Eggshell dressing is an excellent means of increasing the yield of various garden crops, including cucumbers and tomatoes. This natural fertilizer enriches the soil, reduces its acidity, protects plants from parasites and other harmful effects.
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How to collect, prepare, store and apply eggshell dressing
Eggshells of any poultry are suitable for feeding. Quail eggs are especially rich in mineral elements, so the presence of fragments of their shells will increase the value of the supplement. The process of preparing egg shell dressing consists of three stages:
- Blank.
- Storage.
- Application.
Important! You cannot use the shells of boiled eggs, as some of the nutrients evaporate from exposure to high temperatures.
Shells from four to five dozen eggs are enough for one square meter of beds. From this calculation, the volume of blanks required for all landings is derived.
The shells of eggs laid in winter have a denser shell. Brown eggs are more profitable for fertilizing because they have thicker shells than white ones.
Storage rules
The prepared raw materials are thoroughly washed and dried. It is advisable to heat the shells in a hot oven.
The action of dry heat evaporates moisture, which protects the product from fermentation and decay. Calcination promotes the early release of calcium.
The calcined shell is crushed with a mortar or in a coffee grinder and placed in paper bags for storage.
Attention! In a container impermeable to air, the raw material will fog up and mold. Therefore, you should not keep it in plastic bags or glass and plastic containers.
Washed, calcined, shredded raw materials in paper bags are stored for a year.
If an unpleasant smell appears, it means that the product is spoiled and not suitable for feeding.
Preparation and application methods
You can use eggshell dressing in liquid and dry form.
In the first case, a tincture is made from the powder, which is poured over the soil under the plant. The dry additive is poured into the hole where the seedlings will be planted. Or they interfere with the ground during soil loosening.
When watering, calcium is absorbed by the plant, but has no effect on the soil. Powdery top dressing is slowly absorbed, but effectively fertilizes the soil.
How to make a tincture
The crushed shell is poured with boiling water: one liter of water per shell from a dozen eggs.
The solution is left in a dark place for five to seven days.
Shake and stir periodically.
Before use, one liter of the tincture is diluted with three liters of water.
What you need to know about eggshell fertilizer
The main nutritive material of the shell is calcium. But not only. It contains 10 more macro- and microelements that increase soil fertility and have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of cucumbers and tomatoes.
The effect of applying top dressing to the soil:
- Fortified with calcium.
- Alkalinization.
- Loosening.
Due to the high calcium content in the shell, it is easily absorbed by the soil. The acid-base balance is evened out faster than with the addition of lime or chalk.
The mechanical action is also important: the powder from the shell loosens the soil well, making it breathable.
Interestingly! Even before decomposition and transition into humus, the shell intensively releases nutrients into the soil.
Do you use eggshells to increase yields?
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You can also read about feeding strawberries in the following article:Feeding strawberries during flowering for a rich harvest