Growing tomatoes is a passion for most home gardeners that is rewarded with delicious fruit at the end. As heavy consumers, however, 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 crops, it makes sense to use organic alternatives. In addition to compost, horn shavings and manure, eggshells also have a good reputation as 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 egg shells is disposed of without hesitation. But sometimes it pays to think twice about whether a piece of waste really belongs in the trash. This is not the case at all with eggshells, as they are very useful for the hobby gardener. Sometimes, however, more is attributed to the home remedy than it actually can.
What home remedies can and cannot do
Have you already heard that eggshells in the bed can deter snails or are suitable as a universal fertilizer? Let’s look at what is true and what is just a myth.
- Egg shells cannot deter slugs: Unfortunately, this widespread trick does not work as well as promised. The sharp edges of the egg shells are not a big obstacle for the crawling creatures and can even attract them if there are bits of eggs left in the shells.
- It makes no sense to use egg shells as seed trays: It is quite possible to sow the tomato seeds in egg shells, but it is laborious and unnecessary. It takes a lot of time to prepare the trays and transplant the seedlings, and it doesn’t really do any good. Although it is said that the seedlings can be planted directly into the ground with their shells attached, this is not a good idea as the whole egg shells will take a long time to decompose and will stunt the growth of the plants.
- Mulching with eggshells is a real insider tip: Mulching is very valuable to plants as it retains moisture in the soil, regulates its temperature, suppresses weeds and improves soil health. The crushed eggshells make a perfect organic mulch and can be sprinkled right around the plants.
- Egg shells are an ideal fertilizer for lime-loving plants: The powdered egg shells consist of calcium carbonate, among other things, and are therefore perfect for giving plants a calcium boost in the early stages of growth. However, they are not a balanced fertilizer and should not be relied upon when fertilizing.
Egg shells as fertilizer and mulch for tomatoes: That speaks for itself
Like all vegetable plants, tomatoes also need the typical nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in order to grow healthily and vigorously. 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 grow thick, strong stems that can support the heavy fruit.
Furthermore, calcium is also crucial for the formation of healthy fruit. And if the soil doesn’t have enough calcium for the tomato plant to absorb, it can lead to blossom end rot later on.
Blossom end rot is known to destroy the fruit of tomato crops. It is commonly caused by a lack of calcium in the plant. This is exactly why planting crushed eggshells along with your tomato plants is so important.
Egg shells are not just an excellent, inexpensive organic fertilizer. Here are some ways you can help your tomatoes:
- 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
- Makes a good mulch to retain moisture in the soil
Fertilize tomatoes with egg shells: Here’s how it works
If you want to try the home remedy for tomato cultivation yourself, proceed as follows:
- Thoroughly wash and dry the eggshells: Always wash eggshells before doing anything with them to reduce the risk of salmonella. Washing will also get rid of the sulphurous odor. If you want to take extra precautions against salmonella and smelly eggshells, you can put them in the oven at 150ºC for a maximum of 10 minutes.
- Crush egg shells: Place clean, dry egg shells in a food processor and grind until finely powdered. 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’ll want to break them up as small as possible.
- Put eggshells around the tomato plants: First, when planting, put 2-3 tablespoons of eggshell powder in each planting hole. When you set the plant, spread the powder around the roots. This is the best way to absorb the nutrients. If the tomatoes are already planted, you can sprinkle some crushed egg shells directly onto the soil around the tomato plants in a thick layer. Gently work the trays into the top layer of soil, being careful not to injure the roots of the plant.
As tomatoes need many other nutrients to thrive, make sure you give the plants a suitable fertilizer as well. In this article we list the different possibilities.
Scattering eggshells around the tomato plants: when is the right time?
Egg shells take a long time to decompose, so they are also pulverized before use. In order for your tomatoes to benefit, put the broken skins in the ground as early as possible, preferably before sowing the seeds or planting the seedlings. As the shells decompose, they deliver the valuable calcium directly to the roots of the plants.
If you want to use the home remedy as a mulch, sprinkle the eggshells around the tomato plants when they are planted and again in the summer if necessary. In the spring, the mulch layer traps heat in the soil, and in the summer, it keeps the roots moist and protects them from drying out.
Also Read: 10 Common Tomato Growing Mistakes You Should Avoid!