Few people know that eggshells can be used as fertilizer for garden crops, in particular cucumbers and tomatoes. The substances contained in it contribute to the deoxidation of the soil, saturate it with nutrients, and contribute to an increase in resistance to pests and diseases.
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Rules for the storage and use of eggshells
As a fertilizer, you can use the shell from the eggs of any poultry. To preserve the maximum amount of nutrients in the composition, it is recommended to collect the shells left after using raw eggs. Heat treatment contributes to the destruction of many useful components. The largest concentration of useful elements in the shell from quail eggs.
For 1 sq. m of soil will need a shell of 40-50 eggs. From this amount, you can calculate the total number of eggs that will be required to prepare feeding for the entire garden.
For the manufacture of fertilizer, a shell from chicken eggs of any color is suitable, but brown is thicker, so it is more profitable to harvest it.
How to collect and store correctly
To prepare the shell for storage, it must be rinsed and dried thoroughly. It will not be superfluous to bake in the oven. This will help remove excess fluid more efficiently and speed up the calcium release process. Excessive moisture content can lead to the development of fermentation and cause rotting and deterioration of all harvested material.
After calcining, the shell must be crushed with a coffee grinder or in a mortar and stored in a paper bag until spring. In this form, it can be stored for about a year.
The appearance of extraneous odors indicates damage to the workpiece, such an eggshell is no longer suitable for further use in the garden.
Ways to use eggshells in the garden
Eggshell dressing can be applied dry or in the form of an infusion.
For use in dry form, the crushed top dressing is poured onto the bottom of the holes when planting plants or evenly sprinkled on the surface of the earth, digging or loosening the site is carried out. With this method of application, during watering, calcium is released, which is actively absorbed by plants. Such feeding is long-lasting, since there is a slow release of nutrients.
Preparation of infusion for feeding
For 1 liter of boiling water, you will need crushed shells from 1 dozen eggs. The mixture is stirred and sent to infuse in a dark place for a week, stirring occasionally. For watering, 1 liter of infusion is diluted with 3 liters of water.
The benefits of eggshell
In addition to calcium, which is found in large quantities in the egg shell, the composition is rich in trace elements that play an important role in the proper development of tomatoes and cucumbers.
The introduction of crushed shells contributes to:
- enrichment of the soil with calcium and nutrients;
- decrease in acidity at the site;
- loosening the substrate.
The high calcium content contributes to a more rapid deoxidation of the soil than when applying lime or chalk.
The loosening properties of the fertilizer increase the air permeability of the soil, which improves aeration of the root system.
Do you know how to increase the yield of cucumbers and tomatoes using eggshells?
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