Eggshells as Fertilizer for Plants at Home, These are the Benefits

Eggs are known as a practical and healthy menu for consumption. As a matter of fact, we can take the benefits of eggs not only from the inside but also from the shell. 

After cracking the eggs, you better not throw them away. Eggshells can assist you in so many things starting from fertilizing plants up to cleaning the house. 

Here are the benefits of eggshells as cited from Reader’s Digest

1. To fertilize your garden

Rinse and remove the clear inner membrane of eggshells. Mash them down to fine bits with a steel or wooden spoon. After that, you can sprinkle and mix the ground eggshells into your garden for a great source of calcium carbonate for the soil. In addition to their use as fertilizer, eggshells will also reduce soil acidity. 

2. As a non-toxic abrasive cleaner

If you are avoiding using abrasive chemicals sold commercially, eggshells can be used in lieu of those harsh chemicals. Dry the shells first and blend them into a fine paste. After that, add 3 cups of baking soda. This formula can be useful to clean pans and pots, shower doors with months of gunk, and toilet grout.

3. As a container for seed sowing

Eggshells are also useful for seedings. You can fill the eggshells with soil. The shells should have previously been poked by a sharp needle in the bottom of each for water drainage. After that, put the seeds into the soil, water them regularly, and keep an eye for sprouts.   

4. To clean a reusable coffee flask

If you are an avid coffee drinker, you’re probably no stranger to the patina that forms on the inside of your thermal flask. That’s where eggshells come to rescue. Just add a combination of hot water and crushed eggshells. Shake well for a few minutes and the mixture should help break down the stains. 

5. To feed birds

When you have enough eggshells to cover a baking tray, bake them at around 250 degrees Fahrenheit until dry. The shells will be brittle enough to crush easily. Spread the mixture in a feeder or on the ground for birds to munch on. It’s a great source of calcium for the birds, especially for females during the prime time for laying eggs. 

6. To clean up the sink

Place the eggshells on the sink strainer. They will help prevent food solids from going down the drain. As the egg starts to break down, it acts as a natural abrasive to help clean the drain pipes.

7. To fertify your pooch

Crushed eggshells are an excellent way to add extra calcium to your dog’s diet. Spread clean eggshells over a baking sheet and bake in a 250-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 30 minutes. Crush the shells with a rolling pin until they are a fine powder and sprinkle this over your dog’s food. The extra calcium from the eggshells can help strengthen your dog’s bones and teeth. 

8. To deter garden pests

Not only give nutritions for your plants, eggshells can also repel pests. Gather crushed eggshells and scatter them around your soil. This works as a natural deterrent for slugs, snails, and even deer. 

Eggshells as Fertilizer

Eggshells are among good organic fertilizers for various types of plants. Why are eggshells good for plants? If you’ve heard about eggshells and vinegar to fertilize tomato plants, this is not a hoax or fake news. 

Basically, eggshells are the outer part of eggs that consist almost entirely of calcium carbonate. Because of this, eggshells can provide a strong nutritional boost for plants. Eggshells also provide plants with other important minerals, such as potassium and phosphor. 

As cited from Gardenista, eggshells are a great tool for introducing calcium to plants. To use eggshells as fertilizer, the first thing to do is prepare some eggshells. 

After that, you can grind them with a mixer, grinder, or mortar and pestle. Next, sprinkle the crushed eggshells to the surface of the plant soil. Remember, it takes several months for eggshells to break down and be absorbed by the plant roots. 

The mixture of eggshells with other organic materials can also be a planting medium to help the newly planted plants thrive. Just mix the crushed eggshells with other organic materials. The shells can also be mixed with coffee dregs to provide nutrients to your plants due to its use in helping reduce soil acidity. 

How To Apply Eggshells to Plants

Usually thrown away, eggshells turn out to be used as organic fertilizers and pesticides. 

An eggshell consists of 90 percent of calcium carbonate which becomes an important nutrient for the plant to thrive. 

Compiled from various sources, the following are how to use eggshells for plants. 

1. As a container for plant seeding 

Eggshells can be used as a container for seedlings. How to do it is simple enough, you just have to pierce the top of the shell. After that, add a planting medium like soil and put the seeds inside of it. When the seeds have grown and are ready to be transferred to a large planting container, move the seedlings along with the shells and plant them into the planting medium. 

2. Mixing with the planting medium.

Crush the eggshells until soft, then add a little water and 1.5 glasses of vinegar. Next, spread the eggshell shatters on the planting medium. The shatters will slowly break down. 

3. To repel pests

Eggshells are effective against a number of pests in plants such as snails, flies and some others. You can roughly squeeze the eggshells and then sprinkle them around your plants. 

Although eggshells can be used as fertilizer, it takes long enough for the shells to break down into the soil. 

To support the use of fertilizer from eggshells, you also need to fertilize your plants with artificial fertilizers. One of the best fertilizers used by many plant lovers is NPK Pelangi 16-16-16 produced by Pupuk Kaltim. 

NPK Pelangi is a compound fertilizer product by Pupuk Kaltim. While the NPK Pelangi 16-16-16 is prioritized for the horticultural crop segment, it can also be applied to all kinds of plants.