Growing tomatoes is a passion for most hobby gardeners, which is ultimately rewarded with delicious fruits. As heavy feeders, tomato plants need a lot of nutrients in order to grow healthily and produce a rich harvest. Since chemical fertilizers are not a good choice for vegetable plants, it makes sense to rely on organic alternatives. In addition to compost, horn shavings and manure, eggshells also have a good reputation as a tomato fertilizer. Why you should sprinkle eggshells around your tomato plants and what it really does is the topic of this article.
What are eggshells good for?
In many households, kitchen waste such as eggshells are disposed of without hesitation. But sometimes it's worth thinking twice about whether a piece of waste really belongs in the trash. This is not the case at all with eggshells, because they are veryuseful for the hobby gardener. Sometimes the home remedy is said to do more than it actually can.
What the home remedy can really do and what it can't
Have you already heard that eggshells in beds can deter snails or are suitable as a universal fertilizer? Let's look at what is true and what is just a myth.
- Eggshells cannot deter snails: Unfortunately, this common trick doesn't work as well as promised. The sharp edges of the eggshells are not a major obstacle for the crawling creatures and can even attract them if there are egg residues left in the shells.
- It makes no sense to use eggshells as seed trays:It is certainly possible to sow tomato seeds in eggshells, but it is laborious and unnecessary. The time required to prepare the trays and transplant the seedlings is really big and it's actually of no use. Although it is claimed that the seedlings can be planted directly into the ground along with the shell, this is not a good idea because the whole eggshells take a long time to decompose and will therefore stunt the growth of the plants.
- Mulching with eggshells is a real insider tip:Mulching is very valuable for plants as it retains moisture in the soil, regulates its temperature, suppresses weeds and improves soil health. TheCrushed eggshells make a perfect organic mulchand can be sprinkled directly around the plants.
- Eggshells are an ideal fertilizer for lime-loving plants:The powdered eggshells consist of, among other things, calcium carbonate and are therefore perfect for giving plants a calcium boost in the early stages of growth. However, they are not a balanced fertilizer and you should not rely solely on them when fertilizing.
Eggshells as fertilizer and mulch for tomatoes: This speaks for itself
Like all vegetable plants, tomatoes also need the typical nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in order to grow healthy and strong. But they also have a critical need for calcium, which plays an important role in their long-term health.
As a tomato plant grows, it uses calcium from the soil to build strong cell walls. And these cell walls help the plant form thick, strong stems that can bear the heavy fruits.
Calcium is also crucial for the formation of healthy fruits. And if the soil doesn't contain enough calcium for the tomato plant to absorb, it can laterlead to blossom end rot.
Blossom end rot is known to destroy the fruit of tomato crops. It is usually caused by a lack of calcium in the plant. This is exactly why it is so important to plant crushed eggshells along with your tomato plants.
Eggshells are not just an excellent, inexpensive organic fertilizer. You can help your tomatoes in the following ways:
- They provide the plants with calcium without fundamentally changing the pH of the soil
- Make the soil porous, which promotes plant growth
- Improve soil drainage
- Aerate the soil
- Provide food for organisms that live in and improve the soil
- Work well as mulch to retain moisture in the soil
Fertilizing tomatoes with eggshells: How to do it correctly
If you want to try the home remedy for growing tomatoes yourself, proceed as follows:
- Wash and dry the eggshells thoroughly:Always wash eggshells before doing anything with them to reduce the risk of salmonella. Washing also eliminates the sulfurous smell. If you want to take extra precautions against salmonella and smelly eggshells, you can put them in the oven at 150°C for a maximum of 10 minutes.
- Crushing eggshells:Place clean, dry eggshells in a food processor and pulse until reduced to a fine powder. Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle or crush the eggshells by hand or with a rolling pin. Ground eggshells are easier to incorporate into the soil, so you should crush them as small as possible.
- Add eggshells around the tomato plants:First, when planting, add 2-3 tablespoons of eggshell powder to each planting hole. When you plant the plant, spread the powder around the roots. This is the best way to absorb the nutrients. If the tomatoes have already been planted, you can sprinkle some crushed eggshells in a thick layer directly onto the soil around the tomato plants. Gently work the shells into the top layer of soil, being careful not to damage the plant's roots.
Since tomatoes need many other nutrients to thrive, make sure you also give the plants appropriate fertilizer.In this articlelet's list the different options.
Sprinkle eggshells around tomato plants: when is the right time?
Eggshells take a long time to decompose, which is why they are powdered before use. To ensure your tomatoes benefit, put the broken peels in the ground as early as possible, preferably before sowing the seeds or setting the seedlings. As the shells decompose, they deliver valuable calcium directly to the roots of the plants.
If you want to use the home remedy as mulch, sprinkle the eggshells around the tomato plants when planting and again in the summer if necessary. In spring, the mulch retains heat in the soil and in summer it keeps the roots moist and protects them from drying out.
Also read:10 common mistakes when growing tomatoes that you should avoid at all costs!
