Organic fertilizers are now in great demand among gardeners. There are many reasons here: beneficial features, environmental Safety, high efficiency and accessibility, as well as the ability to independently adjust the composition and concentration depending on the needs of the plants. Our article will discuss the benefits of eggshells for the nutrition and growth of house plants and garden crops. The following information will tell you how to properly use eggshells for feeding plants.
The benefits of eggshells as fertilizer for the garden and garden
The main advantage of this product is its huge calcium content, which is also well absorbed in almost its entirety. This component provides good growth and resistance to external factors.
Eggshells contain important microelements: magnesium, iron, sulfur, potassium, phosphorus and many others.
All these elements take Active participation in the life of any living organism. They are very useful for plants, especially during the period of active growth and fruiting, so the use of “egg” fertilizer has a very beneficial effect on productivity and general condition garden crops. Application for indoor plants is also very effective; thanks to this feeding, they will not need chemical additives.
Once you have accumulated a sufficient amount of suitable material, you can use it to fertilize the garden or feed indoor plants. How to do this is described later in our article.
How to use and prepare correctly
The uses of eggshells can be classified into different methods. The simplest is to simply scatter the crushed shells around the plants. It will take a little time, but there will be quite a lot of shortcomings. First of all, this is the possibility of the appearance of various pests that can multiply in insufficiently dried shells, especially if you used fresh material. Secondly, you can accidentally cut yourself when cultivating the soil or harvesting crops. The sharp edges of the shell can even damage shoes or cut your foot, so it is better not to use this option.
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The video talks about eggshells as fertilizer for the garden:
Low efficiency and a long period of digestibility of the components completely debunk this method of feeding. To fully nourish one square of land, it is necessary to add at least the shells of one hundred eggs, which, you will agree, is quite a lot to use such fertilizer on an industrial scale.
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The second and most common method of using eggshells as fertilizer is to create nutrient solution. This process is more labor-intensive, but the benefits will be much greater.
How to make an infusion of shells for feeding:
- The shells are finely crushed (you can use a blender).
- Pour the required amount of crushed shells with water.
- Leave for at least three days, shaking and stirring occasionally.
- Before use, you can strain the infusion from the sediment, and most often use it all together.
It is advisable to take filtered liquid, or even better, from a well or after rain. With this method everything useful material enrich the water and the resulting infusion is much more effective than ordinary shells.
Calculating the required amount is very simple: three liters of clean water are used for 30 “sets” of shells.
How to use for feeding indoor plants
For home use, small quantities are sufficient. To do this, regularly use an infusion of eggshells, which can be prepared using the technology described above. Depending on the number of plants, three liters of infusion will be enough for a one-time feeding.
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In the video - eggshell fertilizer for seedlings:
To ensure a permanent effect, you can add solid sediment from such an infusion to the soil. To do this, dig a shallow hole near the plant and add a certain amount of shell. With normal watering, the nutrients from this “reserve” will nourish the roots of the plant.
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Eggshell can also serve as excellent drainage before planting. Together with pebbles and sand, it allows water to pass through perfectly and gradually releases useful substances that feed the plant. For the drainage function, there is no need to grind the shells; just knead them a little in your hands. Air gap between the plates will ensure water circulation and prevent the appearance of mold and stagnation of liquid.
Application for garden crops
Typically, the application of eggshells is combined with annual digging of the soil. It is advisable to combine this fertilizer with mineral fertilizers. To reduce soil acidity, it is necessary to apply a strictly dosed amount of crushed powder. For each square meter This is about the shell of 50 eggs. You cannot add the entire amount at once; it is better to divide the portions into three times.
Shells from the eggs of other poultry can also be used as a mineral fertilizer. Quail eggs are especially useful in this regard. This valuable product It has long proven its beneficial properties in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases and problems. At the same time, quail eggs are much smaller than chicken eggs, so it makes sense to use a “mix” rather than debugging them separately from each other.
The original method of growing seedlings in eggshells is also very popular. To do this, use a clean shell without the upper part, and pierce several drainage holes at the bottom with a needle.
Seedlings in such pots are grown for a short time. It is perfect for germinating garden flowers or herbs.
You can plant the plant directly in the container to make it easier for the roots to germinate; you can crush the shell a little in your hands. Such “pots” will provide additional feeding during the period of active growth, and will also fertilize the soil layer.
Which plants need “egg” feeding:
- Tomatoes.
- Potato.
- Bell pepper.
- Eggplant.
- Cauliflower.
- Radish and radish.
Currant bushes respond well to shells, which can also be fed with a healing infusion.
Eggshells are an organic lime fertilizer that is perfect for feeding garden and house plants. The use of eggshells is not required special costs, because usually they just throw it away. When used regularly, it reduces the acidity of the soil and increases its productivity.
The use of such an original fertilizer requires compliance with some nuances, as well as preliminary preparation the shell itself. It is advisable to use homemade egg shells Brown, but in the absence of such an opportunity, any others, even quail, will do. All the main points and useful recommendations are given in the information in our article.
How it is used and made is indicated in this article.
One of the effective folk remedies An infusion of eggshells is considered to be used for feeding tomatoes. It is prepared from natural ingredients, and since now everyone wants to grow organic vegetables, more and more gardeners are using the infusion.
Composition and benefits of eggshells
Egg shells have beneficial properties; they contain nutritional elements that have a positive effect on the growth and development of various crops, including tomatoes. It is a natural fertilizer, and also free.
- phosphorus;
- calcium carbonate;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- sulfur;
- zinc;
It also contains small amounts of: cobalt, iodine, manganese, fluorine, potassium, fluoride and cobalt. These elements are no less important for the full development of plants. Calcium carbonate stimulates the growth of seedlings and plays an important role in the process of photosynthesis. It promotes quick exchange substances and saturates plants with oxygen. The film that is inside is rich in organic substances such as mucin and keratin.
With the help of eggshells, you can reduce the acidity of the soil; for this, they are added to the soil in crushed form. For 1 sq.m. You will need half a kilogram of this fertilizer. The ground shell of eggs is used as a leavening agent; it also increases the breathability of the soil. Some gardeners use it to control pests such as slugs or mole crickets. Or as a disease prevention.
Calcium deficiency in tomatoes
Calcium - important element nutrition for tomatoes, its lack is reflected in the external condition of the plant and yield indicators. Tomatoes need it already during seed germination; a lack of the substance in the soil slows down the emergence of seedlings. Symptoms do not appear immediately; they are very difficult for an inexperienced gardener to notice.
Interesting!
Calcium deficiency rarely occurs.
Signs
At first, plant growth slows down; with a critical deficiency, the upper part of the seedlings turns lighter and dies. New leaves have irregular shape, light spots appear on them. The remaining leaves become dark green, with a border formed along the edges. In some cases, flowers and ovaries fall off, and fruits are affected by blossom end rot.
Causes
Calcium deficiency is noticed in the poor clay soils. But often the problem arises when there is an excess of nitrogen, potassium or manganese in the soil; they interfere with the absorption of this substance. Therefore, when applying fertilizers, it is important not to overdo it.
How to properly collect eggshells?
It can be collected throughout winter period, and in the spring use it for feeding. The weight of the shell from one egg varies from 12 to 20 grams. In a month, the average family eats 3-4 dozen eggs, which is about half a kilogram of raw materials. Of course, it is preferable to use shells from domestic eggs. Store-bought ones are also suitable, but it is better to choose eggs that are darker in color.
The shell of eggs that have been subjected to heat treatment, not suitable for preparing fertilizers. Since she has lost most of the nutrients.
Preparation
One unpleasant feature when collecting raw materials for preparing fertilizers is the smell that appears over time due to protein residues and a thin film on the shell. In order to avoid this unpleasant feature, the shells are thoroughly washed under running water. However, this procedure loses a large number of useful elements. Many people calcinate the shells in the oven, this is quite troublesome, but it will not lose any useful substances.
There are several ways to grind shells:
- pass through a meat grinder;
- use a coffee grinder for crushing;
- crush with a masher;
- place in a thick cloth and hit it with a hammer.
Storage
Dried shells are stored in fabric bags or paper bags. You can also store it in glass jars, but they should not be tightly closed, otherwise the fertilizer will suffocate. You cannot store shells in a room where air humidity exceeds 70%. If the conditions are met, the shelf life is up to two years. It is strictly forbidden to store the product in plastic bags And plastic containers, since they do not allow air to pass through. When unpleasant odor Shells cannot be used for feeding.
Application
It can be used to fertilize almost all garden plants. For nightshade crops, it is better to use an infusion of eggshells. And for greens, cabbage, onions, legumes and melons Crushed shells embedded in the ground are suitable. Dried, crushed shells are also used as fertilizers for berry bushes, fruit and coniferous trees.
Eggshell infusion for tomatoes
It is easy to prepare, preparatory work It won’t take much time, but you need to let it brew.
Ingredients:
- eggshell;
- water.
Preparation and use:
Place crushed shells from 5-6 eggs in a liter jar and pour hot water and cover with a lid. Infuse the solution for 5 days, shaking occasionally. A signal of readiness will be the appearance of an unpleasant odor; it occurs when hydrogen sulfide is released. Before use, the infusion is diluted 1:3 with settled water. room temperature and used for watering at the roots of plants.
Eggshell feeding for seedlings
The above infusion is also used for tomato seedlings. The seedlings are watered for the first time two weeks after the first shoots appear. Shells are used not only as fertilizer, they are used as a drainage layer, in this case you can even take shells from boiled eggs. They are crushed, but not to a powdery state, and placed on the bottom of the container where the seedlings will grow. Then they are covered with prepared soil. Dusting tomato seedlings with eggshell powder serves as an excellent preventive measure against blackleg.
- Do not exceed the dosage of fertilizers, this will not only not help, but will also harm the plants.
- You cannot use fresh and unpeeled shells, as this will cause diseases and attract pests.
- Large pieces of shells will take much longer to decompose, and they will not be able to compensate for the lack of nutrients in the soil. They can also hurt you when weeding.
- When using dry fertilizers, they should be incorporated into the soil. If you simply sprinkle it on top, the nutrients will take much longer to absorb.
Interesting!
Egg shells should not be used to feed violets, hydrangeas and asters, as these flowers love acidic soil.
Many Russian families have dachas and garden plots, not for the sake of saving on vegetables and fruits (at today’s gasoline prices this is unlikely to be possible), but in order to have organic fruits and vegetables on their table for a significant period of time. And such, as you know, are products that were grown without the use of any chemical fertilizers. Without fertilizers, the soil is depleted over time, and you need to replenish the nutrients with something environmentally friendly.
This is where a remedy that is available in almost every family will come to our aid. Tasty, nutritious and healthy chicken eggs- inalienable and permanent component food basket for any family.
In addition, this part of the food basket is also waste-free, since egg shells are used as fertilizer in the garden. But many of us, with a light heart, without hesitation, throw it in the trash.
The relationship between soil composition and its fertility
The composition and acidity of the soil significantly affect its fertility. These indicators can be improved by using eggshells. What is its benefit?
Very often, lime and chalk (calcium carbonate) are used to reduce soil acidity.
Compound
But the shell is a more valuable material, since the egg is a whole complex nutrients, necessary for an organism that develops and grows. Therefore, it consists of 95% calcium carbonate, which is wonderfully absorbed by plants, since it is synthesized by the bird’s body. The shell also contains a high content of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and organic protein - substances that are extremely necessary for plants.
Beneficial features
The crushed shells are used as fertilizer when growing seedlings. It is placed in a thin layer on the bottom of the container in which the seeds will be placed.
If you regularly add shells to the soil, you can significantly increase its fertility by reducing its acidity. It can also serve as a loosening agent for dense clay soils. However, very often those who like to dig into the soil add shells to the soil, completely out of proportion to the amount of potential fertilizer applied to the plant with required quantity for normal growth and development. How much eggshell does a plant need?
Required amount
In the course of research, scientists have found that in order to neutralize the increased acidity of the soil per 1 m2, you need from 0.5 to 1 kg of calcium carbonate, depending on its acidity. The weight of the shell of one egg is approximately 10 g, knowing this, you can use simple calculations to find out how much it is will be needed to fertilize your site. You can also calculate the weight of shells from eggs that have been used during the year. Of course for everything land plot the collected waste will not be enough, but still, what is collected will be enough to bring great benefit to the plants.
What plants respond to this fertilizer?
So, when starting to collect valuable fertilizer, you need to know which plants will benefit from eggshells. What is the best way to fertilize with eggshells? Seedlings of eggplants and bell peppers are very fond of it.
It is good for planting currants and cauliflower.
Preparation
To get the most out of your eggshells, you need to prepare them. First of all, wash, then dry well and grind with any accessible method, whether it's a coffee grinder, meat grinder or mortar, it doesn't matter.
There is no need to try to push it with your hands, as this is not at all easy. The film inside is very annoying. And you also need to remember that if large pieces of shells get into the soil, then its effectiveness as a fertilizer drops significantly, and in addition, you can injure your hands on such pieces when weeding the beds.
Smell
Another unpleasant circumstance that awaits you when preparing this fertilizer is an unpleasant odor. You cannot get rid of it by any washing. It is very important to remember that you only need to use shells for fertilizer. raw eggs, since boiled is completely useless. The use of eggshells can be divided into several points.
Container for seedlings
The shell can serve as a container for seedlings. To do this, you need to take a clean eggshell without a top, make drainage holes in it, fill it with fertile soil and place the seeds there.
When the seeds germinate, the seedlings can be planted in the ground along with the egg pot. Thus, its fertility increases at the same time.
Preparing the infusion
The shells of 5 eggs need to be crushed into powder, pour one liter of boiling water and leave for 5 days, shaking from time to time. The resulting solution should be used to water seedlings of flowers and vegetables, spending 1.5 cups per 1 m2 of land. Eggplants, peppers, beets, asters, roses and many other plants love watering with this infusion and give a wonderful response.
Fighting the "black leg"
Grind the shells to flour. This flour is a wonderful fertilizer when planting any plants and a good helper in the fight against blackleg. It should be used to dust the seedlings like powder.
Fertilizing indoor plants
Crushed eggshells along with mineral fertilizers that acidify the soil are added to indoor plants. You need to add in small portions - a third of a teaspoon per pot. You always need to have a sense of proportion, and remember that a significant part of indoor plants do not tolerate excess calcium at all.
Fertilizing the soil before winter
It is advisable to add crushed shells to the soil in the garden when digging it up for the winter, so that it has time to dissolve the beneficial substances. Crushed shells can act as drainage in small containers with growing seedlings.
Soil deoxidation
To deoxidize the soil, you can add crushed eggshells in the amount of 1.5 cups of powder per 1 m2 of land. If there is not enough powder, then it should be added directly to the holes immediately before planting the plants.
Procurement for future use
If you store shells in reserve, do not forget to wash them thoroughly. Otherwise, you will get more than an unpleasant smell. Use only raw eggs for preparation.
On the same topic
Nettle fertilizer for your garden
Often the policy is this - we’ll buy it, plant it, and then feed it, if necessary... Feed it - it’s easy! Moreover, there are several options to prepare organic fertilizers you can, as they say, without leaving the cash register. A summer resident is able to feed even their kitchen waste.
Eggshell, potato peelings, sugar, banana skins, coffee grounds - everything comes into play. In our description we will move from the most popular and effective to the most controversial. Go…
Feeding with infusion of bird droppings
Almost every gardener uses this option as soon as he notices problems with his seedlings. The infusion is prepared as follows: manure and water are taken in a 2:1 ratio and left to ferment for 2-3 days in a sealed container. Immediately before fertilizing, the infusion is diluted 10 times. The main thing is to know and always remember that fertilizer from manure is mostly nitrogen, which means it stimulates the growth of green mass.
This feeding is good as the very first. It will undoubtedly help seedlings or indoor flowers begin to grow.
Subsequently, if you do not see signs of nitrogen starvation in plants (stunted, pale or yellowish leaves, soft stems), there is no need to fertilize with nitrogen. Fertilizing with bird droppings can be beneficial: all vegetable crops as the first feeding, ficus, palm trees, citrus fruits, dieffenbachia, monstera.
Ash fertilizer
Another popular one among supporters natural farming type of feeding. Wood or straw ash in organic farming is considered one of the best sources potassium and phosphorus, respectively, fertilizing seedlings or flowers with ash infusion is an excellent assistant in stimulating flowering and fruiting. The infusion recipe is simple: 1 tablespoon of ash per 2 liters of hot water.
The top dressing is infused for 24 hours, then filtered. Fertilizing with ash can be useful: all vegetable crops and indoor plants.
Banana peels as fertilizer
Banana peels (as well as bananas themselves) contain large amounts of potassium. Therefore, many summer residents are in no hurry to throw away the skins, but use them as homemade fertilizer. Someone dries banana peels near the radiator, then grinds them into powder, adds them to the soil when planting and forgets about potash fertilizers. Someone infuses banana skins in water ( peel from 2-3 bananas per three-liter jar of water, leave for three days, then strain), and then water the plants with the resulting infusion.
Fertilizer from banana peel may be useful: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, roses, ferns, cyclamens, begonias, violets and other home flowers. The latter are usually fed at the bud stage to ensure vigorous and long-lasting flowering.
Egg shell infusion as fertilizer
Eggshells are a storehouse of microelements. Most gardeners carefully collect shells all winter to put them in compost or scatter them around the garden before the start of the season. But the shell can also help at the stage of growing seedlings.
If you soak it in water, during the decomposition process, hydrogen sulfide begins to be released, which scares us away with a disgusting smell, but at the same time perfectly stimulates plants to grow and develop. An infusion of eggshells is prepared as follows: crushed shells from 3-4 eggs are taken into three liters of warm water and infused under a loosely closed lid in a dark place for three days. Signs that the fertilizer is ready are cloudiness of the infusion and the appearance of a specific odor. Eggshell fertilizer may be useful: eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, palm trees, lemons, bay trees, cypress trees, petunias, zamioculcas, dieffenbachia.
Coffee grounds as fertilizer
Coffee lovers who are not too lazy to dry the used coffee grounds mix them with soil before sowing seeds for seedlings or replanting indoor plants. Coffee loosens the soil well, improves its water permeability and brings with it macro- and micronutrients, especially nitrogen. It is highly recommended to add coffee grounds to the soil for tomato and eggplant seedlings. Some gardeners are afraid to use coffee because they are sure that coffee deoxidizes the soil.
However, this is a myth. Unprocessed coffee can increase the acidity of the soil, but roasted and already used for its intended purpose has a reaction close to neutral. Fertilizing with coffee grounds can be beneficial: tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, roses, azaleas, camellias, hydrangeas, ferns, rhododendrons.
Fertilizing with onion peels
Gardeners are very fond of onion peels for their “two-in-one” effect. Watering or spraying with an infusion of onion peels is not only a complete nutrition for seedlings and flowers, but also a measure to combat unwanted microorganisms. Onion fertilizer is prepared from 20 grams of peels per five liters of warm water, which is infused for 4 days and then filtered. Feeding with onion peel infusion can be useful all vegetable crops, especially tomatoes.
Feeding with a decoction of potatoes or potato peelings
It is not for nothing that plants accumulate starch in their seeds, bulbs and tubers. Starch is a kind of “storehouse of nutrients in reserve.” It is this law of nature that summer residents use by feeding the seedlings with the decoction in which the potatoes were boiled.
Or peelings are boiled specifically for these purposes. Potato fertilizer may be helpful all crops and indoor plants.
Sugar feeding
Sugar is energy in its purest form, not only for humans. Plants also have a “sweet tooth” and once a week you can pamper them with something sweet. To do this, scatter a teaspoon of sugar directly on the surface of the ground in a pot, and then simply water the plant.
Or water it with sweet water (2 teaspoons of sugar per glass of water). Since plants need mainly glucose from sugar, someone uses glucose tablets directly as fertilizer, which are sold in pharmacies. To prepare the fertilizer, one tablet is diluted in a glass of water.
Fertilizing with glucose is carried out once a month, not more often. Fertilizing with sugar can be beneficial all indoor plants, especially cacti. How else do amateur gardeners feed their mini-garden on the windowsill? Eg:
- aloe juice diluted in water (aloe juice works perfectly as a stimulant for seed germination, and therefore will not fail as a top dressing); water left over from soaking peas, lentils, beans, other legumes and even cereals (the principle here is most likely the same , as with fertilizing with potato decoction - when soaked, part of the starch is washed out of legumes, which can serve as a nutritious “soup” for plants); decoction or infusion of dried mushrooms (again, a natural stimulant is chosen for the role of fertilizing, often used for soaking seeds before planting); citrus peels (good because they add nitrogen to the soil and repel pests with their smell; the peels are dried, crushed into powder and added to the soil); fresh or dry yeast (we wrote in detail about yeast feeding in a previous article); toothpaste (at the rate of 1/3 tube per liter of warm water, very original way fertilizing, suitable for plants that do not like acidic soils).
How effective are organic fertilizers made from “survival materials”? Gardeners do not have a clear opinion on this topic, and probably the debate over the advisability of home-made organic fertilizers for seedlings and indoor flowers will never subside. Ardent Supporters folk recipes will continue to insist on eggshells and potato peelings, and their irreconcilable opponents will once again go to the store for a bag of ready-made industrial fertilizer. Everyone is free to choose the most convenient and suitable option for themselves. We wish you success and great harvests!
The main advantage of the shell as a fertilizer is, of course, the huge content of calcium carbonate (up to 95% of it in the shell). And in the most accessible form for assimilation. Thanks to it, the shell not only nourishes, but also reduces the acidity of the soil.
Eggshells are also rich in magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and organic protein. Therefore, it is actively used as a “vitamin and mineral supplement” both on the site and in home floriculture. What to feed with eggshells?
Flowers, vegetable crops, shrubs - almost all plants need calcium in moderate quantities. Vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, potatoes, and eggplants are especially susceptible to shell feeding.
Moreover, it is worth noting that the need for calcium is mostly experienced by adult plants. But a strong overdose of fertilizer can even harm seedlings. Before use, they must be thoroughly washed and dried.
By failing to do this or doing it poorly, we leave a perfect environment for the development and reproduction of various microorganisms. And the smell from such organic fertilizer, to put it mildly, will not be very pleasant.
The dried shells need to be crushed, the finer the better (you can even turn them into powder). How to use shells in the garden?
Crushed shells are added when preparing the soil (digging), when planting plants, adding it to the hole. Or an infusion is prepared from it, which is applied in liquid form to feed the plant. The infusion is prepared as follows: crushed shells from 5 eggs are poured into a liter of boiling water and infused for 5 days, shaking regularly. Shells are also actively used in the preparation of composts. Seedlings of crops with a compact root system can also be grown in shells.
Garden
Such a pot will not only be an excellent container for the plant, but also feed it in the future (when the plant becomes larger and falls into open ground). The plant is planted in the ground together with the shell, having previously kneaded it... that during cooking, most of the calcium from the shell is washed out, and accordingly, the effectiveness of the fertilizer decreases.
Therefore, it is better to use shells from raw eggs... that shells are a kind of additive, but not the main dish for plants. You cannot do without fertilizing with fertilizers containing large amounts of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, which are most important for plants. But if you add the main substances as part of ready-made mineral fertilizers, the shell will help avoid acidification of the soil, which usually happens with this.
How to prepare and take calcium from eggshells
For use in the garden, it is usually recommended to use eggshells from domestic chickens. The beneficial elements in it are of natural origin, since village birds feed mainly on natural food. Not everyone has access to this environmentally friendly product.
You can use store-bought eggs, which also contain large amounts of calcium, but feeding from them will be less effective. Start accumulating supplies of this useful fertilizer best in winter when, after a short break, a new laying season for poultry begins.
The shell during this period is the densest, and much more useful substances, especially calcium, accumulate in it than at the end of the season, from May to September. Poultry farmers have noticed that brown shells are usually thicker than white shells. Accordingly, its mass is higher, and this has a positive effect on the content of useful macro- and microelements in one shell.
Important: If you plan to use the egg shells to fertilize the soil, then you cannot cook them. Most of the by-products will evaporate under the influence of high temperatures.
How to use eggshells in the garden?
According to data provided by practicing gardeners on thematic forums, for high-quality fertilizer 1 sq. meter of soil you need to use at least 100 crushed egg shells. But this is not very rational, so many other methods have been invented to use this calcium-rich natural fertilizer. Some of them are described below.
Fertilizer for house flowers
Indoor plants require additional nutrition without fail, but many gardeners neglect alarms, which are sent by green pets. The apartment environment for flowers, succulents and other indoor landscaping plants is not very favorable, especially in winter - they lack light, air and humidity. Therefore, it is necessary to use a variety of fertilizers.
Not necessarily ready-made purchased fertilizers. You can also use eggshells for indoor plants.
- To do this, grind it using a blender and fill it with water. Leave for two or three days, stirring occasionally. During this time, a large amount of useful substances will pass into the infusion from the eggshell.
Another way to use this organic waste for indoor plants is to create a system for draining excess liquid from the roots:
- The dried and necessarily calcined shell is placed on the bottom flower pot layer of 2-3 cm. This “cushion” ensures normal circulation of liquid in a closed system, does not allow it to stagnate and provoke putrefactive processes.
Video: fertilizers for indoor plants from shells and other improvised means
Reducing soil acidity
To achieve this goal, using eggshells in the garden is very effective. Excessive acidity negatively affects the fertility of the soil, reducing it. Acidity is reduced gradually. In the first year they make about 30-50 crushed shells per 1 sq. m.
Before use, it is advisable to heat them in a stove or oven. This will help calcium move into the soil faster, and will also relieve the mixture of a specific unpleasant odor.
Application together with mineral fertilizers
Practice of use organic fertilizers in combination with agrochemicals is very common, especially on private farms. As mentioned above, eggshells reduce soil acidity. And many mineral supplements, on the contrary, they increase it.
Therefore, eggshells as a fertilizer neutralize harmful effects agrochemicals, while all their beneficial properties are fully realized.
Drainage and structuring
The shell is used not only to fertilize the soil. It also improves its structure. The soil becomes looser after adding this additive., and this, in turn, improves air access to the roots.
Also, the soil improved in this way, when it dries after watering, forms a less dense crust, without capillaries through which moisture evaporates. This helps plants absorb more water. As a leavening agent, the shell lasts for several years.
It has been experimentally proven that the process of its decomposition in the ground is comparable in duration to the decomposition of animal skeletons. Another example of its longevity is that even in a compost heap, under the influence high temperature, this calcium structure takes at least two years to decompose. Because of its apparent durability, many gardeners believe that egg shell fertilizer is ineffective.
But that's not true. Despite the fact that the calcium framework does not completely dissolve in the soil, this does not prevent beneficial microelements from penetrating into the environment.
Control of garden pests
One of the worst pests for bulbous and tuberous plants considered a mole cricket. She spoils appearance potato harvest, eats bulbs of tulips, daffodils and gladioli.
The use of insecticides against it is not always effective; other means of protection give an even weaker effect. And here eggshells again find their use in the garden. It is ground and added sunflower oil for smell and buried between rows of potatoes.
In a month there will be no mole cricket in this area. Protects eggshells and cabbage from butterfly pests. But here she already works differently than with the mole cricket.
Insects are repelled using visual effect. To do this, they use crushed eggshells, which are laid out on the tops of low columns dug in the middle of the plantings. Cabbage will never lay its eggs where the offspring of its relatives are already expected to appear.
And these “imitations” are very reminiscent of white butterflies. Therefore, the more such dummies are installed, the less chance that the garden will be left without a harvest.
Quail egg shell
Since households keep not only chickens, when covering the topic of obtaining fertilizers from egg shells, the question arises - what to do with the shells of other birds? Can it be used as a calcium supplement? Of course you can.
For example, Quail shells contain up to 90% calcium, which will be very useful as a fertilizer. But since these shells have small size, and it is very difficult to collect them in large quantities, that is, there is a reason to use an infusion of the eggshells of these birds to fertilize plants.
Recipe example : About 50 crushed shells are taken, filled with slightly acidified water (for better release of calcium), and this suspension is infused for several days. Then the house flowers are watered and garden plants, except peppers, tomatoes and eggplants.
Eggshells are used as fertilizer in the garden in dry crushed form or as an infusion. The better the egg shells are crushed, the easier their beneficial substances will be absorbed by plants. Therefore, it is recommended to pass the collected material through a meat grinder or coffee grinder to obtain a homogeneous powder.
Grinding shells through a coffee grinder
Next, this mixture is added to the holes for planting plants to deoxidize the soil and fill it with useful microelements. In case of severe acidification of the soil according to the norms per 1 sq. per meter of land, 1 kg of fertilizer from eggs is applied. But, as a rule, it is difficult to obtain so many shells for the entire garden. Therefore, gardeners apply the powder directly into the holes. Small pieces of shells can also be added to the soil when digging it up before winter. They are also used to protect plant roots from rodents (moles, mice, etc.).
An infusion of egg shells is also convenient for feeding plants. Preparation of the tincture: crushed shells are poured into a three-liter jar, poured with boiling water and then the mixture is infused under the lid for at least a week. Cloudiness of the liquid and a not very pleasant smell should not scare you - this is the main sign that the fertilizer is ready for use. Before using the tincture, it must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3.
Making an infusion from egg shells
To avoid a specific smell, the tincture can be prepared in another way. To do this, fine powder from eggshells, poured into a jar, is poured with warm boiled water and left to settle for a day. For a three-liter jar you need about 0.5 liters of powder. Next, the infusion is carefully drained (the main thing is not to shake it, so as not to lose valuable sediment) and poured warm water again. The resulting tincture in in this case There is no need to dilute before use.
To prevent the shell from fading or disappearing, it must be collected and stored correctly. Otherwise, the valuable product will disappear before you can prepare fertilizer from it. Subject to a few simple rules That will not happen:
- there should be no traces of protein on the shell (to do this, the inside of the shell should be rinsed with water);
- before storing in a common container, the material is first dried in fresh air;
- should be stored in dry cardboard box with air access so that the remaining protein substance does not fade.
Drying eggshells
All plants will be happy to feed fertilizer from egg shells in dry or liquid form: cherries, apple trees, sweet cherries, any vegetables in the garden, etc. Crushed eggshells are also used as drainage for seedlings. To do this, it is placed at the bottom of containers with plant crops.
Eggshells as fertilizer for home flowers
Indoor plant pets require no less care than their outdoor brothers. If you notice the following symptoms in your flowers, then they need urgent feeding:
- the plant has thin, weak stems that constantly stretch upward;
- the flower stopped producing buds;
- the plant grows very slowly;
- the leaves became small, weak and drooping;
- the flower has a sickly, tired appearance.
To maintain or restore the health of your green pets, feed them on time and water them properly. Fertilizer from eggs will become life-giving calcium to strengthen the root system of plants, help reduce the acidity of the substrate and serve as drainage.
To fertilize home flowers, it is better to use liquid fertilizer. Finely crushed dried shells are poured with warm boiled water in a ratio of 1:4. The infusion should be kept for 2 weeks, stirring the solution periodically. You need to water the plants with the resulting fertilizer 1-2 times a month.
Most gardeners and vegetable gardeners, being also “home cooks,” do not think about the fact that by putting eggshells in the trash, they are throwing away excellent lime fertilizer. Then, when cultivating the soil on their site, gardeners purchase chalk or lime to reduce the acidity of the soil. In those areas where it is not black soil that predominates, but podzolic, sandy loam and turf soils, to obtain a good harvest it is simply necessary to neutralize the increased acidity of the soil. Therefore, to improve the composition of the soil, to increase its fertility, and simply for the sake of basic cost savings, you should not get rid of such a valuable fertilizer as eggshells.
It is immediately worth noting several very important points when preparing shells for use on the site. Firstly, it is better to take shells from raw eggs; boiled ones are practically useless. Secondly, it must be immediately washed from the remains of the egg itself so that protein does not get into the soil and putrefactive bacteria do not develop.
Using shells when growing tomato seedlings
Of course, this material is suitable for enriching the soil and draining it not only when growing tomatoes, but still these plants take eggshells especially well (along with peppers, eggplants and cauliflower). For growing and obtaining great harvest Tomato shells can be used from the very beginning of the whole process.
Firstly, egg shells can be placed in compost pits throughout summer season, mixing it with green mass, foliage, humus and weeds. The result is excellent compost that can be added to the soil for tomato seedlings.
Secondly, the seeds of this plant can be sown directly into the shells, if you take the precaution to not completely break them, but only break off the top. The shells prepared in this way must be thoroughly washed from protein residues (to avoid an unpleasant odor), filled soil mixture and plant the seeds. Shells can be installed in egg cells. Later, after germination, if additional replanting is required into a larger container or directly into the ground, it will be enough to simply crush the shell in the palm of your hand and plant the seedlings along with it. Thirdly, if the seedlings were not grown in shells, then the flour obtained from grinding the shells can be poured into the holes before planting the seedlings in the ground.
Useful properties of eggshells
In Western countries, eggshells have been used in gardening and floriculture for a long time and quite widely. It was found that it neutralizes acidic soil much more effectively than chalk and lime due to its porosity. The composition of the shell speaks for itself: 95% calcium and 5% magnesium, phosphates and organic substances. Even simply by adding crushed shells to regular mineral fertilizer complexes, you can get excellent results and an excellent harvest.
Shells ground into flour - effective remedy to combat blackleg. It is necessary to powder plants exposed to this scourge with it. Shells simply crushed with a heavy object are a godsend for drainage. In addition to drainage itself, it also enriches the soil with calcium and minerals.
The infusion from the shells should be used when watering tomatoes and other plants. For one liter of water you need to take 6-7 crushed shells and infuse this solution for a week, stirring constantly.
The value of eggshells, its useful qualities and the properties are undeniable and are still underestimated, but the effect of its use when growing tomatoes and other crops will be noticeable in the very first year of using the shell to fertilize and enrich the soil.
