Eggshell fertilizer: application for tomatoes and cucumbers
Eggshell has long been used as a top dressing for growing garden crops, including tomatoes and cucumbers. It contains a complex of trace elements necessary for plants:
- calcium carbonate;
- phosphorus;
- magnesium phosphate;
- iron, sulfur and others.
All nutrients that make up the shell are well and quickly absorbed by plants, which has a positive effect on their development.
Experienced gardeners practice these ways of using eggshells as fertilizer for cucumbers and tomatoes:
- preparation of liquid infusion;
- direct application to the soil;
- dusting of plantings in order to prevent diseases;
- as a drainage or container for growing seedlings of plants.
Liquid infusion for root dressing
A solution based on crushed eggshells is an excellent way to feed both seedlings and adult tomatoes with cucumbers growing in the open field or in a greenhouse. To do this, the egg shells must first be ground to make a fine powder. Pour it into a jar and add boiling water (1 l). Insist the solution for 5 days, stirring occasionally from time to time. Use for root watering.
Eggshells must be washed well before use, removing the remaining protein, and dried.
Direct soil application and plant dusting
Due to its composition, egg powder has a beneficial effect on the soil, neutralizing its acidity. Only 2 tbsp. crushed shells per 1 sq. m. will prepare a site for planting seedlings of tomatoes and cucumbers. You can add powder to the soil just before planting crops, adding it to each well.
Eggshells serve as a protective measure against such diseaseslike a black leg. It is recommended to dust the plants on the leaf with fine powder.
The use of shells when growing seedlings of tomatoes and cucumbers
If you just grind the egg shells a little into small pieces (without making a powder), they can be used as a drainage layer for the pots in which the seedlings grow. Such drainage will simultaneously retain moisture and also saturate the soil with nutrients.
Whole egg halves are a great alternative to seed containers. They also nourish the soil, in addition, such seedlings can be easily transplanted into open ground without damaging the root system. The shell can simply be slightly crumpled in your hands, without removing the plant, and together with it, plant it on the garden bed.