I recommend making fertilizer from eggshells. Regardless of what others say, eggshells are an excellent fertilizer if prepared properly. They can be more than just a soil conditioner—they provide 27 trace elements to the soil.
Eggshells contain about 92% calcium carbonate, which has already been synthesized by the chicken and should be fully absorbed by plants. Additionally, they contain 1.5% magnesium, 1.7% phosphates, and 3% organic matter.
You need to dry the eggshells, for example, in a cardboard box or paper bag. It is advisable to rinse them beforehand to remove any remaining protein, but keep the inner membrane intact.
There are several ways to use eggshells: eggshell infusion, eggshell decoction, and powdered eggshells.
Powdered eggshells increase soil fertility, improve the structure of heavy soil, and neutralize soil acidity. The powdered eggshells decompose quickly and are fully absorbed by plants. Add powdered eggshells to the soil when repotting—two teaspoons per liter of soil. It works well combined with ash.
To lower soil acidity, you can add a tablespoon of powdered eggshells per liter of soil. You can mix it with a teaspoon of ash to enhance the effect.
Eggshell Infusion
Eggshell infusion is beneficial due to the hydrogen sulfide that forms during decomposition.
The concentration of this gas is minimal and won’t harm us or the plants; instead, it accelerates plant growth. Here’s how I prepare it: in a three-liter jar of warm water, add the shells from 3-4 eggs without rinsing them, cover loosely with a saucer or lid, but not tightly. Usually, three days is enough— the infusion will become slightly cloudy and smell. Keep the jar in the shade. There’s no smell in the kitchen where the infusion is kept! It might smell a little for a few minutes after watering, but it’s tolerable. I water the plants regularly with this solution, just replacing the shells in the jar as needed and adding more water. It’s an excellent watering solution, incomparable to anything else. My mom only uses this smelly liquid for fertilizing—everything grows fantastically! From zamioculcas to dieffenbachia.
Eggshell Decoction
Some gardeners use eggshell decoction, watering plants with the cooled decoction. However, I am not sure of the effectiveness of this method.
You can also grow seedlings in eggshells. Small doses of hydrogen sulfide minerals gradually penetrate the soil with each watering. It is known that some practice transplanting young plants directly into the shell—the roots will naturally break down the shell and get nutrients as it decomposes.
I also found a recipe for fertilizer from egg whites: mix 5 egg whites with 1 liter of warm water. Let it steep for a week, then dilute with 10 liters of water and use as regular watering.
I recommend trying ash as a fertilizer and standard baker’s yeast . I also make homemade calcium supplement from eggshells .
