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Anyone who relies on organic fertilizers cannot avoid eggshells either. This is a very good fertilizer for various plants. The article explains what needs to be considered.

In a nutshell

  • With 90% lime content, eggshells provide a lot of lime
  • Peel has other good micronutrients
  • Only fertilize plants that tolerate lime well
  • When using very calcareous tap water, avoid additional fertilization with egg shells
  • Determine the pH of the soil before fertilizing

eggshell fertilizer

The fertilizer, which is made from eggshells, not only provides large quantities of lime, but also many other micronutrients that many plants need for a good supply:

  • iron
  • fluorine
  • copper
  • manganese
  • molybdenum
  • phosphorus
  • sulfur
  • silicon
  • zinc

Notice: There are lime-tolerant and lime-intolerant plants. Therefore, the fertilizer from the shells of eggs is not equally suitable for all plants. Before the shells are used as fertilizer, you must check the lime tolerance.

Make your own eggshell fertilizer

The fertilizer based on eggshells can easily be made by yourself. Since it consists of a waste product, it can also be described as free:

  • shells of one or two eggs
  • Process peels into fine powder
  • with a mortar or spice grinder
  • put in jar
  • pour a liter of cold water
  • leave for twelve hours
  • Minerals can dissolve
  • then strain through a sieve or filter bag
  • the lime liquid fertilizer is ready

Tip: If pieces of the eggshell are left in the sieve or filter bag, they can also be scattered on the ground directly around the plant.

Fertilize properly

It is not always correct to fertilize a bed, a hedge or a pot cultivation with lime, even if the planted plants are quite fond of or tolerate lime. Therefore, the following things must also be observed with the eggshell fertilizer:

  • Shells contain calcium carbonate
  • never distribute this together with phosphates or ammonium
  • Break between the different fertilizations at least three months
  • in acidic soils, the lime can increase the pH value
  • measure the pH of the soil before fertilizing
  • ground and in water the effect is fastest

Lime-tolerant plants

The lime-tolerant plants need fertilizing with lime from time to time if this has not already been done with calcareous irrigation water. The lime-tolerant plants come from all areas, whether flowers, perennials, shrubs and also vegetable and fruit plants can be easily lime-tolerant.

trees

There are many trees that need lime and for which it makes sense to fertilize with a broth made from eggshells:

linden tree
  • Maple (Acer)
  • Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
  • Larch (Larix)
  • Linden (Tilia)
  • Poplar (Populus)

flower

A colorful flowering flower bed with different lime-loving varieties could be filled with the following plants:

Dark Bugle
  • Columbine (Aquilegia)
  • Cyclamen (cyclamen)
  • Asters (Aster)
  • Blue Cushion (Aubrieta)
  • Blue fescue (Festuca cinerea)
  • Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemums)
  • Clematis (clematis)
  • Forsythia (Forsythia)
  • Bellflower (Campanula)
  • Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale)
  • Hyacinth (Muscari)
  • Crawling Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
  • Lilies (Lilium)
  • Peonies (Paeonia)
  • roses (pink)
  • Tulips (Tulipa)
  • Sweet peas (Vicia)

vegetable plants

So that many vegetable plants can grow quickly and bring a good harvest, they are happy about the addition of lime and thus fertilization with eggshells:

Celery, Apium
  • different types of cabbage (Brassica)
  • Chard (Beta vulgaris)
  • Carrots (Daucus carota)
  • Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
  • Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)
  • Salsify (Scorzonera hispanica)
  • Celery (Apium graveolens)
  • Asparagus family (Asparagaceae)
  • all leeks (Alliaceae)

shrubs

In the case of shrubs and trees, the plants can also partially overlap, since many shrubs can be cultivated both in a hedge and as a single trunk to the tree. Some hedge plants or solitary shrubs need regular lime fertilization in order to be able to develop many new shoots and flowers. Here, too, the self-made eggshell fertilizer helps:

Smoke bush, Cotinus coggygria
  • Honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum)
  • Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum)
  • Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria)
  • Hawthorn (Crataegus)
  • Ornamental cherry (Prunus serrulata)

Notice: If you are planning a mixed hedge, then you should make sure that you either only cultivate lime-loving plants or plants that are intolerant to lime.

fruit plants

Many types of fruit, both under the trees, shrubs or as ground-covering plants, need lime in order to thrive and bear lots of fruit. These plants are also happy about fertilization with eggshells:

  • Apple tree (Malus domestica)
  • Pear tree (Pyrus communis)
  • Blackberries (Rubus sect. Rubus)
  • Strawberries (Fragaria)
  • Peach tree (Prunus persica)
  • Plum tree (Prunus domestica)
  • Red and white currants (ribes)
  • Gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa)
  • Sweet cherry tree (Prunus avium subsp.)

frequently asked Questions

Why are egg shells suitable as fertilizer?

Many plants need lime to thrive, as this enables them to absorb additional minerals. In addition, lime loosens the soil and can thus create optimal conditions so that the roots can absorb the nutrients from the soil. With a 90 percent lime content, eggshells are ideal for this.

What does it look like when the tap water is already very calcareous?

If you live in an area with very calcareous tap water and do not water your plants with collected rainwater, then you can also do without fertilizing with egg shells, otherwise over-fertilization with lime can occur.

Which plants should I definitely not fertilize with eggshells?

If you have cultivated heather (Erica tetralix), hydrangea (Hydrangea), camellias (Camellia japonica) or magnolias (Magnolia), red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) or rhododendrons in your garden, then you should never use the shells on these lime-intolerant plants fertilize from eggs, because then you would harm these plants more than help.

What if I plant different varieties in one garden bed?

In a garden bed, regardless of whether it is a vegetable, herb or flower bed, it is important that the plants fit together. You should also not mix lime-intolerant plants with lime-loving plants in order to ensure healthy growth.

Can I put the eggshells from breakfast on the compost?

In principle, this is also possible, but here too one or the other must be observed. This creates a high pH value in the compost, which stimulates the bacteria to compost faster. This can reduce the volume of the compost. To avoid this, acidic material such as peat soil or cut coniferous wood or rhododendron or oak leaves should always be added.

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Garden maintenance