching;
- Use in decoctions and infusions for irrigation.
Finely crushed shells can be scattered by hand, but it is more efficient to make special device: V plastic bottle We evenly make small holes through which the powder will pour out onto the surface of the beds.
Trees benefit from shallow planting around the perimeter trunk circle in order not to damage the roots.
To use the beneficial properties of the shell film, you can make infusions from the shell without removing this film.
Usually, one to two weeks are enough for the water into which the untreated shells are placed to begin to become cloudy and emit a specific smell of hydrogen sulfide. This means that the infusion is ready and you can water the plants with it. Take from 5 to 10 shells for 1 liter of water. Ready solution can be diluted with water up to 10 times when watering.
We collect and store shells correctly
Those who have tried to collect shells will immediately note the only disadvantage of this process - the smell that organic protein residues on the surface begin to emit over time. inside shells and thin films, remaining inside. We recommend two methods for hassle-free collection and storage of shells:
- with washing under running water in order to get rid of organic particles and the films themselves;
- roasting in the oven as the shells accumulate.
If you wash the shells thoroughly, you will get positive side– the ability to dry future fertilizer without any inconvenience associated with odor. But also negative side will consist in the fact that you will not get enough useful substances contained in the films themselves.
The second option is more troublesome, since as the shells accumulate, you will need to warm them up on a baking sheet or in a patch. But it will be much easier to crush and grind the shells.
Each gardener turns hard and hard shells into useful lime dust in his own way:
- can be processed through a meat grinder;
- You can do this quite quickly using a coffee grinder;
- just crush with a masher by hand;
- wrap in a thick canvas bag and beat with a hammer.
Dried shells can be stored for quite a long time. Preferably not in polyethylene, but in paper bags or glass, but not tightly closed containers. The potential plant balm you prepare should not suffocate.
Crushed eggshells - photo
For which plants can shells be used as fertilizer?
As you know, each plant has its own individual preferences. Some of them like the soil to be more acidic, others less so. Therefore, trying to feed violets (Saintpaulia uzambarii) with infusion from the shells or pour crushed powder from them into the soil is not only useless, but even harmful.
Do not add excess alkaline additives to aster plantings. Seedlings of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants would rather be watered from the shells than directly added to the substrate.
But they will respond very positively to the introduction of shells into the ground:
- leaf salad;
- all types of cabbage;
- radish;
- swede;
- pumpkin;
- watermelons, melons;
- greens (parsley, dill, celery);
- legumes (peas, beans, beans);
- stone fruits (cherry, plum);
- pome trees (apple, pear);
- raspberry, currant, gooseberry bushes;
- citrus and coniferous.
Important nuances
To find out which soil predominates on your site, you can use the official method: take samples and take them to the laboratory, where after research you will be given exact numbers.
IN Lately Indicator tapes became popular. A strip of such tape is moistened with damp soil and the acidity levels are immediately determined.
But there is a faster one affordable way: about 50 g of earth is taken into the bottle, topped up with water to 200 ml. Instead of a lid, you should use a compressed (rolled) rubber pacifier (finger pad). After a few minutes of vigorous shaking, bubbles will begin to form in the bottle. chemical reaction. If the rubber on the nipple stretches a little, then the soil is slightly acidic. But if gas formation is strong, then most likely you will not avoid liming.
About soil neutrality they will say:
- clover;
- chamomile;
- coltsfoot.
Acidic soil is defined as:
- plantain;
- horsetail;
- Ivan da Marya;
- mint.
On alkaline they will grow:
- mustard.
DON'T FORGET: one shell for good development There are few garden plants!
The shells can be combined with purchased fertilizers, or you can combine this natural delicacy with the same natural fertilizers, such as onion peels, ash, banana peels, orange peel, nettles, walnut shells, potato peelings. There is known evidence that potatoes did not get sick and grew large and even if ash, shells and onion skins in dry form.
It is better to make decoctions (infusions) from banana skins and zest of any citrus fruits. For example: 10 eggshells and the zest of 2 oranges are crushed, boiled for about half an hour in 3 liters of water, after infusing and cooling for several hours, you can water not only the seedlings, but also any indoor plants suffering from a lack of fertilizer, especially in the spring.
Video - using eggshells as fertilizer for the garden
Eggs are a product whose benefits cannot be debated. Eggshells are an excellent fertilizer for gardening, but not everyone knows about it. This storehouse of useful ingredients will help you grow fruit and vegetable products that will be the envy of all your neighbors. How? Let's try to figure it out.
Calcium "pure" in natural conditions you don't see it often. But the components containing it, represented by bicarbonates and the salts formed from them, are a reason for pride for many products. Limestone and chalk are rich in such components. The shell of eggs is a unique component, consisting of 95% calcium carbonate, which forms its hard shell.
This product contains 27 more elements from periodic table Mendeleev. Eggshells are rich in magnesium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, potassium, iron, sulfur, and aluminum. If converted into percentages, it will become noticeable that they account for a small share, but they will also play their role in the process of improving soil quality.
The films contained inside the eggshell are rich in organic matter. Mucin and keratin are its brightest representatives.
What are the benefits of shells for plants?
Our distant ancestors affirmed the undeniable benefits of egg shells, no matter in what form they are used, ground or liquid.
- A unique product deoxidizes the soil. Generally accepted for fertile soil cover Acidity is generally considered to be 5.5 - 7. Only thanks to such conditions is it possible to ensure the absorption of nutritional components by the root system of plants, which is important for processes such as growth and photosynthesis.
A level 5 indicator warns of excessive soil acidity and toxicity. This is destructive for a number of flora representatives. It is necessary to reduce the acidity index to about 6. - The soil composition is enriched with minerals.
- The soil becomes looser. Areas occupied by vegetable gardens are usually located on clayey and structurally heavy areas. This factor has a negative effect on plants, because it is not easy for air to reach the roots. The result is stagnation of water in the soil, and if the weather changes, the soil cracks and the roots break off. The use of shells improves the aeration properties of the soil.
- Such crop pests as mole crickets, slugs, and moles from eggshells trying to stay as far away as possible. To combat slugs and snails, it is recommended to take this product, pre-ground. But shrews, mole crickets and moles are more afraid of such a product, scattered in pieces.
- The unique product is endowed with protective properties against a number of ailments (fights blossom end rot, blackleg). Especially suitable for tomato seedlings.
What plants are suitable for this fertilizer?
Not all plants can use egg shells as a basis to fertilize the soil layer.
Among vegetable and melon products it is worth paying attention to:
- on peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, potatoes, watermelons, melons;
- Such fertilizing has a particularly beneficial effect on the development of raspberries, apple trees, gooseberries, pears, apricots and viburnum;
- Strawberries and wild strawberries will be enjoyed if the soil under these plants is flavored with ground egg shells;
- plants with stone fruits (we are talking about cherries, plums, etc.) can be classified as particularly needy crops for calcium;
- don't mind getting extra calcium legumes, citrus fruits, conifers and green representatives of the flora.
Egg pieces do an excellent job as drainage for placing seedlings in disposable cups.
Important! The main thing is not to overdo it with the component, because calcium in excess amounts can harm plants.
To prepare fertilizers, it is better to take shells from eggs from chickens or chickens. Turkey or goose egg product can also be used, but it may be difficult to grind.
We collect and store shells correctly
Shells are a capricious product in terms of storage. If it is not stored correctly, an unpleasant odor will appear after some time. To avoid this, you need to follow certain rules when collecting and storing the product.
- For washing collected shells, it is better to use running water. This way you will be able to get rid of organic particles and the films themselves.
- It is allowed to calcinate the shells in the oven.
If the eggshell is thoroughly dried, it will be stored for a long time without changing its smell and appearance. Washing has a significant drawback - most useful properties the shell is lost.
Making fertilizer
You can prepare valuable fertilizer using the following technology:
- Wash the shell and dry it thoroughly, for which it is laid out on paper or dried in the oven.
- You can grind the product in a coffee grinder, meat grinder or using a regular mortar. Important! The larger the pieces of eggshell, the longer it will take to decompose, and, therefore, its beneficial qualities will not reach the soil so quickly.
- It is optimal to store the resulting powder in a glass jar.
As strange as it may sound, egg shells are used to make liquid fertilizer in the form of a tincture.
To obtain it you need:
- Grind the thoroughly washed and dried shells;
- the product brought to a powdery consistency is poured into glass containers. Water is poured there. Cover the container with the product with a lid and leave it in a cool, dark place for 15 days;
- Before using the solution in the garden, it is diluted with ordinary water according to the scheme: 1 part solution, 3 parts water.
This type of fertilizer is often used to fertilize cabbage, onions, peppers, beets, etc.
How to use eggshells to benefit a plant
There are no specific recommendations regarding how to use eggshells. Some people simply pour the prepared mixture onto the surface of the soil and cover it with a rake. It is allowed to fertilize the soil with such fertilizer both before and after planting.
- Particular benefits can be felt if you add the component to the holes with potatoes and onions.
- As a composition that protects against pests (cruciferous flea beetles and clutches of cabbage butterflies), as well as minimizing the growth of weeds healing composition You can sprinkle soil on top.
- You can use an infusion or decoction made from powder to water crops.
- Finely crushed shells can simply be scattered, but it is much more reasonable to prepare a special design: make uniform holes of small diameter in a plastic bottle. Through these holes the powder will be poured onto the beds.
An excess of calcium, especially for indoor plants, can end in disaster. Violets, azaleas, gloxinias, hydrangeas, camellias, and pelargoniums are under attack. The explanation for this phenomenon is simple: for these representatives of the flora with acidic soil a comfortable environment is associated.
Using egg shells as fertilizer for cultivated plants- a justified step. Despite the wide range useful qualities, the product should be used carefully so as not to harm the plants.